He ranks fifth for points from a U21 defenceman in the AHL this season and is content with his offensive performance but wants to continue to develop more consistency as a pro. He believes that is the most complex trait to develop in the pro game, but he is getting there with the help of his coaching staff and a strong commitment to working hard in practice.
“It all comes from how you prepare for a game both mentally and physically,” said Kudryavtsev, explaining how he has found more consistency in his game. “The pro game hard on your body, there’s a lot of big bodies. In practice, every drill goes very hard. I’m battling with men instead of last year and the 17-year-olds who were all lighter than me.”
Kudryavtsev has put a heavy focus on recovery and spends a lot of time in ice baths, and though the AHL schedule can be challenging to get practice time, he uses that time to the fullest and tries to be a sponge to his coaches.
“You just have to talk about a lot of things with your coach,” said Kudryavtsev. “I try to learn what I can do better, and I ask them that. You take that from them and get your mind ready to compete again because everybody is competing very hard at this level.”
The 21-year-old defenceman has focused heavily on getting pucks on net from the point. He has found a significant difference between the OHL and AHL in terms of how players are with deflections, and it has helped him realize that the goal isn’t to hit the top corner with every shot but, instead, just find the net.
Abbotsford Canucks Assistant Coach Jordan Smith had Kudryavtsev in the OHL in Smith’s final year before making the jump to coaching in the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds. The two joked that their relationship was built on Google translate because Kudryavtsev was a 17-year-old who just arrived from Russia at the time.
Now, the two are back together, but in the AHL. There is no need for Google Translate anymore as Kudryavtsev has spent four years in Canada, and his English is excellent. Smith thinks the best part of Kudryavtsev’s game is his ability to process the game quickly and make good decisions with the puck.
“The biggest asset for Kirill’s game is his hockey sense. He’s a very cerebral player. He sees the game very well,” said Smith. “He generally makes good decisions, and that’s allowed him to quietly do his job, work his way into the lineup, and find himself in the top six on the defence depth chart. Credit goes to him for putting in the work in the offseason and for developing and being able to play at this level. And then also to sustain it is an indication of the work he’s put in.”
The young defenceman has taken pride in being an Abbotsford Canuck and loves living on the West Coast of Canada. The fans excite him during every game, and he looks forward to seeing how they act in the playoffs.
“I love it; the fans are amazing. The barn is pretty much full all the time, and fans are passionate here. I do love it here. It’s very nice in Canada, especially. People are always cheering for you and always there with you. Even if you’re getting a penalty, people will not boo you. They will boo the referee even if it’s an obvious trip. So that always feels good; being home and playing for our home crowd is always amazing,” said Kudryavtsev.
Kudryavtsev is preparing for a strong push to the finish with Abbotsford and is excited to see playoff hockey at the Abbotsford Centre this spring. He will continue to put in the work at the rink so that he can one day make his way up to the NHL, but there’s no hurry for him. He wants to improve his game, and this first year as a pro has helped him realize the amount of work he will need to put in to achieve his goal of becoming an NHL player one day.
Insider Extra: Linus Karlsson Shares His Thoughts on Kudryavtsev’s Development
We caught up with Linus Karlsson, who has seen Kudryavtsev grow his game with the Abbotsford Canucks this season.
Q: How have you seen Kudryavtsev come in as a rookie and grow his game in the AHL?
“I have seen him growing a lot just these last couple of months,” said Karlsson. “You could see when he started, he was skilled, smart, good with the puck, and had a good first pass. But then, during the season, I think he’s been better physically, too. He’s learning a lot, and it’s fun to see a young guy like that get a lot of ice time and show like he deserves it, too.”
Q: What do you remember being challenging in your first AHL season?
“It’s a lot of things outside the rink. Living on your own, getting an apartment, getting a car, and stuff like that. The veteran guys always help the young guys, and that’s always good. Hockey-wise, it was like a lot of wall battles. I had to change my game a little bit to go net front and try to find another role. So that was a little bit different for me. But for Kirill, I think he just needs to keep playing the way he does. From the first day, you could see that he was smart with the puck, and then he learned how to play with physicality too because the AHL is a physical league, and it forces you to develop that.”
Q: What is Kirill like with the guys as a teammate in the room?
“He’s a funny guy, for sure. I really like him,” said Karlsson. “He has a lot of energy. Also, if you say something tactical to him on the ice, he listens and takes it in so that he can be better, too. He’s just a great kid, and I really like him.”
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