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UPDATE: Kamanev is now officially on the Avalanche roster
We have reassigned AJ Greer and Rocco Grimaldi to the Rampage.
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) November 15, 2017
We have recalled Vladislav Kamenev. pic.twitter.com/DLr1fKajNj
When people talk about the trade that sent Matt Duchene to the Ottawa Senators, the player coming back to the Colorado Avalanche that is spoken about the most is Samuel Girard - with good reason. The 19-year old defenseman is NHL ready and will get his first chance to make an impact on his new team this weekend in Sweden.
The other piece coming from Nashville in the three-team deal was Vladislav Kamanev - a 21-year old forward that probably isn’t getting the recognition he deserves as a key part of the return.
The 42nd overall pick in 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Kamanev is a very interesting player that was deemed by many to be Nashville’s best forward prospect. He’s big, has great puck skills and is able to play both center and left wing.
After coming over in the trade on Sunday, Kamanev was inserted right into the San Antonio Rampage lineup as the center on the top line and now it’s looking as though he’s less than a week away from joining the Avalanche.
Joe Sakic on Kamenev: He had visa issues. But I would love him to come in Stockholm and play for us. Once we get back we’re going to bring him up. And I’m excited to have him. He’s a big responsible centreman. He’s got a lot of skill. He fits with what exactly we wanna do
— Igor Eronko (@IgorEronko) November 9, 2017
Don’t be surprised if Kamanev gets a long look as a part of the team’s middle-6 - especially while Tyson Jost remains out of the lineup.
He plays a similar style to J.T. Compher except Kamanev is much more dynamic with the puck. He can create scoring chances for both himself and his linemates and it’s not a stretch to think he can be key part of the team’s offense right away.
Going forward, it will be interesting to see where he slots into the lineup when everyone is healthy. It looks like the Avs would like to play him down the middle, but the wing is also an option. The fact that all of Alex Kerfoot, Tyson Jost, and Compher can play both center and wing helps the team ice the best possible lineup every night.
Girard is a stud, Shane Bowers has a chance to be a really solid NHLer and the picks are great assets to have but Kamanev is the wild card in the Duchene trade and a player worth getting excited about.