Blackhawks top prospect begins to turn heads with stellar play in the KHL
Photo credit: NHL.com
A Chicago Blackhawks prospect is turning heads with his impressive performances in the KHL so far this season.
The Chicago Blackhawks have one of the deepest prospect pools in the entire NHL. After years of finishing at the bottom of the standings, the team is finally able to say that reinforcements are coming.
Anton Frondell and Roman Kantserov are set to come over to North America as soon as next season.
Today, Kantserov, the Hawks' 44th overall pick in 2023, showed that he's ready for the big stage.
Kantserov Shows Elite Skills and Maturity, Ready For The NHL
Kantserov has been having an amazing start to the season in the KHL, leading the league in goals with 14 and tied for 2nd in points with 24 after 23 games.
Today, he recorded two assists in a game:
Having such results in the KHL at 21 years old shows elite skills but also high maturity and competitiveness, attributes needed to succeed in the NHL.
In an interview with RG.org, Kantserov showed those traits when he explained the sources of his team's success:
"We've earned our results through hard work,» Kantserov said. «We're scoring a lot, and we have a really good team. People say we're a small team, but that doesn't stop us from winning battles near the net or along the boards - and from winning games."
He also overcame adversity earlier in the season when he couldn't score a goal in the first three games and opened up with a lot of maturity about what he went through:
"This season started with three games without a goal. I felt a bit tight, but then I relaxed and things started to click. For example, last season I scored five goals in December and then went 20 games without one. It's better to produce steadily, even in smaller amounts, than to have occasional bursts. You just need to stay patient, keep working, and not get frustrated."
With his contract expiring at the end of the current KHL season, Kantserov could come to North America as soon as next spring. Stay tuned for updates on his development in Russia.
