Zakhar Bardakov has a lot to learn in a short amount of time, but like anyone else moving to Denver, one part of the process was unique.
Bardakov, a 24-year-old rookie with the Colorado Avalanche, is trying to adjust to playing hockey in North America. But he had to adjust to the altitude first.
“I can tell you it was quite an easy transition,” Bardakov said through a translator. “The only thing is that I was worried about my wife and my kid: ‘How are they going to settle here?’ It was a little breathing problem at the beginning. It’s much higher above sea level. But then I don’t have any problems right now, and I feel very good.”
For many Russian players, the switch from the KHL to the NHL is hard. The playing surface is smaller, and the style of play is faster and more direct. It’s also more physical.
Bardakov is dealing with some of the challenges — his English is limited, and there are new systems to learn. But there are other parts where he looks like a natural, and it’s why he made the Avalanche opening-night roster with a strong training camp.
“He has a North American style. That’s how he plays,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “He hasn’t stepped on the ice for us once in two weeks where he hasn’t shown, ‘This is who I am, and this is my DNA.’ Now it’s just up to us to help him get incrementally better, day by day.
“… I like the way he plays. He’s a competitive, heavy guy. He’s playing for keeps out there. I like that. He gets to the dirty areas of the ice. We’ve just got to keep working with him, and he’s got to keep performing like he has so far.”
The Avalanche traded for Bardakov on March 1, 2024. The New Jersey Devils wanted Kurtis MacDermid, in part to give Matt Rempe of the rival New York Rangers someone to spar with.
At the time, it seemed like a minor trade. The Avs got some salary cap relief and a player drafted in the seventh round in 2021 who had modest numbers in the KHL.
But Bardakov’s production for SKA St. Petersburg took a huge surge forward last season: 17 goals and 35 points in 53 games, nearly three times the previous year (six goals, 12 points in 51 games). The Avs signed him in April, and general manager Chris MacFarland dropped his name twice as a potential contributor near the end of last season.
“He’s a nice guy, a good teammate,” said San Jose Sharks defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin, who played with Bardakov for Russia at the 2021 world junior championships and against him in the KHL. “He’s a hard-working guy. Plays hard on the forecheck, he can hold onto the puck and can score. He can fight and help the team in the D-zone. Only good things.”
While his game looks like a strong fit for how the Avs want their depth forwards to play, it’s still a challenge for Bardakov to get up to speed with systems play and on-ice positioning. While he didn’t play Tuesday in Los Angeles and won’t be in the lineup for the home opener Thursday, Bardakov will likely play a lot with Parker Kelly on the fourth line.
Kelly is one of the players who has been trying to help him get more comfortable on the ice.
“It’s been a learning experience for me, too,” Kelly said. “I’m trying my best in order to make it as simple as possible. My wife would probably say I don’t explain things well. Like, if I’m talking about a board game, I explain it terribly. Now, I’m in my head saying, like, ‘Am I making it easy enough for this guy to listen to me?’ We’ve gone to the board to show him visually, just to really make sure.
“He’s super eager to learn. He’s starting to ask more questions. I want to be a sounding board for him and hopefully build that kind of chemistry as we go.”
Bardakov had his first fight in a preseason game. He called it a good experience, though he didn’t understand the official trying to tell him to stay down after it was over. He scored a pretty goal in one of the exhibition games, but also took a pair of penalties in another.
As for how the off-ice transition is going, Bardakov joked, “I think you should ask my wife.” She’s pretty active on Instagram, and it does seem like Daria and their daughter, Maya, have been enjoying exploring their new city.
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