Valeri Nichushkin Discussion - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

robaur · 04-17-2013, 10:48 PM

I understand that there is a thread about prospects but I feel a thread focused just on Nichushkin is needed as not many ppl know about him.

I think he might end up being the best forward out of this draft.

6'4" 202 pounds according to ISS. Even with the Russian factor, the Flames would be very fortunate to draft this guy. Next Malkin/Ovechkin potential.

Ashasx · 04-17-2013, 10:49 PM

The only thing worse than not picking top 4 for the Flames would be picking this guy, then seeing him never come over to North America.

kyuss275 · 04-17-2013, 10:49 PM

If the flames prospect pool was any better i would be all for taking the chance on him. Flames just can not risk it.

Matty81 · 04-17-2013, 10:50 PM

Will not be around when the Flames pick unless somebody seriously overvalues Nurse or Monahan.

Hockey_Ninja · 04-17-2013, 10:53 PM

At this point, i actually wouldn't mind it. But scouts have him going as high as 2nd so he might not be their when we pick.

StrykerSteve · 04-17-2013, 10:53 PM

This kid just ditched his team in the middle of a playoff drive, so he could go and play in the U18 tournament.

Not sure I want a guy like that on my team.

I don't know all the details, so please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Hair bleach and Vodka · 04-17-2013, 10:55 PM

I've got a gut feeling Feaster and Co. will be trying to get a player that fits their criteria but will also be on the team next year. Nichushkin still has that KHL contract for 2 years? I'm not sure if he could break it so easily.

Anyone have any info on his contract status in Russia?

Flames Draft Watcher · 04-17-2013, 10:59 PM

Can anyone post a "Do Not Want" GIF?

Waaaaay too risky. Too much chance he pulls a Radulov. Or pulls a Kuznetsov. Or is just enigmatic and alternates between good and sucky. Not to mention he's a winger and I think we really need a franchise centre or top two D-man.

I really hope somebody ahead of us picks him. Not interested in him in the slightest unless Monahan, Lindholm and Nurse are all gone.

I may literally get sick to my stomach if we pick him higher than 8th or so.

moon · 04-17-2013, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

This kid just ditched his team in the middle of a playoff drive, so he could go and play in the U18 tournament.

Not sure I want a guy like that on my team.

I don't know all the details, so please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

He played the same amount of play-offs games as everyone else on the team and was in photos of the last game so that seems odd if true.

And the U-18 tournament doesn't start until tomorrow with the KHL series over now.

Flames Draft Watcher · 04-17-2013, 11:00 PM

nm

nightfx · 04-17-2013, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

This kid just ditched his team in the middle of a playoff drive, so he could go and play in the U18 tournament.

Not sure I want a guy like that on my team.

I don't know all the details, so please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

I don't see anything wrong with wanting to play on the national team, CHL players do it all the time.

moon · 04-17-2013, 11:02 PM

Much too risky and likely too risky for a management team that may not be here in two years time when this kid is done with the KHL and can head over.

Seems like a risk that a TB, Philly can take with their young guys already or maybe Poile in Nashville/Rutherford in Carolina who is secure in his position with the team long term.

You have to be 100% sure that you can get him here and probably would want him over in NA before the two year deal he signed ended/took place to be sure.

Dagger · 04-17-2013, 11:06 PM

If we can't get one of the top 4 or Monahan/Lindholm he absolutely has to be the pick and IMO will be taken by Feaster.

He could feasibly be the best player in the draft. He just batters grown men and won't be denied position anywhere on the ice.

killer_carlson · 04-17-2013, 11:08 PM

We should be starting the biggest PR campaign for this guy, hoping that someone ahead of us in the draft picks him in the top 4.

Flames Draft Watcher · 04-17-2013, 11:08 PM

If the Oilers get a higher pick than us then I hope they draft this guy and he never comes over or comes over and then leaves them for the KHL. That'd be rich.

jeffman · 04-17-2013, 11:10 PM

Not with our top pick, if he fell to where our st louis pick ala Cherapenov then for sure

J epworth · 04-17-2013, 11:11 PM

You would have to be completely sure that he would come over to play for the Flames when they interview him. He's a guy that has all the skill you would want in a top pick, but the Flames will stay far away from him unless they come out of the interview completely convinced that he would come play.

moon · 04-17-2013, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dagger

If we can't get one of the top 4 or Monahan/Lindholm he absolutely has to be the pick and IMO will be taken by Feaster.

He could feasibly be the best player in the draft. He just batters grown men and won't be denied position anywhere on the ice.

7 would be the most interesting spot with the top 4 plus Lindholm and Monahan gone.

Then you are looking at a defenseman like Nurse/Rustilanen or reaching for a Shinkaruk, who might not end up as a center in the NHL.

I still think this team has to go with the safe bet there and although the potential would be tough to pass up (and just what the team needs if he turns out) to risky to miss on him.

robaur · 04-17-2013, 11:21 PM

MacKinnon is not a sure-fire franchise player.

Neither is Drouin or Barkov.

This guy dominates every level he plays at...He's the franchise player that the Flames need.

I think him not coming over to NHL is really overblown.

For every Radulov, there is Ovechkin, Malkin, Tarasenko.

Flames Draft Watcher · 04-17-2013, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robaur

For every Radulov, there is Ovechkin, Malkin, Tarasenko.

And for every Malkin/Tarasenko/Ovechkin there is a Zherdev, Filatov, Alexeev, Svitov, Vorobiev, Yakubov (not Yakupov), Smirnov, Krykov, Chistov, Knyazev, Saprykin, Shvidki, Vishnevsky, Radulov

If you aren't familiar with those guys they are all Russian top 15 picks in the last 15 years. To be fair a lot of them are from the '98-'2002 range which included some bad draft years. Later on Russians started being drafted later due to the lack of a transfer agreement.

Since I've been following the draft closely there is a long history of Russian busts that far outweigh in number the ones who actually turned out. That history has me extremely, extremely wary of taking a Russian in the top 15.

The success of Malkin/Ovechkin who were much more highly touted than Nichuskin does not mean Nichuskin is not one of the riskiest picks due to go in the top 10 this year.

Obviously he's got a huge upside. But the Russian factor cannot be ignored. It is too easy for them to drop everything and make big bucks in their home country when the going gets tough. And unlike the Russians drafted out of the CHL, this guy hasn't shown that getting to the NHL is his top priority, nor has he started his cultural transition early like they have.

Risky, risky, risky. Its not like guys like Monahan, Lindholm and Nurse don't have high upsides. I'd rather take one of them than roll the dice with a talent Russian.