[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

-Since we're talking about Russians today, I wanted to mention a couple of teammates on Avto Yekaterinburg of the MHL that caught my eye who are first-time draft-eligibles, LW Artyom Kashtanov, and D Daniil Karpovich. I know very little about these two, so here's what I gathered from a writer on recruit scouting, Pavel Malyugin: First off, Kashtanov is 6'6 and had the 16th-best U-19 season in the MHL this year (although his ppg were better than 7 of the players above him) with 40 points in 43 games. Malyugin writes,"he's really impressed me with how well he's controlled open ice and how fluidly he's been able to generate puck movement. Kashtanov plays with an edge and explodes past opponents using his strong, lengthy stride." He goes on to say,"He plays by putting his foot down and working for what he wants. He pushes through opponents while incorporating little dekes, and stick plays that make him look so smooth and agile. Kashtonov isn't flashy, nor is he wholly rounded out, but he's an incredibly satisfying player to watch. The fact that he's able to pull off such smooth and controlled plays while standing so tall astonishes me." He also says that Kash likes open ice too much, flutters at times, and gets caught play-watching while not doing enough. Despite being used as a two-way presence on his team, it sounds like he has some defensive issues to work through,"but the tools he carries, along with his fluidity and size, make him a really attractive option for NHL teams in June."

-As far as Karpovich goes, he's a 6'3" 209lb LHD who placed 4th in the MHL for D-scoring, with 35 points in 47 games, which is quite a feat for an 18 year-old. I found some highlights, which are mostly of Karpovich walking the line, and finding a lane to unleash his high-velocity shot. It looks like he moves quite well for a big man, and from I've read, he's quite intimidating and physical. Central Scouting did not give him a "C" rating though, meaning they see him as a 7th rounder, if he gets picked at all. I've read that his decision-making is iffy.

-Another intriguing Russian is 6'1",201lb LHD Magomed Sharakanov, said to be the best player on his MHL team, MHK Dynamo Moskva, and he placed 8th in the league in D scoring with 32 points in 44 games. His ppg of 0.73 is right behind Karpovich's 0.74. Malyugin wrote,"Sharakanov plays a run-and-gun style of hockey where he goes full throttle with no remorse in terms of physicality. He purely relies on his size to tie up and dominate opponents in his zone and uses his massive frame to escape tight spots and even walk the ice like a day in the park. He is a Tasamanian Devil on the ice. He sings to his beat, and rocks to his drums. When he has the puck on his stick, anywhere on the ice, he drives the play himself and attempts to make the play he wants. He is not afraid to escape from his zone and rush across the ice to try to pull off a crazy move. Even defensively, he can control his opponents by forcing them into the worst spots to steal the puck and escape. But, alas, an issue arises. Sharakonov's willingness to explode and be the most dangerous guy on the ice comes with the issue of him not passing puck or, utilizing his teammates. He tends to ignore the simple pass on a breakout and goes right down the middle to look scary. Because of how skillful he is (which is impressive considering his size) he has enough confidence to pull off some of these moves. But when they don't work, it's so obvious that he doesn't pre-plan his attacks and his speed doesn't let him catch up quickly enough. I think the physicality alone makes him an attractive player because of how it lets him control the ice. In the offensive zone, he shields himself away and cycles the puck. In transition, he pushes through opponents without a finger laid on him, and defensively he completely takes the ice away. I do believe that he's got a North American style of play but being abe to play positional hockey while maintaining a consistent teammate style of play is a massive work in progress."