Update: Sabres sign D Man Viktor Antipin to 1yr ELC

[Brawndo]

8. That team’s blue line could really be poached. Another defender, 24-year-old Viktor Antipin (also a lefty), is expected to join Buffalo. The Sabres won a bit of a recruiting battle, with Calgary, Chicago, Columbus and Pittsburgh all poking around.

 

Per Friedman's 30 Thoughts

Edited May 25, 2017 by BRAWNDO

[WildCard]

Wonder when we'll see him first

[Randall Flagg]

Did we win the battle because he grew up loving Mogilny, or did we win the battle because all of those playoff teams decided he wasn't worth their time?

[That Aud Smell]

Well, credit to GM TM for staying active.

 

What's this guy apt to be about?

 

Third pairing?

[inkman]

He's listed at 5'11" 174 lbs. Dude better be able to skate.

[Taro T]

8. That team’s blue line could really be poached. Another defender, 24-year-old Viktor Antipin (also a lefty), is expected to join Buffalo. The Sabres won a bit of a recruiting battle, with Calgary, Chicago, Columbus and Pittsburgh all poking around.

Per Friedman's 30 Thoughts

Anyone know anything about him other than he'll turn 25 around Christmas?

[Winston]

Anyone know anything about him other than he'll turn 25 around Christmas?

I assume he's a great bowler.

 

Anti-pin? Anyone?

 

I really should get back to work.

[Doohicksie]

But GMTM doesn't like Russian players.  So I'm assuming he's a slow skater.

[WildCard]

From the brief things I've seen on him on twitter

 

He's fast, small, and offensively minded. Liability defensively

 

That was from 2013 though

[Brawndo]

Here are his Stats

 

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid%5B%5D=132181

[WildCard]

It looks like, at best, a 2nd pairing guy. More likely? A 3rd pairing guy for next season. Still, gotta like taking a chance

[Drunkard]

Anyone know anything about him other than he'll turn 25 around Christmas?

 

I heard he's a soft Euro that doesn't know how to grind those down. DB does not approve. He'll be below Gorges on the depth chart (E5).

[GASabresIUFAN]

Son of a former KHLer. Played on Russia WC jr team in 2012 and their last 2 WC teams.

 

Hard to tell by looking at just stats, but it he looks like a puck mover with some O. However he might also be pretty solid in his own end based on +/- number. That said Magnitogorosk Metallurg has been the KHL's best team for the last 4 years. Mike Keenan was his coach in the KHL for two of those years.

[Samson's Flow]

I heard he's a soft Euro that doesn't know how to grind those ###### down. DB does not approve. He'll be below Gorges on the depth chart (E5).

As an aside, I know your (E5) remark is in reference to Eklund when his "rumors" used to get posted on here a lot, but I haven't heard anything from him in what seems like years. Is he still spouting his nonsense out there and we are smart enough to ignore him or did Hockeybuzz finally full the plug?

[North Buffalo]

As an aside, I know your (E5) remark is in reference to Eklund when his "rumors" used to get posted on here a lot, but I haven't heard anything from him in what seems like years. Is he still spouting his nonsense out there and we are smart enough to ignore him or did Hockeybuzz finally full the plug?

He is still spouting crap:  http://www.hockeybuzz.com/ we are just ignoring him...

[Brawndo]

From Aivis Kalnins who reports on the KHL

 

Antipin is more mature guy while Berezgalov has some speed in his game, I believe that both would be great fits for NHL teams looking to add

 

 

Both are NHL ready and will bring experience to which ever team they end us siging with.

 

 

 

Look at Nikita Zaitsev, both guys are in a somewhat same realm.

 

When asked about back end production

 

Antipin will bring that production, but will take time to adjust, biggest gain by getting him is the experience, 2 cups speak for themselves

[Samson's Flow]

He is still spouting crap:  http://www.hockeybuzz.com/ we are just ignoring him...

Good job team SabreSpace! :thumbsup:

[pi2000]

Good signing for Rochester.... they need depth on the back-end.   Doesn't matter if he never sniffs the NHL.

[woods-racer]

The more the merrier.

 

Let there be some competition and may the best 6 be on the ice come mid October.

[Randall Flagg]

If we somehow landed a Zaitsev that would be amazing. Not getting my hopes up that this guy is him, though.

[nfreeman]

Well, it looks like so far he's #2 in playoff ice time on the best team in the KHL's Eastern conference (3rd-best in the KHL).  I can't figure out how to get the KHL's website to deliver regular season stats.

 

So presumably a top-pair defenseman from a good KHL team -- and also presumably a guy with some speed and skill. 

 

That sounds like it has potential.

[WildCard]

@4TomMartin  1h1 hour ago

More

Sportsnet reports #Sabres are close to signing D Viktor Antipin, who would - to my knowledge - become the NHL’s only active Kazakh player.

[darksabre]

 

@4TomMartin  1h1 hour ago

More

Sportsnet reports #Sabres are close to signing D Viktor Antipin, who would - to my knowledge - become the NHL’s only active Kazakh player.

 

Neat! 

[nfreeman]

I wonder if he knows Borat?

[MattPie]

Are their any other Latvians in the NHL right now?