Islanders prospect daily updates, today’s games, and rankings

Prospects (and players in the system) in Action Today

Just like the day before only one player in the Islanders system is in action:

• Anatoly Golyshev (Yekaterinburg Avtomobilist)

Avtomobilist is currently in the Gagarin Cup playoffs out in Russia. Golyshev’s team is down 2-1 to Avangard Omsk. The Avto-Omsk matchup features a number of former NHL’ers that most of are all familiar with.

Alexei Emelin, Ilya Kovalchuk, Pavel Datsyuk, Nail Yakupov (currently out for Omsk), and even Bob Hartley who’s being the bench for Avtomobilist.

Golyshev was playing on Yakaterinburg’s top line but has since been forced to the third line after going scoreless over his last 14 games (including the playoffs). His last point came on January 19 in a 3-1 loss to SKA St-Petersburgh.

Obviously, that’s an awfully long time to go without a point. With 27 points in 53 games, this is one of his worst seasons in the KHL over his career. Which is perhaps why we’ve heard rumors that he might want to break his current contract with the only KHL club he’s ever played for.

I’m still not 100% sold that Golyshev is coming to North America next year. It’s entirely possible, but who knows. Again, he’d have to break that contract on his own and then take the risk of heading overseas to see if he can succeed where Jakub Sakrek failed just a few years ago.

It’s a big risk before considering the state of the world right now. I wouldn’t blame him for staying in Russia but trying to move to another club if he’s looking for a new challenge or a change of scenery.

*I don’t count Golyshev as a prospect anymore but merely a player in the system because the Islanders still hold his rights (indefinitely).