Canadiens: Nikita Gusev Another Potential Galchenyuk-Esque Addition

There was a lot of anticipation and, to an extent, expectations surrounding Nikita Gusev’s NHL debut. Same can be said, for former Montreal Canadiens prospect Alex Galchenyuk. Yet, inexplicably, both players now find themselves in similar situations, still unsigned as the dust surrounding the 2021 offseason has settled for the time being.

Going into the 2019-20 season, there was reason to be excited about Gusev’s migration to the NHL after months, if not years of speculation. A former seventh round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2012 NHL Draft, Gusev had to bide his time in the KHL whilst he fruitlessly negotiated with a disinterested Lightning team, regarding his NHL options.

After finally showcasing his potential as a top offensive option in the 2014-15 season for Khanty-Mansiysk Yugra, (playing alongside former Hab Ben Maxwell) Gusev didn’t look back, producing three consecutive seasons with 60+ points, from 2016-17 to 2018-19. Playing for an offensively stacked and star-studded SKA St. Petersburg team, alongside Pavel Datsyuk, Ilya Kovalchuk, Vadim Shipachyov, Evgeny Dadonov and others, Gusev slowly but surely caught the eye of numerous NHL scouts.

With the Lightning still holding his NHL rights, Gusev found his way to the Vegas Golden Knights, in return for Vegas taking Tampa defenseman Jason Garrison over other players. While he managed to sign a brief, one-year entry level deal with Vegas in time for the 2019 playoffs, he never suited up for the team as they collapsed in a seven-game first round series against the San Jose Sharks.

In need of cap space and being unable to sign Gusev to a long-term deal, the Knights shipped him to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a second and third round pick. While expectations were high for Gusev, playing on a two-year with a $4.5 million AAV, its been an up and down start and possible end to Gusev’s NHL career just two seasons later. While he managed solid 13-31-44 totals over 61 games in 2019-20, the Devils continued identity crisis and slow rebuild, led to Gusev receiving limited minutes and subsequently, limited opportunities.

After a tumultuous 2020-21 season, Nikita Gusev could serve as another Alex Galchenyuk-esque addition for the Montreal Canadiens.

After posting just 2-3-5 totals over his first 20 games in 2020-21, Gusev was released and subsequently signed by the Florida Panthers, where things didn’t fare much better, with 2-3-5 totals over 11 games, being scratched for all six games of the Panthers first round series versus the Lightning. The NHL’s increasingly familiarity with KHL imports, is something that has stalled for the most part over this past season, after some less than successful results in 2020-21.

While it’s often seen as arguably, the second-best hockey league in the world, the skill level of the KHL is still considerably below that of the NHL, and it can often leave players like Gusev on the outside looking in. With that being said though, I still think Gusev has a lot more to prove before his NHL chances are well and truly finished. With no true interested teams thus far beyond speculation, I think Gusev could be an intriguing option for the Canadiens as a Kovalchuk, or even Galchenyuk-like addition.

Most people are probably aware of Galchenyuk’s turbulent past season, spending time with four different organizations, including his first stint in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies. After flaming out fast with the Ottawa Senators and Carolina Hurricanes, Galchenyuk found a brief home with the Toronto Maple Leafs, before a no-look pass to Cole Caufield in Game 5 of the first-round squashed any and all hopes. Still unsigned like Gusev, there’s been speculation that Galchenyuk could make a return to Montreal this off-season, and I think Gusev wouldn’t be a bad option as another ancillary addition.

While he’s had issues with consistency and at times the longer schedule, Gusev is still a remarkable offensive talent when he wants to be and was the one of the Devils eventual leaders on offense in 19-20 after the departure of Taylor Hall. This past season, the Devils made a notable push towards younger talent, with former first overall pick Jack Hughes, as well as overseas additions in Pavel Zacha and Yegor Sharangovich taken over for guys like Gusev.

In Montreal though, I think Gusev could find a definite role as a spare offensive option who could surprise many by finding a regular shift. Going back to one of my previous free-agency pieces on Zach Parise, Corey Perry stepped up as one of the Canadiens key players in the 2021 playoffs after having been a waiver wire/taxi squad casualty early in the regular season. For a player who’s likely still looking for an NHL opportunity on a low-term deal, Gusev brings a lot to the table with the trademark quick skating, great offensive awareness, and lethal release that defines most KHL imports.

While it’s equally likely Gusev will simply take the higher-pay in Russia and consider the NHL as nothing more than a failed experiment, I still feel as though he’s worth a look, and could be, in many ways, the Konstantin Okulov that had previously gotten away from the Canadiens. While it remains to be seen, Gusev’s potential has long been the main attraction for most NHL teams.

With the 2021 off-season well underway, I think there’s a good chance that same potential, could see Nikita Gusev with the Montreal Canadiens, come 2021-22.