With the 42nd pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, the Nashville Predators plucked 17-year-old Vladislav Kamenev from Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL.
Eyebrows were raised around the League, as Kamenev was the first Russian-born player selected by the team since Alexander Radulov, whose relationship with the team ended after he was suspended during the Western Conference semifinal in 2012 for a curfew violation.
According to chief amateur scout Jeff Kealty, Kamenev more than checked out, and the Predators are excited to have him in the system.
"This isn't just some shot in the dark that we took," Kealty told The Tennessean. "We fully investigated the kid himself — the situation, his intentions — and he really does want to come play in the NHL someday. He's the type of player everybody's looking for. He's a (6-foot-2) centerman who can play at both ends and can generate offense. That's one of the hardest things to find."
Kamenev's agent, Jay Grossman, said his client's relatively NHL-friendly style is due, in part, to Mettalurg head coach Mike Keenan's influence. That tutelage will continue, as Kamenev is set to fulfill his contractual obligations with the KHL club prior to making the jump to North America.
"We need a big centerman down the middle who's offensive and who can make plays," director of player development Scott Nichol said. "If he develops into the player we think he can develop into, I think he's right in our wheelhouse."
