Blackhawks European prospect update, 3/22: Kantserov debuts in KHL playoffs

It\'s time for more Blackhawks prospect updates, this time returning to Europe where postseasons are largely under way:

Roman Kantserov, Metallurg (KHL)

Stats: 15 points (8 G, 7 A) in 53 regular-season games; 5 points (2 G, 3 A) in 8 playoff games

After signing a 2-year extension with Metallurg this past holiday season, Roman Kantserov finished up his first regular season in the KHL and moved on to the postseason. While his numbers didn\'t jump off the stat sheet in the regular season, he\'s heated up a bit during the playoffs, contributing five points in just eight games.

https://twitter.com/HockeyNewsHub/status/1769347430573605306

Kantserov\'s game features a lot of tools that were put on display this last season. The 5-foot-9 forward has some good hands and is able to both shoot and pass the puck with accuracy. This, paired with some solid skating, led to his nice postseason production in an admittedly small sample size.

https://twitter.com/khl_eng/status/1766440104753549753

This development after a somewhat average regular season is encouraging. If Kantserov continues to progress at this rate while he spends time in Russia, he should start rounding into a very solid forward by the time he\'s ready for the NHL.

https://twitter.com/HockeyNewsHub/status/1766443194802167980

The playoff highlights keep coming. You love to see it.

https://twitter.com/HockeyNewsHub/status/1765684833278165466

Add here\'s what ended up as a game-winning goal, just for good measure:

https://twitter.com/khl_eng/status/1764984789365321736

Metallurg is currently on the KHL\'s conference semifinals, currently owning a 2-1 series lead over Spartak with Game 4 on Saturday.

Ilya Safonov, Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)

Stats: 20 points (13 G, 7 A) in 67 regular season games, 2 points (1 G, 1 A) in 5 playoff games

Ilya Safonov is another Blackhawks prospect playing in the KHL. The 6-foot-4 center put together a 20-point regular season and also tallied a pair of points in the playoffs for Ak Bars Kazan before that team was eliminated in the KHL conference quarterfinals by Avtomobilist.

Safonov had a very nice 2022-23 season ( one of the reason we liked him so much heading into this year ) although his numbers did drop this season. Time will tell if this was the results of the circumstances of his team\'s season, his usage for Ak Bars, or just a flat out drop in production. He still showed some flashes of what he has to offer at times, though, including the postseason goal below:

https://twitter.com/HockeyNewsHub/status/1764679697235882205

The big man throws on a wrister from the left wing circle while on the power play:

https://twitter.com/HockeyNewsHub/status/1762178093488206188 Again, Safonov uses his size to his advantage and creates an opportunity for him while camped out in the crease during an Ak Bars power play:

https://twitter.com/HockeyNewsHub/status/1757458802188620162 Hopefully Safonov will be able to put it all together sooner rather than later. It seems he has a nice ceiling and is the type of forward the Hawks could really benefit from having in the lineup.

Riku Tohila, JYP (Liiga)

Stats: 2 points (1 G, 1 A) in 39 regular-season games

Riku Tohila is a young forward who is very much still in development, and his numbers are not yet much to write home about. Tohila didn\'t produce much during the regular season and is back with JYP\'s under-20 team for the postseason, with Tohila scoring one goal in five playoff games so far.

The 2022 seventh-rounder remains a longshot at best to ultimately find his way to the NHL. The primary thing that makes Tohila interesting is that he\'s 6-8 and only there\'s 20 years old. There is still time to figure it out, but he\'ll need to start doing that soon.

Victor Stjernborg, Växjö Lakers HC (SHL)

Stats: 18 points (6 G, 12 A), 20 PIM in 46 games

https://twitter.com/VLHlive/status/1768578456369893414

Another young Blackhawks forward prospect, the 20-year-old Stjernborg has seen some solid production and positive trends during his 2023-24 campaign. He played in his fourth playoff game (dating back to last season) since joining Växjö, and while he did produce any points, the experience doesn\'t hurt.

https://twitter.com/Chi_Prospects/status/1764027259680154054

Stjernborg is another player that might not head to Chicago for a little while, but is definitely one to keep as eye on as he continues his development. Vaxjo is up 1-0 on Lulea in their first-round postseason matchup.

Jiri Felcman, Langnau (U20-Elit)

Stats: 23 points (8 G, 15 A), 12 PIM in 26 games for Langnau U-20

Felcman has been shuffled around, splitting time between different clubs. His most productive portions came with Langnau\'s Under-20 team, where Felcman had 23 points (8 G, 15 A) in 26 games and four more points in three games as Langnau faced relegation. He also had an assist in five games with the SCL Tigers in the top tier of Swedish hockey and 4 points in 13 games for Bellinzona in the second tier of Swiss hockey. Felcman is still 18, though, patience is again the thought here for Chicago\'s 2023 third-round pick.

https://twitter.com/Chi_Prospects/status/1721173241731891409

Milton Oscarson, Örebro HK (SHL)

Stats: 9 points (4 G, 5 A), 6 PIM, in 51 regular-season games; 0 points in 3 playoff games

Another big-bodied forward, Milton Oscarson -- affectionately known as \"Big Milt\" -- has shown the slightest uptick in production from his first season in Orebro but still isn\'t contributing a ton of points while skating in Sweden\'s top hockey league. Based on Oscarson and a few other players on this list, it seems that the Hawks are really into the idea of having NHL forwards the size of NBA forwards and, frankly, I\'m here for it.

Janne Peltonen, Kärpät (U20 SM-sarja)

Stats: 15 points (6 G, 9 A), 47 PIM in 46 games

Peltonon did appear in two Liiga games for Karpat, not adding any points. The stats listed above are for his season with his U20 club.

https://twitter.com/OulunKarpatFi/status/1746183725002481995

Nils Juntorp, Kristianstads IK (HockeyEttan)

Stats: 16 points (6 G, 10 A), 33 PIM, in 36 games

A 20-year-old winger from Sweden, Juntorp has some moves and racked up 16 points for Kristianstads this past season after returning from spending the 2022-23 season in the USHL. Juntorp added a goal in four postseason games while skating in the HockeyEttan, which is the third tier of Swedish hockey.

https://twitter.com/swehockeygifs/status/1697649950924976487

Roman Kantserov, Metallurg (KHL)

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