Hurricanes’ Alexei Krutov Is the KHL Rookie of the Week

Carolina Hurricanes prospect Alexei Krutov is progressing nicely on his path to pro hockey in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and was awarded Rookie of the Week on Monday. In particular, the 2024 seventh-round pick potted a double in Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod’s win over Amur on Jan. 23 (5-2). The forward scored two even-strength goals, one for each of the second and the third period, as Igor Larionov‘s team collected a critical win for their playoff push, with Torpedo being now the eighth seed in the Western Conference.

Earlier in the game, another Hurricanes’ prospect – Nikita Artamonov – netted his 15th tally of the season. Recently, Krutov potted his first KHL goal, in Torpedo’s losing effort against Admiral Vladivostok on Jan. 11 (6-1), in his second pro game.

It’s worth noting that Krutov had his two-goal performance on a night when he only played a bit more than five minutes, with Larionov so far reluctant to give the young forward a more prominent role in his lineup, despite his favorable approach with young players. The former Stanley Cup champion’s team has six NHL prospects in its lineup and another five players younger than 21. Another two NHL prospects, including Canes’ draftee on the blue line Alexander Pelevin, line up for Torpedo’s farm team in the Russian second-tier league.