Roman Kantserov gets his first taste of NHL life

Even though Roman Kantesrov has been in the Chicago Blackhawks organization for over three years, he’s been a bit of a man of mystery. He’s yet to participate in a rookie or training camp and has had very little media exposure in North America. He wasn’t even in Nashville for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

Wednesday was the first time most of the Blackhawks beat got to speak with Kantserov, who is in town for the NHLPA Upper Deck Rookie Showcase. He is part of a big group of talented young rookies including Gavin McKenna, Roger McQueen, Cole Hutson, James Hagen, Porter Martone, and his teammate, Sacha Boisvert.

Making His Way Stateside

Kantserov did not need a translator to chat with us, as he’s put in a tremendous amount of work to learn English. He said watching American movies, like the Spider-Man and Transformers franchises, and NHL highlights helped him understand the language faster.

The 21-year-old has been in North America for about a month. He’s been spending time in New York, training with some other Russian players and members of the Rangers in Stamford, CT. When he arrived in Chicago late Tuesday night, it was the first time he’d seen his new home. Kantserov also spent some time with goaltender Spencer Knight, who lives near where he’s been training.

"He is a good guy,” Kantserov said. “He helps me with talking. He says, ‘Chicago is a great city, great fans, great organization.’ And I see this right now. It’s absolutely awesome. I’m excited, waiting for the season.”

Big Time Teammates

There has been a lot of talk, including from general manager Kyle Davidson, that Kantserov will get a lot of playing time with Connor Bedard. Unfortunately, that will have to wait a few extra weeks, as Bedard recovers from offseason shoulder surgery. Kantserov said that he did text Bedard, “Faster recovery. We need you.”

But, as disappointed as he was about Bedard’s injury, his eyes lit up when talking about playing with Patrick Kane.

“The legend has come back,” he said. “It’s awesome! He’s the greatest American player, all-time scorer, and this is a very good opportunity to play with him. Of course, if we play together with Bedard, maybe we can find the chemistry.”

Kane is in town and skating at the Blackhawks Ice Center, so I imagine they will get some time together before he heads back east for the rest of the summer. Boisvert said he got to skate with Kane on Tuesday, which was a big thrill.

Making the Adjustments

Kantserov’s final KHL season put the hockey world on notice. He led the KHL with 36 goals, getting Chicago fans very excited for his arrival. The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler moved him all the way up to ninth overall in his recent 2023 re-draft. He knows that making the jump from the KHL to the NHL will not be easy. He admitted that he needs to improve his skills as well as the way he thinks on the ice.

“I need to think smarter and faster, because here is an absolutely different level,” he said. “It should be hard, but it’s not impossible. I think I can do this.”

There is no doubt that the Blackhawks believe he can do this. He’ll have every opportunity to become a major contributor from day one.

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