When diving specifically into the forward options for the Washington Capitals with the 17th selection in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, there are a few wingers who stand out. Liam Greentree of the Windsor Spitfires in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård (who played last season on the Mora IK J20 and HockeyAllsvenskan teams) are two that come to mind for many people in the hockey world. Another winger who Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan and his scouts may potentially go with is Igor Chernyshov of MHK Dynamo Moskva of the MHL. He may be available around when Washington picks and he could potentially bring a lot to the table.
Making an Impact in Russian Leagues
Chernyshov was born on Nov. 30, 2005, in Penza, Russia. He has spent time in the Dynamo Moskva system over the last few seasons. He suited up for the Moskva U16 team in 2020-21, where he potted nine points in 11 games (five goals and four assists). In the following campaign, Chernyshov split time between a few of the teams in the Dynamo Moskva program. He played in 13 games for the U17 squad and produced 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points. He also played for the U18 group for three contests. During that time, he tallied four goals and three assists for seven points. He also was part of the U18’s playoff run and went pointless in three contests. The last team for Dynamo he donned the jersey for in 2021-22 was in the MHL. Chernyshov had seven goals and four assists for 11 points in 18 games. Additionally, he suited up in six playoff games for that team and scored five goals in that span.
Below are the stats for Chernyshov during the 2022-23 hockey season through 2023-24:
- 2022-23 Dynamo Moskva (KHL): one goal in five games
- 2022-23 MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL): 18 goals and 20 assists for 38 points in 38 games
- 2023-24 MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL): 13 goals and 15 assists for 28 points in 22 games
- 2023-24 Dynamo Moskva (KHL): three goals and one assist for four points in 34 games
Chernyshov was also called upon to play in 10 postseason Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) games for Dynamo in 2023-24. He went pointless during that run.
One thing that is important to remember is that the MHL and KHL are leagues with grown men in them. They are a different level of competition, as opposed to the junior leagues like the OHL, Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), and Western Hockey League (WHL) which are more on the younger side. There are former NHL talents who also spent some time over in the KHL. Alumni of the KHL who also play or have played in the NHL include Jaromir Jagr, Ilya Kovalchuk, Maxim Afinogenov, Artemi Panarin, and Vladimir Tarasenko among many others. Current KHL players who at one point were in the NHL include Alexander Radulov, Ryan Spooner, Nikita Gusev, Mikhail Grigorenko, and Cedric Paquette.
Chernyshov is getting experience playing against some NHL-level competition when he steps on KHL ice. He is already ahead of the game to an extent in the development department by being among these talents. Writer Eugene Helfrick discussed this in Chernyshov’s draft profile. He wrote, “For Igor Chernyshov, context is everything when it comes to understanding his potential. The 6-foot-2 forward started playing hockey against men in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) when he played five games for Dynamo Moskva during the 2022-23 season…During this time, Chernyshov didn’t win any scoring records, but as an underaged player taking on ice time against men in the KHL, he more than held his own.”
Key Elements of Chernyshov’s Game
Some good qualities stand out for Chernyshov when he plays. Helfrick dives specifically into what his strengths are. In the draft profile, he lists the strengths as “strong skater,” “power forward frame to build upon,” and “willing to work the greasy areas of the ice” among others. Austin Stanovich from The Hockey News also wrote about what makes Chernyshov so great. He states, “Chernyshov has a toolkit that makes scouts salivate. He’s big, moves well and is a smart player with the puck…Some scouts have described Chernyshov as a modern power-forward type, not a true bruiser but someone who uses their size to generate offense and isn’t afraid to get into the dirty areas.”
TSN’s Bob McKenzie also recently did his final 2024 NHL Draft rankings. He had Chernyshov ranked 21st on his list. Craig Button of TSN also said on Chernyshov, “Very good offensive instincts with good pucks skills and a ready release. Has a determination to score and not be denied.” The NHL comparable Button made for Chernyshov is JJ Peterka of the Buffalo Sabres. Peterka was the Sabres’ second-round pick in the 2020 Draft. He has not been in the league for a long time yet, but he had a solid campaign in 2023-24. His overall NHL stats are below:
- 2021-22: zero points in two games
- 2022-23: 12 goals and 20 assists for 32 points in 77 games
- 2023-24: 28 goals and 22 assists for 50 points in 82 games
Peterka is only 22 years old, but he has already shown flashes that he can be a potential star for Buffalo down the road. If Chernyshov puts up similar stats to Peterka, whoever selects him is going to get a significant contributor to their offense.
Chernyshov Good to Come Over and Capitals Fit
Hockey fans everywhere know the term “the Russian Factor,” because there is always the possibility that a young player drafted in the NHL could stay over in the KHL and not ever be a talent for the NHL team who picked him. This was a conversation during the 2023 NHL Draft with Russian forward Matvei Michkov and when he would be able to come to the NHL. The Philadelphia Flyers still took him seventh overall and now, he is leaving SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL to come to North America.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft Top 10 Russian Prospects
The same will be the case for Chernyshov. He has one more season left under his current KHL deal, but once that is up, he should be good to come over to North America and continue to craft his game either in the NHL or AHL. Obviously, anything could happen, and he could decide to stay in the KHL, but that does not appear to be the case now. McKenzie quoted a scout about “the Russian Factor,” in his final 2024 Draft rankings. McKenzie’s piece said, “Another scout, however, believes the Russian Factor is overplayed. ‘The good ones always come over,’ the scout said. ‘Maybe you have to wait a year or two or three, but history tells us the good ones come and they’re often worth the wait.’”
Like in the case of many other 2024 Draft-eligible players, Chernyshov could be a nice selection for the Capitals. Having someone who brings size and is not afraid to get in the tough areas to get the puck are characteristics for potentially solid NHL-caliber talents. He could be a significant addition to the next forward core for Washington. They have current players inked for many seasons to come in Dylan Strome, Aliaksei Protas, Tom Wilson, and Pierre-Luc Dubois. Ryan Leonard and Hendrix Lapierre are just a couple other players who could be part of the next era in Caps hockey for the offense. Chernyshov could join that list if he is taken with the 17th pick by Washington.
A Peterka-caliber winger is something that the Capitals could use, especially once they officially enter the post-Ovechkin era. A player with that amount of skill could be one of the faces of Capitals hockey for many seasons to come. If Washington drafts him, fans will just have to wait one more season before he can come over and start playing for either the Capitals or their AHL squad in the Hershey Bears.
