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2025 Blackhawks Top 25 Under 25: Roman Kantserov slides down to No. 8

One of the team’s most interesting forward prospects is about to start another season in Russia after a successful 2024-25 campaign.

Posted on by L_B_R
Source: Magnitogorsk Metallurg Facebook

The 2025 version of Second City Hockey’s Top 25 Under 25 rankings continues with our Top 10, which will contain a lengthier breakdown of each individual who made it into that group.

Roman Kantserov

  • Position: Winger
  • Birth date: Sept 20, 2004 (20)
  • Acquired via: Second-round pick (44th overall) in 2023 NHL Draft
  • 2024-25 team: Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)
  • 2024-25 stats: 38 points (13 G, 25 A) in 47 regular season games; 2 assists in 6 playoff games
  • Size: 5-foot-9, 176 pounds
  • Contract: Unsigned
  • Rankings: 7 (Zack), 8 (Dave), 9 (LBR, Eric)
  • Last T25U25 ranking: No. 7, down one spot

Kantserov enjoyed an impressive 2024‑25 season in the KHL, emerging as a dynamic two-way winger with high hockey IQ, refined playmaking, and a strong scoring touch. He’s objectively been one of the best young forwards in the KHL, widely regarded as the second-best men’s league in the world. It was his offensive growth this past season, along with development in other areas of his game, that have us at SCH ranking him so high, with his movement down only due to new players entering the organization.

Kantserov took a major step forward this season, posting 38 points (13 G, 25 A) in 47 regular-season games for Metallurg Magnitogorsk, more than doubling his offensive output from his previous season in fewer games. His playoffs were slightly quieter with just two assists in six games, but he was overall fine in a key supporting role. One highlight period of Kantserov’s season came in mid-December, when he notched a hat trick and six points over a week-long stretch. That run earned him KHL’s Best Forward of the Week honors and cemented his status as one of the league’s top under-23 performers during that span. At another point, he scored 10 goals in a span of 10 games, with the last coming during his 100th KHL game. The rest of the regular season saw consistent output from Kantersov, when he didn’t go more than two games in a row without a point.

Kantserov’s breakout campaign didn’t come without setbacks: shoulder surgery during the offseason kept him out of training camp and the early part of the season, forcing him to play catch-up physically and in terms of conditioning. While Kantserov hit the ground running offensively, his production tailed off late in the year. He was quite harsh when evaluating himself later on — despite being objectively fine, just not quite his best — but we like that willingness for a player to hold themselves to a high standard. He told reporters at the end of the season he thought that stemmed from fatigue and pointed to the lack of preseason conditioning as a factor:

“The last two months and the playoff was very terrible for me. I think I was just tired in this season in my last games. I think that I just didn’t have enough preseason preparation for the season because of the (shoulder surgery). In the end, I felt I was already full… I think it’s just all a work in progress. I just need more effort and time to stay consistent, so I can produce not just at the peak of the season but throughout the whole season.”

In terms of role, Kantserov spent most of the season in the middle-six, where his blend of creativity and offensive instincts added depth to a solid Metallurg forward group. While not often deployed on the top line, he was a difference-maker with the puck and saw a significant uptick in usage, especially as the season progressed. His average ice time jumped from around 12 minutes last season to over 17 minutes per game this year, a clear signal that the coaching staff trusted him in more situations, including power-play and late-game scenarios.

The main contribution to Kantersov’s breakout offense was that he evolved his skills in more meaningful ways this season. His playmaking vision and hockey IQ stood out, as he routinely made crisp, timely passes to set up teammates in scoring areas. His ability to manipulate defenders with subtle fakes and deceptive body language added layers to his offensive game. Kantserov isn’t just a complementary winger who finishes plays off the rush — he’s equally capable of being the play-driver on his line by combining his smooth, agile skating with his on-ice vision to create breakout opportunities on his own. His ability to seamlessly shift between offensive and defensive zones, adjusting his pace to match the rhythm of the play or the puck’s movement makes him a dynamic presence in transition and a threat in all three zones. While his playmaking is more refined, his shot release — quick, compact, and accurate — allowed him to be a consistent shooting option, especially from distance or off the rush.

As encouraging as his offensive growth was, Kantserov also evolved into a more two-way threat by rounding out the defensive side of his game more. He showed better awareness and competitiveness in the defensive zone, picking off passes, tracking back with urgency, and applying pressure on the forecheck. He doesn’t cheat for offense and committed to playing within structure, especially when the puck is in his own zone. These all-around improvements made him more than just a finesse producer. Kantserov isn’t without issues in the defensive zone — he occasionally struggled under sustained pressure, he occasionally got caught puck-watching, his active stick sometimes worked against him and resulted in minor stick infractions — but he has taken meaningful strides toward becoming a responsible two-way forward.

Honestly, the main concern with Kantserov has always centered on his size, as he’s just 5-9 and 176 pounds. While plenty of undersized forwards have found success in the NHL, those players typically compensate by either playing with a level of physicality beyond their frame or by showcasing elite-level skill. Kantserov isn’t known for his physicality, so he will have to rely on his ability to consistently leverage the high-end skill set he’s flashed in the KHL. He’s even shown some very Patrick Kane-esque assists (see clip below).

While questions about how his game will translate to the NHL level still linger — particularly in tighter, more physical North American spaces — this past season showed that he is not just a skilled winger, but a determined and evolving player capable of handling a bigger role under pressure. This was a season that reaffirmed Kantserov’s long-term potential, and if he continues to build on this foundation, there’s reason to believe he can make the jump to the NHL eventually with real potential to be a top-six forward.

In the short term, Kantserov is expected to remain in the KHL for the 2025–26 season, as he’s still under contract with Metallurg. The hope is that he continues to play in a top-six role, earns more opportunities on special teams, and builds on the strong offensive production he posted this past year. A move to North America appears realistic for the 2026–27 season. If he impresses in training camp, a direct jump to Chicago’s roster is possible, though a brief stint in the AHL with Rockford may be the more practical path as he adjusts to the smaller ice surface and faster pace of the North American game.

One final note: the KHL is currently in its preseason, and Kantserov won MVP at the Minsk Cup (a preseason tournament) and now has been centering Metallurg’s top line in every game he’s suited up (he’s No 8 listed below). Now, the preseason isn’t necessarily predictive for the regular season and onward, but we’ll always be happy with a good start for any of the Blackhawks prospects.

2025 Blackhawks Top 25 Under 25 list (so far):
No. 9: Kevin Korchinski
No. 10: Oliver Moore
No. 11-15: Lardis, Del Mastro, Kaiser, Boisvert, Reichel
No. 16-20: Dach, Nestrasil, Commesso, Greene, Vanacker
Nos. 21-25: Allan, Slaggert, Behm, Spellacy, Mustard
Honorable Mentions: Pridham, Savoie, West

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