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As expected, Pavel Buchnevich, the New York Rangers’ top prospect, will finally get a chance to make his mark on Broadway, as he has officially been signed to an entry-level deal. Buchnevich, the Rangers’ third-round draft pick in 2013, has drawn comparisons to NHL stars such as Vladimir Tarasenko and Evgeny Kuznetsov. He is being sold as the type of player the Rangers have lacked in the Henrik Lundqvist era — a playmaker who lights the lamp at will. To be sure, the Rangers need Buchnevich to be one of their top-nine forwards, but is it really wise to count on him to be the savior?
If you listen to some Rangers bloggers and so-called “experts” on social media, Buchnevich will be the Rangers’ best forward for years to come. His performance in the KHL and numerous World Championships suggest a player who will make a big impact at the NHL level, but judging a player based on a bunch of YouTube videos doesn’t automatically qualify him as a superstar. Buchnevich possesses the tools and the attitude to be an NHL superstar; he is a lightning-fast skater with quick hands and possesses an impeccable work ethic. The question is, can these skills seamlessly translate to the NHL, and can he become a two-way forward, which is something he was not in Russia?
Fans expect him to be the next Tarasenko, but if you listen to NHL scouts, people that, contrary to popular belief, know the game better than social media “experts,” Buchnevich is more comparable to a poor man’s Kuznetsov or Chicago Blackhawks rookie sensation Artemi Panarin. Both are very good players, but they are not game-breakers like Tarasenko. To put it into perspective for Ranger fans, Buchnevich could become the next Mats Zuccarello. Zuccarello was once a hyped Ranger prospect who came from the KHL, and he has developed into a 20-30 goal scoring, playmaking front-line forward. With all due respect to the man they call The Hobbit, Zuccarello is not Vladimir Tarasenko. Time will tell if he develops into the next Tarasenko.
And the troubling part of the situation is, the Rangers seemingly are expecting him to be the next great Ranger overnight. According to the New York Post’s Larry Brooks, the Rangers are doing due diligence on former NHLer Alex Radulov, presumably to bring him back to the NHL from the KHL to act as a “chaperone” for Buchnevich, teaching him life in North America and making sure he feels comfortable in New York.
This reeks of desperation on the Rangers’ end. Radulov is notorious for being a questionable character off the ice. On the ice, he possesses little to no work ethic and does not play a two-way game. No one is saying Radulov would be a bad influence on Buchnevich, but how would he help the 2016-17 Rangers on the ice besides being a symbol of the special treatment Buchnevich would receive?
Do they believe that their farm system is as barren as many believe it is, and they need Buchnevich to carry the franchise once Lundqvist is past his prime? Why would the Rangers go this far out of their way to make Buchnevich comfortable? It all seems odd.
Buchnevich will probably become a very good NHL player, and could contend for the Calder Trophy next season. Right now, though, it seems the Rangers and their fans are heaping far too much hype on Buchnevich. If he doesn’t become a 40-goal scorer and a responsible two-way forward immediately, he could unfairly be labeled as a bust, and his transition to the NHL will not be as smooth as hoped.
Therefore, it is wise to temper expectations. Buchnevich, right now, is a very good forward, not the savior of a franchise.
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