NEWARK, NJ – JULY 14: New Jersey Devils forward Mikhail Maltsev (73) Skates during the New Jersey Devils Development Camp Red and White Scrimmage on July13, 2019 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.
Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire
NHL Prospects

ROBENHYMER: Mikhail Maltsev is Ready to Realize his ‘Childhood Dream to Play in the NHL’

Mikhail Maltsev is done feeling like a broken record.

“A lot of people ask me why I didn’t stay in the KHL and why I wanted to play in the NHL, and I ask them, ‘Why not?’” the native of St. Petersburg, Russia said with a shrug. “It has been my childhood dream to play in the NHL. I always wanted to play here because it’s the best league in the world and everyone knows it. I believe that all players, even players in Russia, want to be here playing in this league. It’s the best and I want to be one of the best. I don’t understand why this is a question.”

It’s one that Greg Royce, European scout for the New Jersey Devils, asked him quite a bit last season. The Devils drafted Maltsev in the fourth round of the 2016 NHL Draft and an expiring contract with his hometown team SKA of the KHL cracked

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This article is about:
Features NHL Prospects New Jersey Devils SKA St. Petersburg Russia U20 Russia U18 KHL VHL MHL NHL AHL Mikhail Maltsev Pavel Datsyuk Greg Royce [staff]
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