Fantasy Summary
An aggressive, explosive skating defenseman that lacks size with good puck-moving skills. While not an elite offensive contributor, he can chip in when called upon. The upside is limited.
Observations
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August 2023 – Kniazev was acquired from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Leon Gawanke on July 2, 2023. He played 61 games for the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2022-23 and recorded 28 points (five goals and 23 assists). Knaizev is entering the 2023-24 season playing in the final year of his contract and will be a restricted free agent (RFA) at the end of the season. Mark Henry
January 2022 – After a successful three year QMJHL career where he saw his points per game increase in each successive season, Knyazev made the jump to the professional ranks joining the San Jose Barracuda in the AHL. While the offence hasn’t followed him to start the year, he has made a fairly seamless transition and has already earned a call-up to the big club for his first NHL game. The fact that he’s already on the shortlist for NHL duty bodes well for his NHL certainty as he seems likely to be factored into the Sharks’ long-term future. His fantasy potential however will continue to hinge on how he develops mentally. He has the smooth skating stride and puck skills that you look for in an offensive presence, however, as the pace of play increases he loses some of the creativity and offensive awareness he shows against lesser talent. Donesh Mazloum
December 2020 – Although not initially listed on the team’s training camp roster, Team Russia has announced that Artemi Knyazev will be joining the 2020-21 World Junior Championship squad. The Sharks have high hopes for the young defenceman they selected in the second round of last year’s draft. The tournament will be a good opportunity for scouts and fans alike to get a good look at their prospect, who has not returned to play since the end of the QMJHL season. Alex Howes
June 2019 – The Sharks selected Knyazev with the 48th pick in the second round of the 2019 NHL entry draft. Knyazev will be a longer term project as he has some warts in his game, but the Sharks will be hoping he can iron those out in the QMJHL. A smooth skating defenseman, he fits the mold of the modern NHL puck moving defenseman. If he can work on his instincts and make better decisions on when to rush up ice and when to stay home, he could become a solid top four defender one day. Expect a long wait with Knyazev, he’s likely to spend the next two years in junior. Chris Legg
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