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Lightning: European Report
Written by: Pete Choquette on 10/30/2003 
Lightning European Report
The Tampa Bay Lightning is
off to a hot start and so are some of its top European prospects. Hockey’s
Future Lightning continues the best Lightning coverage on the web with another
in its series of reports on Lightning prospects in the
|
D Marek Posmyk |
GP |
G |
A |
P |
PIM |
+/- |
|
2002-2003 Slavia Praha |
41 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
20 |
+7 |
|
2002-2003 Slavia Praha (Playoffs) |
13 |
4 |
3 |
7 |
34 |
+4 |
|
2003-2004 HC Plzen |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
8 |
-1 |
Stock: Steady
Since Last Report: 3GP, 0G-1A-1P, 8 PIMs, -1
After playing a tune up game for HC Slovan of the
First League, Posmyk finally returned from injury to
make his debut on October 24th for HC Plzen.
|
W Ivan Rachunek |
GP |
G |
A |
P |
PIM |
+/- |
|
2002-2003 Zlin |
48 |
9 |
16 |
25 |
2 |
-27 |
|
2003-2004 Budejovice |
5 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
-5 |
Stock: Falling
Since Last Report: 3GP, 0G-1A-1P,
0 PIMs, -5
It was bad enough that Rachunek played for the second worst team in the Extraleague last season with ZPS Zlin.
This season, Rachunek has landed on a
|
C Karri Akkanen |
GP |
G |
A |
P |
PIM |
+/- |
|
2002-2003 Ilves Jr. A |
11 |
1 |
6 |
7 |
65 |
-2 |
|
2002-2003 Ilves |
21 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
-3 |
|
2003-2004 Ilves/Tappara
Jr. A |
6 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
22 |
-1 |
Stock: Falling
Since Last Report: 3GP, 0G-1A-1P, 2 PIMs, Even
After a contentious fallout with the Ilves coaching
staff, Karri Akkanen was transferred to cross town
rival Tappara's Jr. A squad.
Purportedly, Ilves'; hierarchy frowned upon Akkanen's perceived lack of work ethic and his poor
conditioning which led to his dismissal from the team to await a move. Now that
he is back in a stable situation with Tappara where he
can begin to get some consistent ice time and game action, hopefully Akkanen can put the episode behind him and continue his
development. He notched his first point with the team, an assist, in a 5-3 win
over KalPa Jr. A on October 26th.
|
W Raimonds Danilics |
GP |
G |
A |
P |
PIM |
+/- |
|
2002-2003 Daugavpils Jr. (LAT) |
NA |
4 |
5 |
9 |
18 |
NA |
|
2002-2003 Lukko
Jr. A |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
-1 |
Stock: Steady
Since Last Report: 7GP, 0G-0A-0P,
6 PIMs, -1
Danilics transferred to Lukko Jr. A
after it became clear he would not crack the lineup for Pori
Assat's Jr. A team. He
has yet to notch a point this season but does have 8 shots on goal in seven games. Considering the size of the leap from Latvian junior hockey to
Finnish Jr. A, Danilics'; slow start was
in some ways to be expected.
Note: The draft rights to LW Erikki Rajamaki were traded to
the
|
D Sascha Goc |
GP |
G |
A |
P |
PIM |
+/- |
|
2002-2003 Mannheim |
49 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
87 |
+10 |
|
2002-2003 Mannheim
(Playoffs) |
7 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
31 |
+2 |
|
2003-2003 Mannheim |
13 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
14 |
+4 |
Stock: Steady
Since Last Update: 7GP, 0G-0A-0P, 8PIMs, +1
Goc continues to play a quiet stay-at-home style game
for Adler Mannheim after his early season outburst of two points in the team's
first six games.
|
C/W Dimitri Bezrukov |
GP |
G |
A |
P |
PIM |
+/- |
|
2002-2003 Spartak (Superleague) |
51 |
10 |
12 |
22 |
24 |
-4 |
|
2003-2004 Nizhnekamsk |
18 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
10 |
NA |
Stock: Steady
Since Last Update: 12GP, 1G-2A-3P, 6 PIMs, NA
Bezrukov continues to see relatively diminished ice time for Nizhnekamsk after leading Spartak
Moscow in scoring last season. He notched his first goal of the season on October 17th
in a 3-2 loss to Severstal Cherepovets.
|
LW Anton But |
GP |
G |
A |
P |
PIM |
+/- |
|
2002-2003 Yaroslavl |
44 |
16 |
13 |
29 |
16 |
NA |
|
2002-2003 Yaroslavl (Playoffs) |
9 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
NA |
|
2003-2004 Yaroslavl |
16 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
8 |
+5 |
Stock: Steady
Since Last Update: 10GP, 2G-2A-4P, 2 PIMs, +3
A slow start of the season for Yaroslavl, which sees the defending champions in sixth
on the Superleague table, led to the dismissal of the
team's coach last week and rumors the Lokomotiv
are looking into bringing in a high profile foreign coach to take over the
team. Despite this turmoil, But leads all Lightning European prospects with 8
points in 16 games. He had 1 goal and 1 assist in a 3-2 loss to
|
C/W Alexei Glukhov |
GP |
G |
A |
P |
PIM |
+/- |
|
2002-2003 Khimik (Upper League) |
38 |
4 |
4 |
8 |
30 |
+4 |
|
2002-2003 Khimik (Playoffs) |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
|
2003-2004 Khimik
(Super League) |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
NA |
Stock: Steady
Since Last Update: 5GP, 0G-0A-0P, 2 PIMs, NA
Glukhov has been regular member of Khimik's
Superleague lineup lately after starting the season
primarily playing for Khimik2 in the farm league. He has yet to notch a point
this season.
|
C/W Dimitry Kazionov |
GP |
G |
A |
P |
PIM |
+/- |
|
2002-2003 Lada2 (Upper
League) |
34 |
14 |
13 |
27 |
26 |
+27 |
|
2002-2003 Lada |
6 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
+2 |
|
2003-2004 Lada |
17 |
3 |
4 |
7 |
8 |
NA |
Stock: Steady
Since Last Update: 11GP, 1G-2A-3P, 6 PIMs
Kazionov continues to play a prominent roll for a
|
G Vasily Koshechkin |
W-L-T |
GAA |
Sv% |
SO |
|
2002-2003 Lada2 (Upper
League) |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
|
2002-2003 Olmp/Nfty (Upper League) |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
|
2003-2004 Lada
Togliatti |
0-1-0 |
1.35 |
NA |
0 |
Stock: Steady
Since Last Update: 0-0-0, 0.00GAA, NA, 0 SO
Unfortunately, the
predictions of Koshechkin seeing a good number of
starts for Lada Togliatti
this season have not come to fruition yet this year. It's difficult to
argue with the way Lada is riding their starter J.F. Labbe as he is at or near the top of every statistical category
for all goaltenders in the Superleague. Vasily only has seen game action in one game since the last
update in mop up duty in a 3-0 loss to Novgorod on 10/27, posting a little over
a period of shutout hockey.
|
C/W Alex Polushin |
GP |
G |
A |
P |
PIM |
+/- |
|
2002-2003 CSKA |
47 |
5 |
6 |
11 |
22 |
NA |
|
2003-2004 CSKA |
13 |
5 |
2 |
7 |
4 |
NA |
Stock: Injured
Since Last Update: 5GP, 2G-2A-4P, 4 PIMs, NA
A promising breakout season
in the Superleague has been cut too short for
Alexander Polushin. According to Eugene Belaschenko of Hockey's Future affiliate site
RussianProspects.com, Polushin is expected to undergo
surgery on 11/3 in
|
W Pavel Sedov |
GP |
G |
A |
P |
PIM |
+/- |
|
2002-2003 Khimik (Upper League) |
25 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
6 |
+2 |
|
2002-2003 Khimik (Playoffs) |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
|
2003-2004 Khimik
(Super League) |
7 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
NA |
Stock: Steady
Since Last Update: 5GP, 1G-0A-1P, 2 PIMs, NA
Just like his teammate Alex Glukhov, Pavel Sedov is splitting the
season between Khimik's Superleague
club and Khimik2 in the farm league. On 10/25 he scored his first career Superleague goal in a 4-2 loss to Nizhnekamsk.
|
W/C Vitali Smolianinov |
GP |
G |
A |
P |
PIM |
+/- |
|
2002-2003 Voronezh (Upper League) |
14 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
12 |
-2 |
|
2003-2004 Karaganda (Upper League) |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
NA |
Stock: Steady
Since Last Update: NA
Hockey's Future
Lightning has finally caught up with Vitali Smolianinov who is currently in and out of the lineup for Kazakhmys Karaganda of the Upper
League.
|
W Ilja Solarev |
GP |
G |
A |
P |
PIM |
+/- |
|
2002-2003 DNP |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
2003-2004 Barnaul (Upper League) |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
-3 |
Stock: Steady
Since Last Update: 4GP, 0G-0A-0P, 0 PIMs, -2
Ilja Solarev has been in
and out of the lineup this season for Motor Barnaul
of the Upper League.
|
W Albert Vishnyakov |
GP |
G |
A |
P |
PIM |
+/- |
|
2002-2003 Kazan |
46 |
7 |
6 |
13 |
47 |
NA |
|
2002-2003 Kazan (Playoffs) |
5 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
NA |
|
2003-2004 Ak
Bars |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
NA |
Stock: Steady
Since Last Update: 2GP,
0G-0A-0P, 0 PIMs, NA
Vishnyakov has spent most of the season playing for
Kazan2 in the farm league.
Note: G Evegeny
Konstantinov was assigned by the Lightning to
|
LW Johan Hagglund |
GP |
G |
A |
P |
PIM |
+/- |
|
2002-2003 Ore/Ham (Alsvensakan) |
26 |
9 |
7 |
16 |
32 |
+3 |
|
2002-2003 Hammarby (SuperAlsv’) |
14 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
2 |
+3 |
|
2003-2004 Hammarby
(Alsvenskan) |
10 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
+8 |
Stock: Steady
Since Last Update: 9GP, 0G-2A-2P, 6 PIMs, +7
Hagglund has been in and out of the lineup for a very
deep Hammarby club which is sitting atop the Alsvenskan Norra division table. Hagglund, who has played primarily third line left wing
this season, has yet to accrue a minus this season which is a testament to his
defensive play.
|
G Fredrik Norrena |
W-L-T |
GAA |
Sv% |
SO |
|
2002-2003 Vastra Frolunda |
NA |
2.42 |
.907 |
1 |
|
2002-2003 Vastra Frolunda (Playoffs) |
NA |
1.25 |
.957 |
1 |
|
2003-2004 Linkopings
HC |
|
1.81 |
.927 |
2 |
Stock: Steady
Since Last Update: 4-5-0, NA, NA, 2 SOs
Norrena is third in the Elitserian
in save percentage and goals against average and has Linkopings,
which finished last in the league a year ago, in a more respectable ninth
place on the table.
Note: All statistics as of
Copyright 2003 Hockey’s Future. Do not reprint or otherwise duplicate without permission of the editorial staff.