Player Profile: Pavel Buchnevich hits 10-goal mark

St. Louis Blues left winger Pavel Buchnevich hit the 10-goal mark at the Enterprise Center on Tuesday night. Buchnevich, who now has 19 points (10 goals, 9 assists) on the season, scored the game-winning goal just 53 seconds into the overtime period. The Blues won 4-3 in overtime in what was arguably their gutsiest game of the season

Buchnevich has recorded at least one point in each one of his last five games. Here’s more about the up-and-coming Blues forward.

Pavel Andreyevich Buchnevich was born in Cherepovets, Russia, on April 17, 1995. Pavel was born into an athletic family. His mother, Elena Razumova, is a former skier, and his father, Andrey, is a youth soccer coach and a former steel factory worker. With that said, Pavel is 26-years-old, but he has shown no trouble when it comes to sports. Pavel has shown his struggles in learning and mastering English. But the thing is, most foreigners have struggled to learn and master English, so let’s not bash them for their alleged slow ways. We all start somewhere when it comes to English.

Pavel began his hockey career playing for his hometown team, the Severstal Cherepovets, during the 2012–13 KHL season. At the end of the 2012-13 KHL season, he was ranked 10th among international skaters, per the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. He was subsequently drafted by the New York Rangers with the 75th overall pick in the third round of the 2013 NHL Draft. However, he decided to stay in Cherepovets, Russia, because he didn’t feel like he was ready to live and work in the United States. He returned to Russia for the 2013-14 KHL season, which was a breakout season with 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 48 games. His assist total was the second most for KHL players under 20-years-old. He spent his final KHL season with SKA Saint Petersburg for 2015-16 for financial compensation.

Pavel signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Rangers on May 13, 2016. He earned $925,000 per year for a total of $2,775,000. That was pretty darn good for an NHL rookie! However, he spent some time with the Rangers, and their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, in his first NHL season. He sustained some injuries throughout his New York City and Hartford, Connecticut, days; but he sufficed and posted a career-high 48 points (20 goals, 28 assists) through 54 games in his final season in 2020-21.

Fast forward to July 23, 2021, when Pavel was traded to the Blues in exchange for forward Sammy Blais and a 2022 second-round draft pick. He was a restricted free agent turned contract extension signee. He signed a four-year, $23.2 million contract extension with the Blues. He helped the Blues stay undefeated in early 2021-22 before serving a two-game suspension for head-butting Arizona Coyotes forward Lawson Crouse on October 19, 2021. I don’t think he was a dirty player or trying to be one, but I’m well aware some people, like, say, some Coyotes fans thought he had negative intentions.

In all honesty, I wasn’t sure if Pavel would be a rising star in St. Louis; but it seems like he’s on the way up right now. I’d like to see him stay healthy and consistent on the Blues’ second line. He’s a good offensive player who provides some stability to the Blues’ offense.

Up Next
The Blues host the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday, December 9 at 7:00 pm Central.