Anatoly Golyshev and His Potential Impact With the Islanders
Longtime prospect Anatoly Golyshev has finally inked a deal to become a member of the Islanders, and he should be reporting to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers soon.
Golyshev has finally transferred from the KHL to North America. He has been an interesting piece in the Islanders’ prospect pool for five years. But he’s already 26 years old, so the Islanders hope he quickly proves his ability to play at the NHL level.
Potential and Comparison
Anatoly Golyshev’s ceiling is a middle-six winger. He could likely be a serviceable second liner, or a strong secondary scorer on the third or fourth line. My comparison for Golyshev is Jakub Voracek. Golyshev won’t put up numbers like Voracek, nor could he play on the first line like Voracek does, but their playing styles are very similar.
Both are playmakers that find a way to get the puck on their linemates’ sticks. Both are also effective in the defensive end and can transition through the neutral zone. When healthy, the Islanders’ third line is often Oliver Wahlstrom, Michael Dal Colle and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. The Islanders may promote Wahlstrom to a top-six role, since he’s been one of the team’s best scorers. If they do, Anatoly Golyshev could be the playmaker the Islanders need on the third line to maximize Pageau’s goal scoring abilities. He can also play left wing in Dal Colle’s spot.
Golyshev’s Russian Career
Golyshev was born in Perm, Russia, which is over 800 miles away from Moscow. He fell in love with Russia’s most popular sport in ice hockey at a young age. At age 18, Golyshev entered the KHL Draft.
In the fifth round of the 2012 KHL Draft, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg selected Golyshev. Avtomobilist then sent Golyshev to their minor league affiliate, Avto Yekaterinburg.
In his first MHL season, Golyshev came out hot and scored 23 goals and 63 points in 54 games. That was good enough for eleventh in points and ninth in assists in the league. Golyshev continued to dominate in the MHL his second season, so Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg promoted him to the KHL. Slated to play against adults for the first time, Golyshev was only a depth piece. His scoring didn’t translate right away with only 5 points in 32 games in his KHL debut season.
2016 was Golyshev’s breakout season. He finally was able to put up numbers in a top league. In 2016, Golyshev had 25 goals and 44 points in 56 games, the only season he had more goals than assists. That season caught the eye of the NHL, specifically the Islanders. In the fourth round of the 2016 NHL Draft, the Islanders selected Golyshev.
Post-NHL Draft and Joining the Islanders
While in the Islanders’ farm system, Golyshev stayed with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg well into his 20s. While doing so, he continued his scoring rates and was consistently a top scorer on his team. In the 2020-21 season, Golyshev fell a bit, with only 27 points in 53 games. But, when Golyshev was eliminated from the playoffs, the 26-year-old finally signed a one-year entry-level contract with the Islanders.
When joining the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Golyshev will likely be thrown into a top-six role after his necessary quarantine. If he plays well, he may get a chance to play a few games for the Islanders this season, possibly during the playoffs (if the Islanders qualify). He has what it takes to be a full-time NHL player, and has a good chance to make the team next year.
Die-Hard Islanders fan and writer from Plainview, Long Island, NY. I have a passion and knowledge for this team and I enjoy sharing that with others
