Oh god how did I miss that. I just looked at a quick highlight package and I totally thought he was a forward. That's very impressive.
You weren't the only one. He's basically a left winger in every goal he scores. Imagine trying to get him to buy into a NHL style defense, didn't work 7 years ago, and won't work now.
Though easily one of the most skilled defenseman on the planet. Very talented.
We had a chance with him in Man. but it didn't work out so he moved on. I think he was suppose to be going back mid-contract because his mom was sick or something. Anyways, he wasn't all that good in the AHL but found his game in the KHL. Might be one of those players that are great with the bigger rink but can't perform in smaller rinks.
I saw Koltsov in person at a few prospect camps a while back. Easily had the sickest hands on a Canuck pick that I've seen since Bure; no one since then has even come close. Sure, he was a gambler, but the things he could do with the puck were mind blowing. It's unfortunate he decided not to stick it out in North America, but such is life.
I saw Koltsov in person at a few prospect camps a while back. Easily had the sickest hands on a Canuck pick that I've seen since Bure; no one since then has even come close. Sure, he was a gambler, but the things he could do with the puck were mind blowing. It's unfortunate he decided not to stick it out in North America, but such is life.
Still doesn't come close to matching Marc-Andre Roy's talents.
I remember watching Koltsov at Queens Park Arena in a prospects game, he made former goalie prospect Lukas Mensator look like a Pee Wee goalie, though that might have had something to do with his 5'7 frame.
I saw Koltsov in person at a few prospect camps a while back. Easily had the sickest hands on a Canuck pick that I've seen since Bure; no one since then has even come close. Sure, he was a gambler, but the things he could do with the puck were mind blowing. It's unfortunate he decided not to stick it out in North America, but such is life.
Robbie Schremp waves hello with his sick hands. The world is full of guys with great hands that will never see an NHL rink. Or an AHL rink.
It would kind of shock me if he did. He's 29 now, that usually isn't an age where you decide you want to re-route your family to the other side of the world. I imagine he's comfortable where he is, it may be too late for him to learn the North American game at his age.
If he wanted to, there would be many teams interested. I'd offer him a 2 year deal worth $3.5mil per season. If he sucks, waive him. It's a pretty low risk move considering he will certainly head back to Russia if he's waived.
Nope, not really. Maybe I'd alter the amount I'd offer a bit based on what he got now, and I'm not familiar with his current contract situation, but I don't see why such an idea would be frowned upon.
Best case scenario: He signs and steps in to play top 4 minutes for us. Hes more of an offensive guy, so he could be a staple on our PP unit. In general, he works out.
Worst case scenario: He signs, doesn't work out, and becomes an overpaid waste of a contract. We waive him and he either gets picked up by another team or is assigned to Chicago. If he does go to Chicago, I see no reason why he'd stay in NA to play in the AHL, he still makes more money back at home. He heads back to Russia and hes off the books. No risk move.
Enlighten me if there's a down side I'm not seeing?
Nope, not really. Maybe I'd alter the amount I'd offer a bit based on what he got now, and I'm not familiar with his current contract situation, but I don't see why such an idea would be frowned upon.
Best case scenario: He signs and steps in to play top 4 minutes for us. Hes more of an offensive guy, so he could be a staple on our PP unit. In general, he works out.
Worst case scenario: He signs, doesn't work out, and becomes an overpaid waste of a contract. We waive him and he either gets picked up by another team or is assigned to Chicago. If he does go to Chicago, I see no reason why he'd stay in NA to play in the AHL, he still makes more money back at home. He heads back to Russia and hes off the books. No risk move.
Enlighten me if there's a down side I'm not seeing?
It's a giant waste of money. If I'm aquaman I would be very unimpressed by my GM throwing seven million at a minor league defenseman. Just sign M.A. Bergeron if you want that, heck Gragnani is probably just as good on North American ice.
These Koltsov threads pop up every once in awhile and somehow people continue to think that adding a defensive black hole with no grit by Russian standards is a good idea.
Still doesn't come close to matching Marc-Andre Roy's talents.
I remember watching Koltsov at Queens Park Arena in a prospects game, he made former goalie prospect Lukas Mensator look like a Pee Wee goalie, though that might have had something to do with his 5'7 frame.
Ha! I forgot about Marc-Andre Roy. Were you out there with us when we met him?
Lukas Mensator was pretty fun to watch in those camps as well; he was small, but really acrobatic. Made a few sweet saves.
These Koltsov threads pop up every once in awhile and somehow people continue to think that adding a defensive black hole with no grit by Russian standards is a good idea.
It's a giant waste of money. If I'm aquaman I would be very unimpressed by my GM throwing seven million at a minor league defenseman. Just sign M.A. Bergeron if you want that, heck Gragnani is probably just as good on North American ice.
These Koltsov threads pop up every once in awhile and somehow people continue to think that adding a defensive black hole with no grit by Russian standards is a good idea.
Hey, I'm basing this off of my very limited scouting report. If Gillis' scouts only see him as a bottom pairing defenseman in the NHL, it's all void.
Drafted 49th overall in 2002... Kiril Kolstov.
Drafted 54th overall in 2002.... Duncan Keith.
Apparently, Koltsov had the talent to justify being picked 49th overall. Unfortunately, he just didn't want to stay here. Just look up this thread from 2003 when he was still with the Moose.
Koltsov is not all that big and plays very undisciplined. His game was barely adequate at the AHL level.
He has also said that unless he is guaranteed a spot on the NHL club he will not be coming back to North America. Nonis made an attempt to re-sign him but the guaranteed roster spot was a deal breaker. And given the tax structures a $3 million+ North American deal would need to be done to match up with what his is paid in Russia.
I have an acquaintance in Russia who has watched Koltsov play a number of times over the past couple of seasons. His assessment is that Koltsov is lazy defensively and uses his stick way too much which could be a killer in North America under the tightened obstruction rules. The problem is Koltsov's lack of a defensive game. It was why he was not on the Russia WC team. He is a classic "get you one and cost you two" type of player.
For those of you unfamiliar regarding the circumstances surrounding Koltsov breaching his contract with the Canucks and leaving the Moose to return to Russia to play. There was later a try to rehabilitate his decsion with a bogus "sick mother" story but that was not the case:
All the reports I have seen make it clear he ran out:
Kirill Koltsov's agent, Serge Levin, insists he tried to convince his client to stay in North America and continue playing for the AHL's Manitoba Moose.
Vancouver Canucks vice-president and GM Dave Nonis, however, has little faith that's the case.
"If he had better counsel, if he had someone who was advising him about what to do to become a good professional, and what to do to develop on and off the ice, I think this would a little bit, well, maybe it wouldn't have occurred in the first place," Nonis told the Free Press last night during World Junior Hockey Championship action at Ralph Engelstad Arena.
"It" refers to Koltsov's departure last week to go back to Russia with intentions to play for Avangard Omsk of the Russian Super League, despite still being under contract to the Canucks and Moose. He's in the second year of a three-year contract.
"I know that Kirill wants to play in the NHL," Nonis said. "I don't think he fully understands the benefits of staying and playing in Manitoba. We wish he had some better guidance than he's gotten."
Nonis said last night that he won't be wasting any more time trying to deal with Levin about the matter, clearly frustrated with what has happened. "I don't think spending any more time with his representative is going make any more difference," Nonis said.
The 21-year-old defenceman is suspended by the Moose and Canucks, but realistically, there's little either club can do to stop him from playing hockey in Russia.
And:
Last season, he wondered aloud why he was in the AHL and not the NHL and chafed at the idea of returning to the Moose. Now it seems he's ready to turn away from the Moose and Canucks in the middle of a three-year contract and return to Avangard Omsk.
"Kirill is going back to Russia. Very soon," said Koltsov's agent Serge Levin. "I can't tell him what to do. He would like to play there and I think the Russian team will accept him."
The NHL and IIHF currently have no agreement to honour one another's contracts, so it's likely Avangard Omsk will sign the 23-year-old defenceman for the rest of the season.
"I tried to persuade Kirill to stay, but he wouldn't accept my offer," Levin said. "He sees Jaromir Jagr playing for Omsk and some of his friends and he wonders why he can't be there. He feels the play there is better and he'll prepare better for the NHL there.
"He didn't try to leave like a bad guy. He went and spoke to the Moose GM (Craig Heisinger) to explain his situation, but the Canucks didn't want to work out a deal. I don't support Kirill leaving in the middle of his contract; he has obligations. But I understand why he wants to go and he makes a good argument. This is a strange season. Kirill is stubborn, but there is some truth to what he says." Tambellini said the Canucks believe Manitoba is the best place for Koltsov to develop.
"The only place we're interested in having Kirill play is Manitoba. He's on a first-place team, he has a coach (Randy Carlyle) there that we believe can help his development and he's in a good environment," Tambellini said. "We believe Kirill is one of our best prospects and he could one day play for us in the NHL.
"We're doing what we think is best for Kirill. Our job is to develop him to play for Vancouver in the NHL, not Russia. The place to do that is in Manitoba."
Here is what his agent, Serge Levin saidf about his intended departure at the time:
"He would like to go to Russia because he feels that Russian hockey today is more qualified than the AHL. Of course he dreams for the NHL, but there is no season to play for Vancouver this year. "He has asked Vancouver for a chance to play part of the season in Russia this season. It (his perception of the Canucks) is negative because they consider the Canadian system is different than the Russian but the Russian clubs play very good players."
I just looked at a quick highlight package and I totally thought he was a forward. That's very impressive.
