Coach calls Kirill ‘the best’
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photo by Bob Davies
When it comes to the way Kirill Kudryavtsev goes about his OHL business, John Dean has always been quick to offer a ringing endorsement.
On Wednesday, the Soo Greyhounds head coach took it a step – or two – farther.
“I think Kirill is the best defenceman in the league,” said Dean, whose club continues to prepare for home games against Sarnia, on Friday, and Windsor, on Sunday afternoon. “I really do. He does everything correctly.”
Dean, whose team made the native of Yaroslavl, Russia, an alternate captain on Tuesday, also spoke of how the 18-year-old (2004 birth year) embodies all of the qualities the Hounds want in a player.
The Soo bench boss lauded the example Kudryavtsev sets for his teammates in terms of effort, compete level and determination to follow the game plan.
“His puck distribution choices are incredible,” Dean said of the two-year veteran, who is tied for fifth in scoring among all OHL rearguards with a 6-30-36 stat line. “He runs our No. 1 power play and he consistently puts the puck into the hands of our top players.”
Asked about Kudryavtsev’s defensive game, the coach discussed how others can’t help but be excited when paired with him.
“He covers up so many blemishes, it’s not even funny,” Dean added. “If you’re his D partner, the mistakes you make he covers up for with good instincts, a good stick and a good I.Q. He’s also very positionally sound with deceptive speed.”
Told of his coach’s flattering comments, Kudryavtsev was, momentarily, at a loss for words.
“It surprises me. I’m absolutely proud,” the Hounds defenceman eventually stated. “I try to help the team in every way I can.”
In the midst of the best statistical streak of his career, Kudryavtsev has produced four goals and 17 assists over his last 19 games.
He spoke of how he believes he’s “started to be better with the puck and better with decision making.”
Asked about being named an alternate captain, Kudryavtsev said he was excited.
“I’ve never been an assistant captain, except when I was very young,” he added.
Heading into the weekend, the Hounds will again count on Kudryavtsev as they look to snap a two-game losing skid.
They’ll carry a 14-17-7-5 record into the contest with the Sting (21-14-4-2), a team that has traded for veterans Christian Kyrou and Ethan Del Mastro, both defencemen, and forwards Luca Del Bel Belluz and Sasha Pastujov since mid-November.
“They’ve got a really-good hockey club,” said Dean, whose team lost 6-2 in Sarnia on Oct. 9 in the only meeting this season between the West Division rivals. “They’ve placed all of their chips into the middle and they’re all in this season. We’ll need to make sure we give them our best hockey game.”
Dean spent the early part of the week reviewing video of last Sunday’s 5-4 shootout loss to Hamilton.
When asked for his impressions, he talked about how the Greyhounds “have to be more predictable to each other and have more trust in each other. Our play is too unpredictable. The five guys on the ice aren’t certain what the guy with the puck is going to do.”
Dean went on to note how “predictability and trust go hand-in-hand and we need to being some predictability to our game on a consistent basis.”
The return of injured centre Mark Duarte is certainly a positive for the Greyhounds. The overage has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury. Unfortunately, defencemen Andrew Gibson and Connor Toms, forward Ethan Montroy and netminder Charlie Schenkel remain sidelined.
Gibson, who suffered a lower-body injury on Jan. 12 in North Bay, was forced to miss Wednesday’s CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Langley, B.C.
The LaSalle, Ont., native was rated No. 32 among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.
