Have you seen a player pick a part of the net, and hit that spot 9 times out of 10? Well, that’s what a highly skilled defenseman Yan Kuznetsov can do. He doesn’t scream first round pick, but the NHL Central Scouting has him ranked 98th among eligible draftees. Kuznetsov has a powerful slap shot from the point, opponents have to have guts to stand in front of his heavy shot. He hails from Murmansk, RUS, and was born on March 21, 2002. Kuznetsov is definitely a player to watch come draft time when Chuck Fletcher is on the clock sometime around pick #62 (Bob McKenzie has him ranked #62).
This Russian native found a passion, and a love for the sport of hockey at a very young age, and as a matter of fact I’m sure he started skating when he was just 2-years-old. His passion for the game found himself playing for the University of Connecticut for the 2019-20 season, where he endured a rigorous, but good freshman year of hockey (2g,11a in 34 games played). These stats aren’t eye popping, but it was just his second season in North America. Kuznetsov is a natural, not just a playmaker, and a Left-Handed defenseman the Flyers could use in the future. He is a smart defenseman that has the top end ceiling of top four defenseman at the NHL level. Kuznetsov stands at 6’3″ and weighs 201 pounds as he likes to throw his weight around. He has about average speed, but is a big skilled defender that plays extremely well on the Penalty Kill. The Flyers could use someone to clear the porch on a nightly basis, well Kuznetsov is that guy, “I can bring size, power, physicality, speed, hard shot and intelligence,” Kuznetsov said, “They (Fans) can expect a big defender skating around the ice doing everything he can to help the organization win games and titles. There are plenty of people who affected my carrier in a positive way. But the most important I think were my father, my first coach (Sergei Sedashev), and defense (Konstantin Bakin) and head coach (Alexei Babintsev) from my team in Saint Petersburg.”
Kuznetsov continued, “When I started to play hockey in Murmansk (I was 4,5) I didn’t know a lot about the NHL, and didn’t have any goals about it. I did take hockey seriously, but never watched a single NHL game because back in Russia we watched more of the KHL. Later on when I left my hometown and started to live in sport boarding school. I realized that hockey is my ultimate priority, and I want to play on the highest level possible. About that time I started to learn more about the NHL, watch some games, and look up to a couple of my favorite defenders (Drew Doughty, Victor Hedman).”
Kuznetsov’s hockey IQ is off the charts, and he has keen hockey sense. He sacrifices his body blocking shot after shot, gets into the passing lanes well, is good at pinning his man against the wall, and maintains good gap control by using his lateral mobility and backwards skating. Commitment to the game is also what makes him stand out. Moreover, if an opponent has his head down, good gosh watch out, Kuznetsov would level him with an explosive hit. Look at the video below of Mr. Kuznetsov clearing the porch the right way Flyers fans:
The young prospect continued, “I started to work out right after I came back to Russia with my teammate Vladislav Firstov in his hometown of Yaroslavl. We have done solid work in the gym starting from end of March to June 6. In May we started to skate twice a week. Now I am back in Saint Petersburg where I skate and workout with my former teammates. Also, I work a lot on stretching and doing some yoga.”
Keep in mind Kuznetsov is just 18-years-old, he has great creativity with his skating for being such a tall player, a player that has good edgework and agility. He is so tough to move off the puck, as well, but he can make quick cuts and changes direction well once again for being a bigger player. Kuznetsov just knows where to be and when, then blasts the puck at the net, “The only thing I noticed I do before each game is reading a book,” Kuznetsov says, “It does not matter what book it is. Other than that, it is very basic: just try to stick to my routine, get a good sleep, do the same warmup all the time.”
He’s really everything a team would dream of if they are in need of physicality, and it just so happens that the Flyers are one of those teams. The one area of weakness for the Flyers throughout their lineup is they lack physicality. Now Kuznetsov would need time to develop, but he could be that player that could make an imprint with the Flyers in the future.
Kuznetsov has really opened some eyes, and showcased his skills as he’s on the cusp of fulfilling his dream of getting drafted into the NHL. His effort, and dedication for the sport of hockey really sets himself apart from other prospects. Yan, however, just loves breakfast, “Breakfast is my favorite meal and my favorite food is oatmeal porridge with brown sugar and fruits, berries or nuts,” Kuznetsov says, “I’m going to do everything I can to help the organization win games and titles”
