Draft Thoughts (Russian Edition, Vol. 13):
LHC Kirill Yemelyanov (6'0",170lbs)
Loko Yaroslavl (MHL): 32gp/ 12g/ 9a/ 21pts, +8, 12 PIM
In the 2023-24 season, Russian pivot Kirill Yemelyanov (ranked #15 for EU Skaters) was the 7th-highest scoring U-17 player in the MHL, with 20 points in 44 games- so why hasn't he taken a step offensively this season? The good news is that he has started to come around recently, after a very slow start, with 15 points in the last 10 games- including 10 points in his last 4, playing second-line minutes. Yemelyanov is a two-way C who is active and effective in all three zones, and plays with power. He is highly energetic and scrappy, bringing grit and energy to his team, with his high-end motor being one of his best assets. He stands out as a stalwart defensive player, reliable in own-zone scenarios, and is highly responsible. He exhibits sound instincts, solid positioning, and is often the first forward back in the zone; he supports his D down low, and covers for them when they are forced to leave their post. He's intense and engaged, and brings a robust physical game to his defensive duties to separate man from puck, and puts forth second and third efforts to win possession along the boards. Yemelyanov wins a lot of faceoffs, supports his D down low, and applies supreme pressure to puck-carriers by constantly flying in their face with a well-timed stick; he shows awareness and smarts in his own zone.
Yemelyanov generates a ton of turnovers, recovers pucks in the defensive zone, and immediately gets to work transporting the puck up-ice. He is proficient in finding teammates for breakouts with quick passes, but he can also dictate the pace by streaking through the middle of the neutral zone, pushing defenses back to gain the line with good consistency- he handles and catches smoothly, and exerts excellent puck-protection skills. Skating-wise, he displays above-average speed, but he could use more power in his step, and his mechanics need to smoothed out; he's got a bit of a short and choppy stride, with an upright stance that appears wonky and awkward when he's in-flight. He has an excellent short-burst to beat defenders to loose pucks, and win races in open ice, though. Yemelyanov doesn't really display a high-end offensive toolkit by any means, and he's not very creative- he's more of a facilitator and a glue-guy than a true playmaker, relying on quick touches and keeping it mostly safe and simple. What he does possess is the innate ability to sniff out soft spots off-puck to sneak into the slot, and fill pockets of space in high-danger; he's dangerous around the net, and in-tight, and that's where he scores most of his goals. He positions himself at the net-front to battle for position in order to cash in on second-chance opportunities, and has soft hands to beat goalies. His shot isn't anything truly special, but he owns an accurate wrister with a deceptive release, and can put the puck in the net from anywhere below the dots. His off-puck play gives him huge value, as he takes the role of a supporting player to connect plays by always being open and playable. Yemelyanov has a bottom-6 checking floor, with the chance to move into middle-six territory, and if he can continue with his current scoring pace, he could go in the middle rounds.
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