New Recruit for '10 - Kirill Gotovets

[pfibiger]

Looks like he's a 5'11", 170lb defenseman from Minsk, Belarus. He played last year at Shattuck St. Mary's. He has been drafted by both the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL and then 18th overall by Dinamo Minsk in the KHL (Russian League) draft. He has played for the Belarus U-18 team.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=5782&sort=lastName

Here's a Wheat Kings forum discussion of Gotovets:
http://www.ebrandon.ca/messagethread.aspx?message_id=123618&cat_id=1

A bit about him during the KHL draft:
http://www.internationalhockey.net/hockey_around_the_world/khl_russia/3101-khl_draft.html

He's currently ranked #179 for the upcoming NHL draft, which is listed as falling toward the end of the 6th round.

USHR last year on Gotovets: "On defense 6'0", 170 lb. '91 Kivill Gotovets of Minsk, Belarus was excellent. Gotovets has decent size, sees the play in front of him, has excellent mobility, and really good hands."

[French Rage]

"Go to vets"?  Gotta be a way to tie the vet school into a cheer for him!

[Trotsky]

It's spelled "Go to vets" but it's pronounced "Throat Warbler Mangrove."

[djk26]

Kill, Kirill, Kill!

[jtwcornell91]

"I have a friend in Minsk, who has a friend in Pinsk..."

[Josh '99]

[quote pfibiger]Looks like he's a 5'11", 170lb defenseman from Minsk, Belarus. He played last year at Shattuck St. Mary's. He has been drafted by both the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL and then 18th overall by Dinamo Minsk in the KHL (Russian League) draft. He has played for the Belarus U-18 team.

...

He's currently ranked #179 for the upcoming NHL draft, which is listed as falling toward the end of the 6th round.[/quote]Interesting.  We see very few recruits come to Cornell from Minnesota, let alone from Shattuck.  I guess the fact that he's not really a Minnesota guy it a mitigating factor though.

[cbuckser]

[quote Josh '99]Interesting.  We see very few recruits come to Cornell from Minnesota, let alone from Shattuck.  I guess the fact that he's not really a Minnesota guy it a mitigating factor though.[/quote]

It sure helps a lot that Kirill didn't spend the first 17 years of his life daydreaming about being a Gopher.

[fatchance72]

So, this kid's been drafted by a team in the KHL. What does that mean for his time at Cornell? Are they gonna put pressure on him to leave early? (The above link says "Teams will retain rights on the Russian players until they turn 22, and on non-Russian players until they turn 28.")

More importantly, what if he gets drafted by an NHL team too? Is there an agreement between the KHL and the NHL concerning draftees?

[pfibiger]

So, this was apparently the first year of the KHL draft. I found this article:
http://www.ontheforecheck.com/2009/6/1/895496/the-khl-wants-your-children

which makes it sound like for international players, this is just a way of marking territory. Like when an american prep school player is drafted by the CHL, it just means that if the kid chooses to play in the CHL, that team is the only one that can negotiate with him.

[jkahn]

Drafted by Tampa Bay in Round 7, Pick 2.  In an interview earlier today, TB GM Brian Lawton said that he likes to get his draft picks into the Lightning organization as soon as possible, so this selection may not be good news,

[KeithK]

[quote jkahn]Drafted by Tampa Bay in Round 7, Pick 2.  In an interview earlier today, TB GM Brian Lawton said that he likes to get his draft picks into the Lightning organization as soon as possible, so this selection may not be good news,[/quote]
Agreed .  But there's probably less pressure on a seventh rounder.  Probably less money too.