[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (RoShoLoko Edition):

LHD Roman Shokhrin of Loko-76 Yaroslavl in Russia's MHL was given a "B" ranking by Central Scouting at the beginning of the season, denoting a possible 2nd, or 3rd-round pick this summer. It could be because he is yet another huge Russian defenseman with an absolutely wonderful skating stride, and uncommon agility for a player who measures 6'4", and 198lbs. It could be because he's a minute-muncher who contributes in all areas of the game. It could be because, despite his rough exterior, he has soft-touch skill. Shokhrin put up 12 points and 24 penalty minutes in 28 games for Loko.

I loathe to use this comparison, but Shokhrin looks sometimes like a figure skater, or a ballet dancer on ice. He moves gracefully and fluidly, with the ability to start and stop on a dime, and pivot instantaneously. At his size, he's an intimidating physical threat, but doesn't use his body nearly enough; instead, he chooses to be disruptive with his stick, long reach, and positioning. Like his skating, his stickhandling is quite smooth, and he can move around in small areas with ease. His wingspan helps him protect the puck, and hold off checkers. These puck skills shine when he's carrying through traffic in transition, as he has a number of moves and layers of deception to manipulate opponents, and get around the ice with grace and finesse. His contributions to transition are one of the big pillars of his game, and he can kick off the breakout with a quality first-pass, but he can also really push the pace by stretching the ice with a long-bomb. In retrievals, he scans well and makes quick, accurate decisions under pressure for a seamless switch from defense to offense. His passing game is solid, but he's more of a facilitator than true playmaker, and he can complete spin-o-rama passes to simultaneously avoid checks, or pass one-handed around an attacker.

Shokhrin can walk the line to open seams when his team is installed in the offensive zone, but he doesn't pinch too often from the blueline unless it's to keep the puck alive along the boards. He ditributes well, and stays at the point position to support his teammates as a pass option on the cycle, and to keep an eye on his defensive responsibilities. In his own zone, Shokhrin should be a stalwart, but his defensive game is inconsistent- sometimes he's a dominant play-killer, and sometimes he's caught floating and puck-watching. When he's on, he displays tight gap control, and shows the ability to close fast and smother entries.Other times, he allows attackers too much space on the rush. He can be very aggressive defensively, hounding puck-carriers, and angling opponents out of danger. He possesses a high level of anticipation, and uses his massive reach and active stick to shut down lanes, strip the puck, and turn the play around quickly. Shokhrin is another raw prospect, and needs time to iron out his decision-making, which can be inconsistent when facing pressure- sometimes he forces plays and rushes passes that aren't available. Above all, his compete has ebbs and flows, as sometimes he's intense, and other times he's invisible. This is a kid who is much more potential than finished product, and has all the tools that scouts like. Look for him in the 4th round.