Nikita Soshnikov has many of the attributes necessary for success in the NHL. The offensive minded winger is strong, standing at 5’ 11, weighing 185 pounds, and has tremendous skating and stickhandling ability making him an offensive threat whenever he is on the ice. For these reasons, Toronto Maple Leafs fans were excited when Soshnikov first broke into the NHL during the 2015-16 season.

However, a lot has happened since then for the highly touted Russian prospect from the far east city of Nizhny Tagil. After three seasons of splitting time between the NHL and American Hockey League (AHL) with the Toronto Marlies, Soshnikov is now property of the St. Louis Blues after a trade midway through last season.  At 24, he is still considered young and entering his prime and feels he is healthy again after a long road of recovery following serious concussion injuries that drastically set him back during his tenure in Toronto.

Soshnikov began playing hockey at the age of four in Russia and progressed through the youth hockey system for Sputnik in Nizhny Tagil. From there, he was selected in the sixth round, 123rd overall in the 2010 KHL Draft by Atlant Moscow Oblast. He played his junior career with the MHL affiliate of the KHL club, and made his professional debut in 2013.  He would go on to play two seasons with Atlant in the KHL.

His road to the NHL was unlike many other Russian prospects that define his generation. Soshnikov went undrafted to the NHL and whereas many of his peers went to the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and on to the NHL, he stayed in Russia to hone his skills in the MHL junior system.  “I didn’t have the chance to go the CHL and never really thought about it. All I thought about was playing for my MHL team and from there making the KHL club for Atlant.  I felt that before even thinking about North America, I had to prove myself in Russia,” said Soshnikov.”

While playing in the KHL, Soshnikov was noticed by Evgeny Namestnikov who was a scout with the Toronto Maple Leafs assisting the team in Atlant.  Nikita was just the kind of player the Leafs were looking for and signed a three-year entry year deal after completion of the 2014–15 KHL season.

“My greatest attribute is my speed,” explains Soshnikov.  “I am able to adjust it accordingly and use it to create time and space, accelerate by defenders or explode from one area to another. I also adjust my playing style based on the line mates I am playing with and the role I have on that given line. When you have more of a defensive role you have to adjust your speed accordingly. You have to really time when to jump into the rush and when to sit back. When you have more freedom to be offensive then the speed is unleashed as you are out there to create scoring chances.”

Although he impressed the Leafs brass during training camp, Soshnikov played the majority of the 2015-16 season with the Marlies in the AHL where had to adapt to the North American style of play.  “It was a very difficult transition. It is a totally different style of hockey, different requirements and a different arena size. The game in the AHL is a faster pace and much more in your face with the hitting style and dump and chase dynamics of the game. In the AHL everyone is trying to prove themselves to make the NHL so the intensity, skill, and decisions with the puck are happening at a very fast pace. It was a very good experience for me to spend the majority of my first season in the AHL to adjust to the style of North American hockey.”

Following an impressive first half of the season, on February 29, 2016, Soshnikov was called up by the Leafs and made his NHL debut against the Tamp Bay Lightning. While it was a dream come true for the call up, the timing and how it played out were quite nerve-racking for the young prospect.  “It was already near the trade deadline and everyone was getting a call up and I was still awaiting my chance. It was a time of change and uncertainty so I was having my doubts. Right before my call up we had two days off.  Then Kyle Dubas called and told me I would play the next day for the Leafs. The call happened around 7pm at the end of the two days off when I was out having dinner. I quickly finished dinner and ran home and started to exercise just to get rid of those two days off and be ready for my NHL debut the next day.”

The day of his debut was a whirlwind. “When I came to the rink in the morning and within a few hours there were more trades announced and my place in the line-up went up to the first line. I knew I would have an opportunity to really show myself. The first shift there was nerves but after that I felt really good and that game I performed very well.”

He scored his first NHL goal on March 2, 2016 against the Washington Capitals. The goal was a thing of beauty that ripped into the back of the net from a perfectly placed snipe. “This goal just happened in a quick moment. I got off the bench and the puck found its way to my stick. I quickly snapped the shot without thinking about it and with some luck it made its way to back of the net. It was an incredible feeling and one that I will never forget.”

WATCH: Nikita Soshnikov score his first NHL goal

Soshnikov went on to play 11 NHL games during the 2015-16 season, and the following year became a regular with the Leafs.  He fulfilled a checking role for the Leafs and was establishing himself with the team when on March 20th a Zedeno Chara hit left Sochnikov with a serious concussion. That injury completely altered the path that he was on.  

“That concussion really affected me. The injury was at the end of the season and it took most of the summer to recover so I was never able to get back into elite form for the next season. That whole experience of the injury was a very dark time for me. There was two months after it happened when it was like I was living in some kind of hell. I could not sleep or eat normally. I would go outside and my head would start hurting. I couldn’t do normal activities like getting up after sitting down without feeling the effects of the concussion. I had no motivation for anything at that time. I just wanted to feel like a normal person again. It took a while but when I started to feel better I got the strength and desire to get back to hockey. It took several months to recover and it was very hard. Having the resolve to keep fighting is necessary to get through the darkness. This applies not just to hockey but to life as well.”

Due to the injury, his start to the 2017-18 season was drastically affected.  By the time he returned to the Leafs, he wasn’t in the same form as before the injury occurred. He went on to play 3 games with the Leafs then was sidelined again because of a nagging groin injury that caused him to be placed on the injury reserve. This series of injuries and the young star power of the Leafs caused Soshnikov to slide down the depth chart, resulting in a trade on February 15, 2018 that sent Soshnikov to the St. Louis Blues.  Nikita saw this as a fresh start and maintained a positive attitude.  “I considered this to be good news for my career.  It was a chance for a fresh start after all the injuries and health problems I sustained while in Toronto. I am happy to have made it through that and am reinvigorated playing for the Blues now.”

Despite the challenges he experienced in Toronto, Nikita enjoyed playing with the young and talented team. “I have a really good relationship with both Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Whenever we see each other we always stop and talk. Matthews in addition to his incredible skill is also a very positive person and conveys himself as a true professional. He acts well beyond his years in maturity. Mitch on the other hand loves to laugh, play, and have fun, and has a younger kid mentality as opposed to Mathews. While both players are incredibly gifted, they convey themselves as very down to earth. They come to the rink every day and work on their game just like everyone else.”

Soshnikov played 12 games with the Blues last season and admits there was a transition. “There was an adaptation period for sure.  Once I joined the team they put me in two games right away and I got to play on the first and second lines. I got around 15 minutes of ice time a game as well. Just as I started playing and everything was going good including praise from the coaches, I received another concussion that sidelined me for another two weeks. While it was very frustrating to get hurt again and out of the line-up, luckily this time it only took two weeks to recover. The bright side is now I am healthy and really looking forward to the upcoming season.”

This summer Soshnikov has been training under the tutelage of Matt Nichol, a renown strength and conditioning coach.  “So far I really like his training. We are working on total body strength and conditioning, plus health and restoration from any lingering issues that result from the wear and tear of being a professional athlete.”

Taking a moment to reflect on his hockey career thus far, Nikita highlighted the significance of his experience first playing in the AHL and how it was instrumental in his development. “When I played in the AHL I really took it in and enjoyed it because I got a lot of ice time and opportunity to play my style. It was very important for me to gain the confidence I needed when it came to playing in the NHL.  Having the time to develop and hone-in your game in the AHL can make all the difference in your NHL career. I am grateful I got the chance to properly develop in the AHL. It is so important to have the time there to develop and build that confidence. The confidence is key to success in the NHL.”

Soshnikov also commented on the personal growth he has experienced since coming to North America. “I’d say the growth is in the mental aspect of the game. It is not a secret that the NHL is a big business. I understand especially now while I train and speak with other players about their experiences. You start to understand how to react to different situations, be more calm, when to forget certain things, and how to collect yourself. A season has so many games so you need a short memory and approach each new game from a fresh slate and not hold on to everything.  Of course every year in the league you get stronger, faster, and better, however the biggest growth though is in maturity and mental resolve which is key for a professional and essential in order to stay in the league. When I first came to the NHL, I realized to even play 1 game is a major accomplishment that few hockey players ever get to experience. Once you are in the league you never want to leave it. To stay in this league is even harder than it is to make it. This all ties into the mental strength and how to overcome adversity.”

Heading into the 2018-19 season, Soshnikov is aiming to make his mark on this year’s Blues roster and is on a mission to prove that is he is a bona-fide NHL player.  “I will be faster and more confident and you will see me making plays with certainty and authority” said Soshnikov.

His story perfectly demonstrates how a set back has set up a comeback, which bodes well for the Blues who have high aspirations for the upcoming season.