Calgary Wranglers and Flames right wing Matvei Gridin (51) (Source: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)Calgary Wranglers' Matvei Gridin (24 points in 26 games) and San Jose Barracudas' Igor Chernyshov (23 points in 25 games) are amongst the top scoring rookies in the AHL. In fact, it is a toss-up between them to make the league's All-Rookie Team. It could even be both of them.
It would be a landmark moment in and of itself as since 2003-04, only one Russian player in the league has received such honor: Georgii Merkulov in 2022-23.
It's only fitting that just moments before writing this article, Chernyshov was called up by the Sharks.
But it is also bad timing too: Because of Russia's involvement in the war in Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian national sports teams are barred from international sports competitions, which means the two young phenoms won't get the opportunity to demonstrate their hockey ability at the 2026 World Juniors that starts on Dec. 26.
Gridin and Chernyshov would have certainly given Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg and other top 2026 Draft prospects a run for their money had they been competing in the end-of-year classic.