Selected by the New York Rangers in the third round (No. 75) of the 2013 NHL Draft, Pavel Buchnevich made it clear he's ready for the challenges that await him in his first season in North America.
"If I weren't sure, I wouldn't come here," Buchnevich said on Tuesday through an interpreter, Rangers director of European scouting Nickolai Bobrov.
Buchnevich skated in 40 games before he was traded to SKA St. Petersburg in December. He had career highs in goals (16), assists (21) and points (37), helped St. Petersburg advance to the Western Conference Finals with a goal and two assists in 14 playoff games. He agreed to terms with the Rangers on a reported three-year, entry-level contract worth $925,000 per season on May 13.
"I felt I was getting a lot of ice time and I needed experience and I didn't feel I was ready. Now I feel better and more ready," the 21-year-old said. "I felt, obviously, the age was a bit different. Even at 20 it's still considered to be young. I felt I needed more time to get physically prepared in Cherepovets and then in SKA [St. Petersburg], and get more experience and get older.
"I think I'm not quite a goal-scorer, but I'm a thinking player, a cerebral player, and a playmaker."
Buchnevich had 37 goals and 87 points in 158 regular-season games, and 17 goals and 41 points in 31 playoff games while competing in the Russian junior league.
"I'm focused on the present and on the summer, and getting in shape and getting ready for this type of hockey," Buchnevich said. "As far as the language barrier, all the guys are being very helpful. They either show by hands or help with the words. I'm living with another Russian, [defense prospect] Sergey Zborovskiy, and he's been very helpful as well."
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