[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Russian Edition, Vol. 10):

RW Daniil Prokhorov (6'6",209lbs)
MHK Dynamo St.Petersburg (MHL): 39gp/ 18g/ 7a/ 25pts, -4, 14 PIM

There must be something in the water in Russia. Left-handed RW Daniil Prokhorov (ranked #27 EU Skaters) is yet another monster from that nation, and in this case, he's a classic north-south power-forward with good finishing ability, who's main asset is his gargantuan size. He is currently second on his team in goals, and tied for 17th in points (5th in goals) by U-18 players. Prokhorov is fairly mobile for a player of his size, and looks like a runaway freight train when he gets a full head of steam behind him, but needs plenty of work on his explosiveness and acceleration. Like many Russians, his puck-control is excellent, showing flashes of high-end stickhandling that he can use to beat opponents from time to time with a slick deke, and his puck-protection skills are high-end- he easily handles outside of his opponents' reach, using his body as a shield, and rarely turns the puck over. With his feet and hands in sync, he can rush the puck up-ice through transition in a straight-line, and will hook up with teammates in give-and-go sequences, but often defers to his comrades to do the carrying.

Prokhorov is not much of a playmaker, and doesn't possess a lot of creativity or vision- his offensive contributions revolve mainly around his shot, and his finishing ability. There's no real dynamic skill here, and he plays a very basic, meat-and-potatoes style. If he makes a play, it's usually borne of funneling pucks to the slot, or from a second-chance opportunity from a shot he fired at the net. His goal-scoring instincts bring him in close proximity to the net; he's very inside-driven, and will crash the crease for loose pucks. He doesn't mind scoring garbage goals, but he has fairly soft hands in-tight to cash-in some pretty ones, too. Using his considerable frame, he will drop a shoulder and ride a defender to the net, and makes an intimidating net-front presence, parking himself in front to create an immovable screen, shovel in rebounds, and tip pucks. Most of his chances come from below the dots, and his shot is already NHL-caliber, with a lethal one-timer, and a deadly catch-and-release wrister. He is good around the net, and dominant down-low, winning the vast majority of his battles while grinding the opposition down, and seems adept at getting pucks to the slot from there. Prokhorov plays a physical style, though not always consistently, and can affect the game with a big hit. He uses his frame well to win possession, and can easily push opponents off the puck, but he will also throw his considerable weight around- and often plays on the edge. He dominates along the wall, and imposes his will in front of the net, but still needs to use his size more consistently, with more intensity; he too often gets caught sticking to the perimeter. Defensively, he generally gets good grades and shows hard work on the backcheck using his reach, range, and physicality to be disruptive. Prokhorov is still a bit raw, and will need some runway to reach his potential. Look for him in the 4th, or 5th round.