“Gusev is not a poor man, he can afford to take risks.” Five cool forwards without a contract before the start of the KHL season

Nikita Gusev, 30 years old

Last season he played for SKA, scored 35 (10+25) points in 31 regular season games and 16 (7+9) points in 16 playoff games.

“Gusev is in no rush to sign a KHL contract for one reason – he’s waiting for offers from the NHL,” Weisfeld said. – It’s possible that Nikita has a real option there. Although there are no guarantees.

– It will not turn out that, chasing the “blue bird” in the NHL, Gusev has already missed the most profitable contract in our league?

– Maybe he won’t get the money in the KHL he could earn if he signed a deal in the spring or summer. But it all depends on priorities. Gusev wants to play in the NHL. If I understand correctly, Nikita is not a poor person. Can afford to take risks. From this point of view, everything makes sense.

– Which of the KHL clubs will qualify for the striker if he still decides to spend the season in Russia?

– First, it will be a rich club. And secondly, the one that has a place under the ceiling on the left.

Artem Anisimov, 34 years old

Last season he played for Lokomotiv, scored 19 (8+11) points in 27 regular season games and 3 (1+2) points in 4 playoff games.

“Unlike Gusev, I think Anisimov probably won’t come back to the NHL,” Weisfeld said. Nothing is known about this player’s plans. Maybe he decided to end his career?

– You can’t tell from Anisimov’s game last season that it’s time for him to finish.

“He played really well. Artem has no problem with the skill level. But sometimes a person has played just enough. Or he wants to get a big contract. Or doesn’t want to play anywhere except Yaroslavl. Here, one can only fantasize until Anisimov himself announces his decision.

– In your opinion, would Artem be useful to the best clubs in the KHL?

– With his game – definitely. Last season, Anisimov gave no reason to say he was playing badly. But we must also take into account the financial side – for what sum does he agree to play?

Sergei Shumakov, 29 years old

Last season he played for Avtomobilist, scored 25 (10+15) points in 38 regular season games.

“I guess Shumakov hasn’t signed a new contract yet due to his financial demands,” Weisfeld notes.

– Don’t you have the impression that Shumakov asks for more than he gets then?

– I have no impression, but a firm conviction that this is exactly so. But this is what we think, and Sergey, perhaps, considers himself underestimated and is convinced that he is underpaid.

– So now Shumakov is just not being offered the money he wants?

– This is the first factor. And the second – Sergey, too, apparently, chooses a team. He probably wants to join a club that claims something serious.

– Sergey – a strong attacker or a problematic character?

– Salavat Yulaev’s head coach Viktor Kozlov said the best thing about him when asked if Ufa need the striker. He answered like this: “Shumakov is applying for already occupied positions in our team. I don’t see the point of using it elsewhere.” This statement is the most accurate illustration of the situation with Shumakov. This applies not only to Ufa, but also to other strong teams. Shumakov is a shock link, a special brigade for the majority. Now go through the elite clubs and find him a place in the first three. It’s not so easy. And in the third or fourth link, Sergei is not not necessary. This is where the stalemate comes in.

Nikita Soshnikov, 28

Last season he played for CSKA and Avangard, scored 16 (4+12) points in 33 regular season games and 8 (5+3) points in 13 playoff games.

– Soshnikov, like Shumakov, has an overstated level of complaints, – believes Weisfeld. – Returning from overseas, Nikita had a great season in Ufa, scored 27 goals. After that, his self-esteem grew.

Should he lower his salary?

– I think that in this case it is not even about money, but about the role that Soshnikov claims in the team. Well, yes, he set a record at Salavat in 2020. Well, so what? How many goals do you score each season? Or do you have no injuries, do you spend 100% of your games on the ice? This must also be taken into account. After all, Nikita could not finish his best season to the end – he got injured and did not help the team in the playoffs. And since then, for two years, he has not performed any particular feats.

– That is to say, Nikita wants to be the leader of the team without fail, but he does not succeed?

– I think so. That’s why there is no contract yet.

Alexander Popov, 41 years old

Last season he played for CSKA, scored 10 (4+6) points in 22 regular season games and 9 (5+4) points in 19 playoff games.

– With Popov, the situation is quite obvious – it all depends on whether he recovered from the injury he suffered in the spring at the Gagarin Cup, – Weisfeld is sure of this. “The question here is only in medicine, nothing else.

Does the player’s age bother you?

– If Popov ran faster last year than CSKA’s young forwards, why would he have fallen behind? I don’t mind the age, only the state of his health after the injury.

– Does he want to continue playing? CSKA already offers Popov a coaching job.

– Alexander himself surely wants to play, otherwise he would have announced his retirement a long time ago. I guess he’s training on his own right now. Older players know their bodies very well, they know how to prepare. In this regard, I would not worry about Popov.

– Which club would risk signing a contract with Popov?

– First of all, CSKA. Alexander does not pretend to be on the field for thirty minutes per game. But at the same time, the man became last season’s playoff MVP, playing for the Gagarin Cup winner. He probably won’t become the most valuable player in the playoffs next spring, but he will certainly help the youngsters. After all, veterans are different. Some muddy the water. And there are those who help a lot. Popov belongs to the second category. You can see how Maxim Sorkin showed up next to him last season. Listen to the interview of young partners of Alexander – with what respect they speak of him. Everything immediately becomes clear.