Former vice president of Metallurg, **Gennady Velichkin**, opined that forward from the Magnitogorsk team, **Roman Kanterov**, will be playing in the National Hockey League next season, drawing a comparison to **Evgeni Malkin** of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

**— Who would you say was the standout player this season? Certainly, it’s Roman Kanterov, whose contract with Metallurg expires at the end of the season. Do you think Roman will take a shot at the NHL?**
— I believe he will give it a try. However, I would love to see players like him stay in the KHL a bit longer.

**— Roman Kanterov has emerged from the Magnitogorsk hockey school. Can you recall any other remarkable players from that program?**
— Absolutely, there have been several. Evgeni Malkin, Nikolai Kulemin, Pavel Dorofeev — along with a few others who may reach similar levels in the near future.

**— In your opinion, can Roman achieve the same level of success as Evgeni Malkin?**
— He plays a slightly different style, but why not? I think it’s definitely possible for him. He has a fierce competitive spirit, abundant talent, and enough skill — so everything is achievable. Let’s keep our fingers crossed, Velichkin stated, as reported by Legalbet.