Kirill Tankov said that the feeling after the World Junior Championships were canceled was "devastation."
The tournament marked the first time that Tankov represented Russia in a major international event.
The Penguins' seventh-round pick played in Russia's two games, recording one assist before the tournament was canceled. Because Tankov is 19, this was his last opportunity to play in a World Junior tournament.
"I was ready, energized, so it was very sad," Tankov said in a Russian interview with SKA-Neva's team website. "Then they said that perhaps the tournament will be held later, so there is still hope."
Tankov said that it took 50 hours to get from Alberta back home to Russia. Russian coach Sergei Zubov, the former Penguins defenseman, later said in an interview with Russian newspaper Izvestia that both the Russian and Czech teams were kicked off of their initial flight for not complying with mask requirements. The Czech team's manager, Otakar Černý, denied to Czech website iDnes.cz. that his team did anything wrong, and said that his team was mistakenly lumped in with the Russians because the teams wore similar-looking jackets. Multiple social media posts from people who were on the plane shared what they witnessed, making it sound like there was much more going on with the Russians than just not wearing masks.
We were also on this flight, in business class. Russian coach was trying to vape in his seat, wouldn't wear his mask, and then he played Russian rock music full blast on his phone. What a way to spend NYE, amirite?
— Aggie (@aggieloveseggs) January 1, 2022
Tankov returned home to his VHL club SKA-Neva, and played his first game this week in the club's match against Zvezda. Tankov scored two goals in a 7-2 win, and was SKA-Neva's player of the game.
SKA-NEVA
Kirill Tankov with the team's player of the game award.
Tankov's first goal was this shot from the slot after his teammate's initial attempt was blocked:
The second goal was this shot off of a two-on-one:
The main SKA KHL team's new head coach, Roman Rotenberg, was in attendance for the game, so it was a good time for Tankov to stand out.
"This is great," Tankov said of Rotenberg being at the game. "It's cool that he takes the time to personally look at how the SKA system works, how the farm team of the main team plays. I think we managed to please him with our game and winning score."
Tankov had a hot start to the season but had cooled off as of late. After this week he ranks No. 12 on his team in scoring with eight goals and six assists in 27 games.
____________________
Here's how the Penguins' prospects in junior, college, and Europe did this week:
FORWARDS
Raivis Ansons
Position: Right wing/left wing
Size: 6-1/190
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, fifth round
Team: Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
Season totals: 19 games, 6 goals, 18 assists
The QMJHL extended its pause an additional week, until Jan. 14, due to COVID-19. Ansons was traded from the Baie-Comeau Drakkar to the Saint John Sea Dogs during the pause, however. The Drakkar ranked next-to-last in the 10-team Eastern Conference with a 9-13-4-3 record. The Sea Dogs rank seventh in the conference with a 15-12-0-3 record.
The Sea Dogs have an automatic bid to be one of the four teams in the Memorial Cup this spring because they're the host team. The other three teams are the winners of the three leagues in the CHL, the WHL, QMJHL, and OHL. The Sea Dogs now have the most NHL prospects of any CHL team with eight.
Tristan Broz
Position: Center/wing
Size: 6-0/179
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, second round
Team: University of Minnesota (NCAA)
Season totals: 17 games, 2 assists
Broz was scoreless in two games this week. He played second-line left wing for the first game and third-line left wing for the second game.
Judd Caulfield
Position: Right wing
Size: 6-3/207
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2019, fifth round
Team: University of North Dakota (NCAA)
Season totals: 21 games, 3 goal, 5 assists
Caulfield was scoreless in two games. He was the right wing on North Dakota's third line in both games.
Liam Gorman
Position: Center
Size: 6-3/199
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2018, sixth round
Team: Princeton University (NCAA)
Season totals: 13 games, 1 goal, 2 assist
Princeton is still on holiday break.
Lukas Svejkovsky
Position: Center/right wing
Size: 5-9/170
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2020, fourth round
Team: Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
Season totals: 24 games, 13 goals, 17 assists
Svejkovsky hasn't played since being acquired by the Thunderbirds two weeks ago. The only explanation given on the team's website is that he is "awaiting the okay to return to play."
Kirill Tankov
Position: Center/wing
Size: 6-2/190
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Team: SKA-Neva (VHL)
Season totals: 27 games, 8 goals, 6 assists
Tankov played two games, his first two games since returning from the World Junior Championships. He scored two goals while centering SKA-Neva's fourth line.
Chase Yoder
Position: Center
Size: 5-11/185
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2020, sixth round
Team: Providence College (NCAA)
Season totals: 23 games, 4 goal, 4 assists
Providence didn't play this week.
DEFENSEMEN
Santeri Airola
Size: 5-9/163
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2019, seventh round
Team: Ilves (Liiga), KOOVEE (Mestis)
Season totals: 2 games (Mestis)
Airola missed the start of the Liiga season with a lower-body injury. His team announced on Oct. 14 that Airola underwent surgery and is expected to be sidelined for 6-8 months.
Isaac Belliveau
Size: 6-2/185
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, fifth round
Team: Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
Season totals: 29 games, 1 goal, 9 assists
The QMJHL extended its pause an additional week, until Jan. 14, due to COVID-19.
Daniel Laatsch
Size: 6-5/190
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Team: University of Wisconsin (NCAA)
Season totals: 20 games, 1 assist
Wisconsin had a three-game series against Ohio State. The first game was postponed, and then Laatsch didn't play in the last two.
Ryan McCleary
Size: 6-2/180
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Team: Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Season totals: 27 games, 2 goal, 10 assists
McCleary recorded a primary assist in his only game this week.
McCleary did an interview with the Area 51 Sports Network, which can be found here.
“I’m the youngest guy in their system," said McCleary, who turned 18 in September. "So it might take a couple years, but I’ll do whatever it takes to one day be in a Pens jersey.”
Clayton Phillips
Size: 6-0/195
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2017, third round
Team: Penn State University (NCAA)
Season totals: 20 games, 5 goal, 5 assists
Phillips played in two games and scored one goal.
GOALTENDERS
Joel Blomqvist
Size: 6-1/183
Catches: Left
Drafted: 2020, second round
Team: Karpat (Liiga), Hermes (Mestis)
Season totals: 10 games, 0.93 GAA, .957 SV% (Liiga), 3 games, 2.07 GAA, .902 SV% (Mestis)
Blomqvist played in two games. His first game was a relief appearance on Tuesday that lasted 9:53, and he stopped all three shots he faced. He started on Friday and made 16 saves on 18 shots in 26:56 before being replaced in net.
Calle Clang
Size: 6-2/176
Catches: Left
Drafted: 2020, third round
Team: Rogle (SHL)
Season totals: 8 games, 2.73 GAA, .892 SV%
Clang dressed as Rogle's backup this week.