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Vegas Golden Knights: Nikita Gusev continues to shine at IIHF Worlds

By Andrew Steele-Davis |
BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA - MAY 13: #97 Nikita Gusev (RUS) celebrates his goal during the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Slovakia group game between Russia and Czech Republic at Ondrej Nepela Arena on May 13, 2019 in Bratislava, Slovakia. (Photo by RvS.Media/Robert Hradil/Getty Images)
BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA - MAY 13: #97 Nikita Gusev (RUS) celebrates his goal during the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Slovakia group game between Russia and Czech Republic at Ondrej Nepela Arena on May 13, 2019 in Bratislava, Slovakia. (Photo by RvS.Media/Robert Hradil/Getty Images)
BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA MAY 15, 2019: Italy’s goaltender Marco de Filippo Roia defends against Russias Nikita Gusev in their 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Preliminary Round Group B match at the Ondrej Nepela Arena; Russia won 10-0. Alexander Demianchuk/TASS (Photo by Alexander DemianchukTASS via Getty Images)
BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA MAY 15, 2019: Italy’s goaltender Marco de Filippo Roia defends against Russias Nikita Gusev in their 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Preliminary Round Group B match at the Ondrej Nepela Arena; Russia won 10-0. Alexander Demianchuk/TASS (Photo by Alexander DemianchukTASS via Getty Images) /

Nikita Gusev has been on an absolute tear for Team Russia at the IIHF World Championships and that can only be seen as a positive for the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Vegas Golden Knights forward is one of four players to be representing the franchise in Slovakia, with Shea Theodore, Jonathan Marchessault and Mark Stone flying the flag for Team Canada.

It has been a tournament to remember for the quartet so far but it is the performances of Gusev that have really caught the eye if you are a Golden Knights fan.

The 26-year-old currently sits sixth on the points leaderboard with nine points (three goals, six assists) in five games played, including a tuck against Latvia earlier today as Russia made it five straight wins at the tournament with their first championship since 2014 well within reach.

Gusev is ahead of Chicago Blackhawks and Team USA ace Patrick Kane in the standings, and is only one point off the top four of Michael Frolik, Kucherov, William Nylander and Jakub Voracek who all have ten points apiece.

He has spent the majority of the tournament playing on a line with Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov, who showed the rest of the NHL how it’s done with 128 points (41 goals, 87 assists) in 82 regular season games in 2018-19.

Gusev, who had four points in Russia’s Gold Medal win over Germany at last year’s Olympics, has been used on the power play and has proved that he’s more than capable of coming up clutch in all situations for Team Russia, laying on sublime dishes to his linemates as well as being able to cause damage to the opposition with a vicious slapshot.

So what does this mean for the Vegas Golden Knights?

Well Gusev, who has yet to make his NHL debut, will become a restricted free agent on July, 1 but is expected to pen a long-term deal with Vegas having come over from SKA St. Petersburg early in order to burn the final year of his entry-level deal.

The Golden Knights front office have held high hopes for the talented left-wing ever since they traded for him from the Tampa Bay Lightning and he should get chance to impress in training camp.

As it stands, Gusev, who led the KHL in points in 2018-19 with 82 (17 goals, 65 assists), could be put on a third line with Alex Tuch and Erik Haula, which has all of the ingredients to be an explosive combination.

Haula and Tuch would certainly benefit from having someone in the ilk of Gusev on their line given the Russian’s status as a stud playmaker, who can create dishes for his team-mates at an alarming rate.

Gusev has proven his stock in Russia and on the international stage, but he now faces his biggest challenge as he prepares to crack the NHL.

He has all the attributes and skills in his armoury to be able to morph into a very accomplished NHL playmaker, and he has the potential to act as another potent weapon for the Knights on the power play.

The fact that he’s playing at the peak of his powers for Team Russia at the World Championships should only fill him with confidence coming into training camp, and that will be music to the ears of everyone involved with the Vegas Golden Knights.

And if Gusev can become at least half the player his Team Russia line mate and former Tampa Bay Lightning team mate Nikita Kucherov has transformed into in recent years, then the Golden Knights will have one hell of a talent on their hands.

Meanwhile, it has also been a good few days for the other Vegas Golden Knights at the IIHF World Championships.

Mark Stone, Jonathan Marchessault and Shea Theodore are all contributing in big ways for Team Canada, who are in action against Germany later today.

Next. VGK should go after Marcus Johansson. dark

Canada defeated France 4-2 on Thursday with the trio of Theodore, Marchessault and Stone all contributing for their country, who currently sit in 4th place in Group A.

Theodore picked up his fourth assist and fifth point of the tournament with a primary helper on Anthony Mantha’s tally, while Marchessault had two assists in the game including a dish on Stone’s second goal of the World Championships.

We’ll have a further update on how Vegas Golden Knights’ quartet of international stars are faring over the weekend.

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