CHL

BY PATRICK KING
sportsnet.ca

Alexander Burmistrov showcased his skills in the Super Series.

Stefan Della Rovere won't be holding back if he meets his Barrie Colts teammate again.

The hard-hitting forward liked what he saw from teammate Alexander Burmistrov in Monday's Subway Super Series game but knows the stakes will be much higher next month, should they resume roles of adversaries at the IIHF world junior hockey championship.

"That's a whole different level," Della Rovere said Monday. "You have to take (the world juniors) seriously. You have no friends out there on either side."

One of their goals this season is aligned: win a Memorial Cup championship with the Colts. But when another opportunity likely presents itself in December, all bets are off.

Burmistrov helped raise his stock to dress for the Russian team in Saskatchewan during the holidays with his play in the Ontario Hockey League leg of the series. The slick-skating puck-magician was one of Russia's top players in the series, which his new head coach hopes will cement his spot on the Russian world junior squad.

"You get out of sight, out of mind a little bit," explained Marty Williamson, head coach of the Barrie Colts. "I think it's important when they bring all of their guys over that they get that reinforcement that he is one of the elite players and I think he's shown that so everything will be fine for him."

The Super Series also provided Burmistrov with an opportunity to speak his native tongue. Burmistrov didn't speak a word of English upon arriving in his adopted city but as his new team quickly discovered, there was no barrier in the language of hockey.

"He is extremely smart," Williamson said. "To come over here and not understand a word that most of us are saying and be able to pick up everything in practice, pick up our systems -- I've just been awfully impressed with him."

Burmistrov is tutored three times a week in Barrie and is managing conversations with his teammates. His English is still labouring but he felt comfortable enough to describe his decision to play in the OHL.

"I love Canada hockey," he said. "It's fast game. I like Canada (hockey) better."

Burmistrov has no regrets about crossing the pond to showcase himself as one of the top draft eligible players for next summer's National Hockey League draft.

His road to becoming a Colt began in Fargo, N.D. where he captured a silver medal with the Russian under-18 team last April. So impressed was Barrie's management team, they moved heaven and earth to acquire his rights.

Knowing that the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Gatineau Olympiques were also targeting the 18-year-old Russian, Barrie traded twice, moving up to the 12th pick in the Canadian Hockey League import draft -- one spot ahead of Gatineau.

"Draft day was a crazy day and it went right down to the last minute," Williamson recalled. "We knew probably if we didn't get to 12 we were going to lose him and that's probably one of the hardest working days we've had here as an organization, getting those trades done to get up there.

"Obviously we're pretty happy now we did all the work."

Burmistrov's Colts are winners of their last 11 games while the rookie forward is averaging more than a point per game this season.

That skill certainly wasn't underestimated by his gritty Colts teammate during the Super Series.

"Back in Barrie we know how much talent he has and what he can do with the puck so you always have to respect him," Della Rovere said. "He's definitely someone that you don't want to look at the puck against because he'll step right around you -- he's really quick and fast."

Burmistrov assisted on two goals in the Super Series, one in each game. He also displayed a willingness to finish checks and threw an elbow on OHL forward Josh Brittain while heading towards the bench in the second game.

The Colts' staff was likely holding its collective breath during the second game when the league's resident tough guy, Zac Rinaldo, had Burmistrov lined up near the corner. Burmistrov eluded the check, thus giving Williamson and his staff a sigh of relief.

"You hold your breath a little bit, especially when you have Della Rovere on the other team and some of the guys that they had," Williamson said. "We obviously didn't want to see him (get hurt) but I was impressed with the way he played."

Della Rovere assumes the role of bodyguard in Barrie. It's a role he's willing to relinquish, should he regain his spot on the Canadian world junior team while Burmistrov does the same with the Russian team.

"He's got a lot of skill and I don't think Russia's going to pass up on him," Della Rovere said. "Hopefully I have a chance to play him in the world juniors."

At which point, all bets are off.