'He's Been So Good'

There’s a lot of ‘pinch me’ moments for a player in their first NHL season.

Yan Kuznetsov has had two back-to-back this week.

Wednesday night he played against Evgeni Malkin for the second time when the Pens came to town, and tonight he skates against Alexander Ovechkin and the Capitals for the first time

The pair are Russian legends, their impressive careers making them stars among young players growing up there.

And their parents.

“Welcome to the NHL, for sure,” said Kuznetsov Thursday after practice with a broad grin. “I mean, even my dad, like he was asking for pictures of me with Malkin, yeah, so I did one with Malkin. Finally. We were on the road (the first time they played earlier this month on Jan. 10 in Pittsburgh), and my dad was pretty upset I didn't make one. So, I did make one yesterday. And obviously those two guys, Ovi and Malkin, they're like a big deal. They're legends back home for all the kids playing hockey. So, meeting them in person - that's big deal, for sure, for sure.”

As with Wednesday's tilt, once they hit the ice, though, Kuznetsov will be all business as the Flames look to get back in the win column tonight after a pair of recent losses.

“You can’t be starstruck,” said Kuznetsov. “That’s how you say it, right? You have just got to be aware of those players on the ice because they always find themselves in the right areas for the scoring chances, and even though they're older now, they’re still doing some pretty good hockey. So, you got to be always aware when those guys … and just be close to them.”

Kuznetsov will suit up for his 37^th game tonight for the big club this season after being called up from the Wranglers.

He did play one NHL game prior to that, way back on Jan. 9, 2024.

The blueliner is one of the feel-good stories of this campaign, excelling since pulling the Flaming C over his head, playing calm, cool, collected – and consistent. Along with his stalwart defensive play, he's chipped in four goals and nine points this season.

Bench boss Ryan Huska said Kuznetsov doesn’t ‘ride the wave’ with highs and lows like many young players do, giving the 23-year-old high praise for his performance so far.

“I think he’s been excellent, I really do,” said Huska Thursday. “When he’s had an off night, it’s really not that off. I mean, we’re asking this guy that hasn’t really played in the NHL at all until this early portion of the season here to play against Crosby and play against Malkin and, it’s like, you’re going to do that right now and you’re being thrown into the fire with not a lot of leadup to it for him. But I think he can handle it.

“The size that he has, the speed that he plays the game with, he keeps it simple when he’s on the ice. I think he’s a guy who’s going to have a really nice, long career and I think he’s going to be an impact guy for us for a lot of years to come.

“When you look at him, he’s a great story, I think, for people to persevere and stay with it and eventually when your chance comes, you have to take advantage of it cause he’s all about that and I think he’s made himself a very valuable member of our team.”

Mikael Backlund has seen a lot of young players try and make their mark and become fulltime NHLers over his lengthy 18-year career.

Kuznetsov has also really impressed the captain.

“He’s been good,” said Backlund. “It’s not easy to come into the NHL as a defenceman, but I think he’s been solid.

“He’s improving every day. And he's a really good person who wants to get better every day. He works really hard, on and off the ice, to get his game improving, whatever that can be. He's a student of the game and that's a great thing. He wants to learn; he's a good listener. He has size and he can move out there and he scored some nice goals, too. He has really a heavy shot, too.

“I thought earlier in the year we were missing that one more defenceman,” he added. “And I think when he came in, he took that step, and it's been really good for us.”

His reliability and attention to detail – along with the added confidence he’s building with every night he plays, Kuznetsov said – are the keys that he focuses on.

“My game is pretty simple,” said Kuznetsov. “but at same time it makes it effective. So, I just gotta stick to those things and just add little add-ons on top of it.”