One of the names bandied about in recent weeks has been that of Vladimir Tkachyov, a young Ukrainian forward who starred for Ak Bars Kazan this season. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet had linked him to the Maple Leafs, Devils and Oilers in a previous column, though mentioned that the NHL’s decision to not attend the Olympics could affect his decision. That seems true now, as Tkachyov has re-signed with Kazan for two years and will not be coming to North America just yet.
The 23-year old forward—not to be confused with the 21-year old Vladimir Tkachyov who is still under contract with Vladivostock—scored 32 points in 53 games in the KHL last season, adding another 11 in 15 playoff matches. Playing parts of the last five seasons in the K, Tkachyov is expected to make an impact at the NHL level should he ever decide to come over. His strength on the puck and two-way game are admirable, and though he doesn’t possess elite skill he has strong enough skating to fit in on any line.
The fact that he is a center who has been capable in the faceoff dot makes him interesting for several NHL teams looking to add depth down the middle without sacrificing any assets, and you’ll surely hear his name again in two years. For now, the league will have to turn its attention back to Evgeni Dadonov and Vadim Shipachyov—and perhaps even Ilya Kovalchuk—to try and get some KHL help.