Oh. My. Goodness.
Not familiar with Carolina Hurricanes prospect Sergey Tolchinsky?
Allow him to introduce himself via this incredible breakaway move he pulled off Wednesday night during a development camp scrimmage:
If the Russian’s top-speed, between-the-legs goal looks familiar to junior hockey fans, it’s because the kid pulled off the same trick in an Ontario Hockey League game this season. Shorthanded, no less.
The 20-year-old winger was never drafted into the NHL, and his size — five-foot-eight, 165 pounds — may have played a factor in that.
Yet his speed, mitts and offensive maturity resulted in back-to-back 30-goal, 90-point seasons with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Since 2013-14, dude has been putting up 1.46 points per game.
And he sees his stature as an asset, not an excuse.
“I don’t think it holds me back,” Tolchinsky told the News Observer. “Actually it helps me to move faster and be quicker, kind of like slipping through defencemen. So I don’t think I’m having any problems with that.”
Tolchinsky actually befriended countryman Alexander Semin before the veteran sniper was bought out by Carolina, and Semin’s departure has opened up opportunity on the Hurricanes’ wing.
The hopeful is on a three-year, entry-level deal with Carolina but has only squeezed into one AHL game thus far. He believes he’s ready to make the NHL cut.
“He skates well, and he does have that flair,” Hurricanes coach Bill Peters told the Observer. “He has a lot of confidence with the puck.”
Ya think?
