Subway Super Series: Russians Ready to Shine

Originally Published at The Hockey Guys on October 25th, 2012

By Brendan Ross (@RossyYoungblood)

Days after the OHL and QMJHL announced their respective rosters for the 2012 Subway Super Series roster, it was the Russians’ turn to release the names of 30 Russian-born players to represent their country in the annual six-game series.

Highlighting the news was that Edmonton Oilers’ first overall pick, Nail Yakupov, was to captain the Russian squad. Yakupov’s inclusion was especially nice considering one of the stops on tour will be the OHL rink where he played last year as a member of the Sarnia Sting.  The return to Sarnia will be Yakupov’s first in a competitive environment since being selected first overall in Pittsburgh last June.

Nail Yakupov set to captain Russia at the 2012 Subway

Joining Yakupov on the 2012 Team Russia roster are several NHL-drafted players as well as several notable 2013 draft-eligible players.  Fellow 2012 first round pick, Andrei Vasilevski, (Tampa Bay Lightning) will man the pipes for Russia after representing Russia at the 2012 World Junior Championships last year, earning a silver medal along the way. Nikita Nesterov, another Tampa Bay Lightning draftee, is slated to be the lone NHL-drafted player on the Russian blue line, but will be joined by Alexander Khoklachev (Boston Bruins), Maxim Shalunov (Chicago Blackhawks), Mikhail Grigorenko (Buffalo Sabres), Anton Zlobin (Pittsburgh Penguins), Daniil Zharkov (Edmonton Oilers) and Yaroslav Kosov (Florida Panthers) as forward prospects who have been snatched up by NHL teams.

The Russian roster will be highlighted by three extremely talented draft-eligible skaters in Nikita Zadorov, Valeri Nichushkin, and Bogdan Yakimov, projected to be chosen in the opening few rounds. Scouts in attendance will keeping a close eye on these three as well as Valentin Zykov, a member of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL), who is also draft-eligible.

The Russian team assembled for the 2012 Subway Super Series may just be the best squad to compete in the ten-year event. Look for Russia to remain extremely competitive. The talent selected for this team is surely good enough to come out above the .500 mark in the six-game series.

Interesting Notes:

• Seven Russians are currently playing on CHL teams, including Grigorenko, Sergeev, Zlobin, Zykov, Zharkov, Zadorov, and Markov.
• 16 players from the named 2012 Subway Super Series Russian roster participated in the Canada-Russia Challenge that took place in August.

Team Russia 2012 Subway Super Series Roster:

G – Igor Ustinsky	Stalnye Lisy	Undrafted
G – Andrei Vasilevski	Tolpar Ufa	Tampa Bay Lightning (19th, 2012)
G – Andrey Makarov	Saskatoon Blades	Undrafted
D – Alexei Vasilevski	Salavat Yulaev	Undrafted
D – Albert Yarullin	Ak Bars	Undrafted
D – Mikhail Naumenkov	CSKA	Undrafted
D – Nikita Nesterov	Traktor	Tampa Bay Lightning (148th, 2011)
D – Andrei Mironov	HC Dinamo	Undrafted
D – Kirill Dyakov	Mamonty	Undrafted
D – Yaroslav Dyblenko	Atlanty	Undrafted
D – Pavel Koledov	Loko	Undrafted
D – Ilya Lyubushkin	Loko	Undrafted
D – Artem Sergeev (S)	Val-d’Or Foreurs	Undrafted
D – Nikita Zadorov	London Knights	2013 NHL Draft eligibleF
F – Maxim Shalunov	Traktor	Chicago Blackhawks (109th, 2011)
F – Nail Yakupov	Edmonton Oilers	Edmonton Oilers (1st, 2012)
F – Evgeni Mozer	Omskie Yastreby	Undrafted
F – Andrei Sigarev	SKA	Undrafted
F – Anton Shenfeld	Stalnye Lisy	Undrafted
F – Vladimir Tkachev	Ak Bars	Undrafted
F – Valeri Nichushkin	Belye Medved	2013 NHL Draft Eligible
F – Damir Zhafyarov	Metallurg	Undrafted
F – Yaroslav Kosov	Metallurg	Florida Panthers (124th, 2011)
F – Alexander Khokhlachev	Spartak	Boston Bruins (40th, 2011)
F – Karill Kapustin	Loko	Undrafted
F – Bogdan Yakimov	Reaktor	2013 NHL Draft Eligible
F – Mikhail Grigorenko (Q)	Quebec Remparts	Buffalo Sabres (12th, 2012)
F – Anton Zlobin (Q)	Val-d’Or Foreurs	Pittsburgh Penguins (173rd, 2012)
F – Valentin Zykov (Q)	Baie-Comeau Drakkar	2013 NHL Draft Eligible
F – Daniil Zharkov	Belleville Bulls	Edmonton Oilers (91st, 2012)

Q – Player only playing in QMJHL games   V – Player only playing in Val-d’Or game

G – Player only playing in Guelph game                    S – Player only playing in Sarnia game

W – Player only playing in WHL games