The Boston Bruins continue their fantastic bounce-back season this year. Entering Friday’s action, the club is tied for second in the Atlantic Division with 40 points. The outlook seems positive, but there’s room for improvement.
Barring a miraculous trade, the Bruins will need to get creative. That creativity means thinking outside the box, that is, the North American box. An increasing source of viable NHL talent is Russia. Beyond drafting Russian prospects, teams have turned to KHL free agents to bolster their lineups.
One player that’s getting plenty of attention is Vitali Pinchuk. Don’t worry if you haven’t heard about him. He’s a 23-year-old forward who’s drawn some lofty comparisons. As RG Media’s Sergey Demidov noted in a December 16 piece, Pinchuk has drawn comparisons to Minnesota Wild Star Kirill Kaprizov and Pittsburgh Penguins legend Evgeni Malkin.
According to Demidov, several clubs have sent scouts to catch Pinchuk in action. Since his KHL contract expires at the end of this season, NHL teams are looking to make their pitch. Considering that he’s pretty much a point-per-game player (31 points in 34 games), he could become a solid NHLer.
Wouldn’t a point-per-game center sound like something tempting for the Bruins? Absolutely. Boston could use more depth down the middle. However, that depth is in short supply at the moment. That’s why thinking outside the box could be just what the Bruins need to restock their prospect pipeline.
As for translating Pinchuk’s KHL game to the NHL, it’s worth noting he played in the OHL during the 2019-20 season with the Kingston Frontenacs. That season, unfortunately, was cancelled due to COVID. It was a tough break as he went undrafted. Pinchuk returned to Russia and honed his game.
At 23, Pinchuk is much further along than the average draft pick. So, he could make the big club a lot more easily than the usual young center. Even if Pinchuk doesn’t become the next Evgeni Malkin, the Bruins could find a solid NHL center in the rising star.
Considering the Bruins are still a relevant playoff contender, having an opportunity to play with a contending club could be enough to entice the Russian prospect to ink an entry-level deal in Boston.
While he won’t be coming to North America any time soon, Bruins fans should keep an eye on Pinchuk’s name. He could become the next Bruins star.