Could this be Slepyshev’s year?
Russian winger Anton Slepyshev has NHL talent and now he has enough English skill to talk about himself after a year in North America, most of it in Bakersfield.
Next step — playing well enough to be a regular Edmonton Oiler.
Slepyshev, the high-end world junior forward who was captain of the Russian national team in 2014 after being the first player taken in the KHL draft in 2011, had a terrific Oilers’ training camp last fall and was in the opening night lineup. He played 11 games before his ice time dwindled to under nine minutes a game as a fourth-liner and he wound up in the American League for the last four and a half months.
Now he’s back for a second kick at the can. Only 22, he’s not that far away.
He’ll probably start in the AHL for coach Gerry Fleming, who helped the Russian adapt last year, but if he gets on a run of, say, 15 points in his first 20 AHL games, he could be back because the Oilers organization has a lot of time for him. Also, right wing is not as deep as, say, centre.
“Last year I didn’t know what awaited me,” said Slepyshev, whose English was very limited last year but has improved by leaps and bounds. “Now I know more about North America hockey. It was tough to adjust to the small rink last year. Now? I’m used to it.
“Last year in camp I had lots of time on the ice but once the games (NHL regular season) started, not so much. The ice time went down and it was difficult for me and my confidence wasn’t good. Same in the AHL when I was first there, my first eight games,” said Slepyshev, who had one assist in his 11 Oiler games, and didn’t score for a long stretch in Bakersfield, either.
“Small rink in the NHL, the game was way faster. More physical.” He’s dug in, though. “I don’t want to go back to Russia. I want to make this team.”
Slepyshev, who signed a threeyear contract in 2015, is different from fellow Russian Bogdan Yakimov, who left the farm club halfway through last season to play in the KHL.
While Yakimov returned for the last few weeks of the AHL schedule, he opted to return to his homeland this year, shoving himself way down the organization’s depth chart.
If the Oilers ever trade fellow right-winger Nail Yakupov, it wouldn’t be a leap of faith to think the 6-foot-2, 217-pound Slepyshev could take his spot in the top nine if he progresses this season off his 13 goals and 21 points in 49 games in the AHL.
“He’s an NHL prospect and looks more confident because he understands our game and the language now,” said Oilers coach Todd McLellan. “I expect him to push really hard this year. I thought he did a lot of good things on the ice today — by himself, rushes, oneon-one play. That will evolve into good team play.”
What happened to him last year from exhibitions to regular-season?
“The game changes and it doesn’t just go from Game 1. By the time you hit Game 10, it’s the real NHL. It’s flying and it’s hard and the veterans have settled in. The rhythm of the game changes and it becomes a real test for the young player, especially one who hasn’t played here before,” said McLellan.
“That’s one of the things that happened to Anton. Plus, the depth of your team. There’s injuries and Leon (Draisaitl) came back from Bakersfield and was terrific. All of a sudden somebody else gets pushed out. That was last year, though. He’s got a fresh start.”
Slepyshev spent his first North American year trying to read stuff in English, speaking English in the dressing room and watching TV and movies.