Kozhevnikov’s Take on The Athletic Rating and Russian NHL Players

Two-time Olympic champion Alexander Kozhevnikov has criticized The Athletic for including Russian players in its NHL playoff performance rating, calling the list a misstep in assessing the postseason. The discussion centers on how players from Russia are portrayed in rankings that compare playoff contributions across teams.
New York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay goaltender Andrey Vasilevskiy, and Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov were named on the previous day’s list, drawing sharp commentary from fans and analysts alike.
“How do they watch hockey there? If not for our men, they wouldn’t have come close to a score of eight. Maybe they aren’t the entire problem? Perhaps coaches should be included in this assessment as well. Let them acknowledge the playoff push, or they’ll soon see the last-place marks. Russian players often bear the immediate blame”, Kozhevnikov remarked, highlighting the lingering biases that can surface in post-season evaluations.
Former ESPN reporter Greg Wyshynski published a ranking of the top contenders for the Conn Smythe Trophy, sparking conversations about how postseason greatness is measured and named. The debate reflects a broader interest in how media outlets weigh individual performance, leadership, and team context when naming the tournament’s most valuable player, and it underscores the ongoing tension between national identity and merit in hockey discussions. [Wyshynski]