After #WhyNotLindberg, #WhyNotNamestnikov

[FBR 158]

Could Namestnikov win the Dustin Funk Trophy?

The Zhumbayev-Lindberg-Namestnikov line might very well be the hottest line in the VHL right now.

 

TORONTO, ONT - Everyone in Toronto is saying Why Not Lindberg? #Lindberg4MVP everywhere on Twitter, Facebook.. But there is one other guy that could bring home an individual award at the annual VHL trophy ceremony. Evgeny Namestnikov could bring home the Dustin Funk award.

 

The Funk trophy is awarded every year to the player who's improved his game the most of all the players in the VHL. Evgeny Namestnikov could be that player. Ever since one of his best buddies in the VHL, Anatoli Zhumbayev, joined the team, he improved nearly every aspect of his game. Zhumbayev has been a great mentor to Namestnikov since the start of his career in the VHL, and now, playing with him in Toronto looks to be a huge motivation for the young russian.

Namestnikov added 12 goals and 20 assists for a total of 32 points more than in the 36th season. He improved his plus/minus by +25 and he dropped in penalties in minutes by 66PIM. Always recognized for being a power-forward over the course of his career, Namestnikov changed his game to become more of an offensive threat than a physical threat, that's why he dropped by 125 hits since the last season.

 

"Yes, Anny's been a huge help since he's here, but I think that the way we lost the Continental Cup last year might be even more of a motivation for me. I feel like I didn't really help the team during the playoffs and I plan on being an even better player during these playoffs than our playoffs last season.", said Namestnikov before the last game of the season against the HC Davos Dynamo.

 

#WhyNotNamestnikov

[Guest]

#BladeTaylorGow line has something to say about that.