2025 NHL Draft Thread

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Sandman

There are many scouts who LOVE the kid, and some of that is due to we can't necessarily see. I have read that his fancy stats paint him as a very positive play-driver. Plus, he's putting up excellent numbers (52 points in 42 games) on a very weak team.

I have him somewhere in the early teens, quite frankly one of the few wingers i have below 20. Could easily see someone take him between 5 and 10 if centers arent a huge push. Other than schaefer i only have myrtka and jackson smith for defenders under 20 and in spite of smiths physical prowess his decision making is being questioned and could limit his ceiling considerably.

If we do pick a wing Carbonneau and lakovic are my guys.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Russian Edition, Vol. 4):

LD Ilyas Magomedsultanov (6'2",176lbs)
Loko Yaroslavl (MHL): 37gp/ 1g/ 6a/ 7pts, +12, 28 PIM

Try and fit this name on a jersey. Magomedsultanov (#42 EU Skaters) has divided scouts- on one hand, he's a stalwart shutdown, stay-at-home defender; but on the other hand, he's not much more than that. He also has age working against him, and with an October 24th, 2006 birthday, he is a bit more physically developed and mature than most prospects in this class- he needs to bulk up, but he's already freakishly strong. Unlike some players of his ilk, he skates quite well, and has excellent four-directional mobility, with smooth edges that give him the agility to transition seamlessly, and make turns on a dime. He defends with intelligence, and wields an active stick to clog lanes, and to poke pucks off of his opponents' blades. With his high-end defensive awareness, he can take a proactive approach in identifying oncoming threats early, to lift sticks and set picks before the puck arrives. Mags presents smart positioning with good details, blocks shots willingly, and defends his net aggressively.

Against the rush, he layers poke-checks on top of hits, closing gaps quickly with his long reach and impressive mobility. He is able to consistently force plays to the outside and away from danger, taking away the middle effectively, and throwing his weight around along the wall. Mags is a physical player, can dish out big hits, and is strong enough to overpower most opponents in puck-battles. One of his best assets is his proficiency in escaping pressure in retrievals with full control of the puck, followed by his expertise in making sound plays with breakout passes to kick off the rush; he seems to have a high panic threshold, and always looks calm and poised. Unfortunately, he doesn't contribute much offensively beyond sending the puck up to his forwards in transition, although he will make forays into the zone off the rush. He will man the point competently, but usually keeps one eye on his defensive duties, and chips in by keeping pucks alive and by stopping the breakout from developing with brief activations. He distributes with safe, simple passes, and doesn't hold on to the puck for long- he is said to have a very good point shot as well. Magomedsultanov is a fairly safe pick, but he has a very low ceiling as a bottom-pairing, shutdown rearguard. Look for him in later rounds.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Russian Edition, Vol.5):

LD Artyom Gonchar (6'0",154lbs)
Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL): 46gp/ 7g/ 17a/ 24pts, +2, 2 PIM

Sergei Gonchar's nephew, Artyom (#33 EU Skaters) is 12th in the MHL for scoring by D, and one point ahead of Kurban Limatov- but with an October 25th birthday, age is working against him somewhat. Gonchar is a dynamic offensive defenseman who flashes high-end IQ and vision, and is highly active in the o-zone, activating frequently in search of quality chances. He shows creativity in his playmaking to pry open seams to pass through, and shows some well-honed passing skill; he sees the ice well, and owns solid hockey sense to find teammates with high-value feeds. His handling is close to elite, and he is at home with the puck on his blade, giving him the ability to beat opponents in transition, and easily escape pressure in retrievals with dekes and dangles. When in possession, he looks calm and poised, and catches seamlessly by settling down wild passes quickly. There's plenty of deception in his game to manipulate opponents in the form of various fakes, feints, and look-offs.

Gonchar will join the rush to act as an extra forward, and pushes pace. In the offensive zone, he loves to activate deep up the boards while beating layers of defenders, and will sometimes explode off the wall towards the middle to rip a shot at the goalie, or to get a high-danger pass away. He owns a fairly good point-shot that often finds it's way through traffic to the net, and leads to opportunities for his teammates in the form of tips, rebounds, and loose pucks in the crease. He is an excellent skater with smooth, fluid mechanics, and well above-average speed, with smooth edges that make him slippery and elusive- he also has an explosive short-burst at his disposal. The process of moving pucks away from pressure with quality breakout passes looks easy and error-free with Gonchar, and he applies deception with deft 1-on-1 maneuvers to deke and dangle through bodies to rush the puck up-ice, but will also use cut-backs and delays when needed. He's a high-value contributor to transition via carry, or by pass to send teammates in for clean entries. When the opportunity presents itself, he can also stretch the ice with a long-bomb to create odd-man opportunities.

Defensively, Gonchar is fine when the puck is on his stick, but his gaps are too loose, his reads are off, and his awareness looks deficient; he isn't nearly as engaged or aggressive as he should be. His own-zone play is deficient, and it's hard to say if his offense will translate well enough to compensate. In puck-battles, he doesn't back down, and is willing to take a hit to make a play, but he's not a very physical player- this may be somewhat due to the fact that he's extremely skinny and frail, and comes up short in 50/50 contests because of his lack of strength. I think he will be selected between rounds 5 and 7, but that might be due in part to the lack of depth in this draft; I think there were better defensemen left off the board last year.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Draft Thoughts (Russian Edition, Vol.4):

LD Artyom Gonchar (6'0",154lbs)
Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL): 46gp/ 7g/ 17a/ 24pts, +2, 2 PIM

Sergei Gonchar's nephew, Artyom (#33 EU Skaters) is 12th in the MHL for scoring by D, and one point ahead of Kurban Limatov- but with an October 25th birthday, age is working against him somewhat. Gonchar is a dynamic offensive defenseman who flashes high-end IQ and vision, and is highly active in the o-zone, activating frequently in search of quality chances. He shows creativity in his playmaking to pry open seams to pass through, and shows some well-honed passing skill; he sees the ice well, and owns solid hockey sense to find teammates with high-value feeds. His handling is close to elite, and he is at home with the puck on his blade, giving him the ability to beat opponents in transition, and easily escape pressure in retrievals with dekes and dangles. When in possession, he looks calm and poised, and catches seamlessly by settling down wild passes quickly. There's plenty of deception in his game to manipulate opponents in the form of various fakes, feints, and look-offs.

Gonchar will join the rush to act as an extra forward, and pushes pace. In the offensive zone, he loves to activate deep up the boards while beating layers of defenders, and will sometimes explode off the wall towards the middle to rip a shot at the goalie, or to get a high-danger pass away. He owns a fairly good point-shot that often finds it's way through traffic to the net, and leads to opportunities for his teammates in the form of tips, rebounds, and loose pucks in the crease. He is an excellent skater with smooth, fluid mechanics, and well above-average speed, with smooth edges that make him slippery and elusive- he also has an explosive short-burst at his disposal. The process of moving pucks away from pressure with quality breakout passes looks easy and error-free with Gonchar, and he applies deception with deft 1-on-1 maneuvers to deke and dangle through bodies to rush the puck up-ice, but will also use cut-backs and delays when needed. He's a high-value contributor to transition via carry, or by pass to send teammates in for clean entries. When the opportunity presents itself, he can also stretch the ice with a long-bomb to create odd-man opportunities.

Defensively, Gonchar is fine when the puck is on his stick, but his gaps are too loose, his reads are off, and his awareness looks deficient; he isn't nearly as engaged or aggressive as he should be. His own-zone play is deficient, and it's hard to say if his offense will translate well enough to compensate. In puck-battles, he doesn't back down, and is willing to take a hit to make a play, but he's not a very physical player- this may be somewhat due to the fact that he's extremely skinny and frail, and comes up short in 50/50 contests because of his lack of strength. I think he will be selected between rounds 5 and 7, but that might be due in part to the lack of depth in this draft; I think there were better defensemen left off the board last year.

Like the first round into the twenties but boy by the end if the second its a whole lot of projects

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Sandman

There are many scouts who LOVE the kid, and some of that is due to we can't necessarily see. I have read that his fancy stats paint him as a very positive play-driver. Plus, he's putting up excellent numbers (52 points in 42 games) on a very weak team.

Considering his size some people wish he played with a little more jam, not quite his dads level of jam but he could use his size better.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Considering his size some people wish he played with a little more jam, not quite his dads level of jam but he could use his size better.

Definitely true, and it drives me nuts. He only has 4 PIM, which I can't believe is even possible for a player of his size.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Russian Edition, Vol. 6):

LHC Ivan Ryabkin (6'0",198lbs)
Muskegon (USHL): 16gp/ 9g/ 7a/ 16pts, -2, 50 PIM
MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL): 15gp/ 1g/ 11a/ 12pts, -3, 26 PIM

C Ivan Ryabkin (ranked #3 for EU Skaters, #19 by McKenzie, and #20 by Button) broke records for U-17 players in the MHL in 2023-24, beating out both Matvei Michkov and Ivan Demidov in their respective D-minus-one seasons, with 58 points in 44 games. In the current season, he made stops in both the VHL (2 points in 8 games) and the KHL (2 games, no points), but was in the midst of a miserable MHL season, one that saw him healthy-scratched on numerous occasions, when the decision was made that he should try his luck across the pond in the USHL, with the Muskegon Lumberjacks. In just his third game in that league, he incurred a three-game suspension for an ugly slew-footing incident. Concerns about his attitude, work-ethic, and coachability continue to plague him, with rumours persisting that he's not well-liked by his teammates, and there's even been whispers about poor fitness and conditioning. The young Russian is a dynamic offensive center, with all the skills one would want in a top-line player, but his pace and motor come and go.

First of all, Ryabkin is a smooth and fluid skater, but his straight-ahead speed is average- he needs plenty of work on his explosiveness, acceleration, and top speed. Though he can lose races, and can't easily separate in open ice, he is freakishly strong on the puck, and has uncommon balance, making it very hard to knock him over; he stays on his feet through contact, and is slippery and elusive on his edges. His lack of high-end speed doesn't hurt him as much as his inconsistent pace though. Ryabkin's best traits are his elite IQ and his advanced anticipation in the offensive zone, giving him a creative playmaking game that is augmented by his high-end passing skills. He understands how to create space for teammates by drawing pressure with delays, cut-backs, and button-hooks, and reads the ice as well as anyone in this year's draft class, with the ability to pull off feeds that few others could; he can connect with teammates through traffic, or across the ice, with crisp, accurate passing. Since he came to North America though, it looks as though he's been flexing his goal-scoring skills, with his laser of a shot on a quick, deceptive release, and superb precision to pick corners with. He also displays soft hands in-tight, and times his attacks to the slot so that he arrives at the right time to strike.

Ryabkin employs an edgy physical game with plenty of grit, and can throw some big hits- although he often crosses the line into "dirty" territory. He's freakishly strong, and tenacious in board-battles, with a lopsided win-lose ratio; when he's on, he's quite fiery and competitive. Adding to his strength on the puck is his elite stickhandling that enables him to weave through traffic, easily beating layers of defenders one-on-one, and he can do the same to a goalie. Though he doesn't push pace nearly enough, he's a high-end possession player, and can carry the puck through the middle for clean entries, and connect plays with short passes when he feels the need. Of course, he owns a deep arsenal of deception tactics to manipulate defenders in the form of feints, fakes, look-offs, and weight shifts to aid him in getting around. Ryabkin's off-puck game is an underrated part of his success in creating offense; he trades off with teammates in give-and-go plays, then relocates to advantageous places to support the play, open space, and stay playable. He covers for his D when they have to leave their post at the point, and helps his teammates win possession.

In defensive situations, Ryabkin has shown solid details, positioning, and awareness, but too often- the effort isn't there. There are many times when he's the last forward back in the zone, and he often cheats up-ice, leaving the zone early. When he's fully engaged, he can be disruptive, aware, and physical- but I've seen games where I was surprised by how little he affected his team's transition and defense. His consistency and engagement go up-and-down like a roller-coaster, not only game-to-game, but shift-to-shift; come draft day, scouts will know whether the off-ice issues are just conjecture, or reality, and will judge his worthiness of a pick accordingly. It's hard to imagine Ryabkin getting past the top-20, but anything is possible.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Russian Edition, Vol. 7):

LD Bogdan Pestretsov (6'3",205lbs)
Krasniya Armiya Moskva (MHL): 28gp/ 2g/ 6a/ 8pts, +10, 4 PIM

Big Russian defender Bogdan Pestretsov (ranked # 59 EU Skaters) has dealt with injuries this season, but his shutdown game in the defensive zone stands out from his peers. He's also proficient in cutting off the rush with tight gap-control, matching footwork with oncoming attackers to angle them to the outside. He will then poke the poke the puck away, or force a dump-in, and finish with a hit. In the defensive zone, he suffocates opponents of space and time with immaculate positioning, and high-end defensive awareness, mixed with an aggressive mindset, and some physicality. BP is active in the zone, but highly intelligent- forcing errors, causing turnovers, blocking shots, clogging lanes, and cutting off the middle. In front of the net, he overpowers net-front attackers, or ties them up. He completes calm and poised breakouts consistently, with safe and simple feeds to streaking teammates, while escaping forechecking pressure expertly.

Pestretsov's mobility is one of his most impressive physical assets, but he's also a high-end stickhandler who can beat opponents with his quick hands, and exerts outstanding protection skills by shielding the puck with his body, and handling outside of his adversaries' reach with one hand, while fending off pressure with the other. He shows the capability of carrying through transition, but he usually connects with teammates through short passes. Mobility-wise, he is a smooth, fluid skater with excellent mobility, and shows strength on his edges- he can change speed and direction rapidly to dodge checks. He isn't an offensive defenseman, but he supports the play in the o-zone proficiently from the blueline, and isn't afraid to activate into the play. He keep his distribution safe and simple, but there's flashes of playmaking ideas of the more dynamic kind, giving him a hint of two-way potential. In addition, he owns a hard and heavy shot that he gets through to the net with regularity. Pestretsov is already a stalwart in his own-zone, but may have room to grow in other areas as well- although some have said that his decision-making with the puck needs work, as he can be pressured into mistakes at times, and he often tries to force passes that aren't there. I think he will be picked in later rounds, with a chance of moving up to the middle rounds.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Russian Edition, Vol. 8):

LD Nikita Tyurin (6'0",174lbs)
MHK Spartak Moskva (MHL): 44gp/ 4g/ 16a/ 20pts, +20, 22 PIM

Lefty Nikita Tyurin is tied for 21st overall in scoring by D in the MHL, and is second in scoring for U-18 defensemen behind Kurban Limamtov- but he has been left unrated by Central Scouting, which may be an indication that scouts don't see his game as being translatable. Not every player out of Russia gets a call-up to the pros in their draft year, but Tyurin has played 1 game with Khimik Voskresensk of the VHL, and 1 game for Spartak Moskva of the KHL, albeit with no points to show for either. He would have more points in the MHL, had it not been for a month-long scoring slump between Oct.22nd- Nov.22nd, a span of 9 games. Tyurin is a puck-moving, offensive defenseman who flashes high-end awareness and vision, and I think that even if he's not a big producer in the NHL, there are parts of his game that are translatable- the question is, are there enough projectable traits to get him drafted? He at least has age on his side, with a July 2nd, 2007 birthday, so there's a bit of a longer runway to look at here.

Tyurin is an above-average skater with excellent lateral speed to surf across the ice, and a smooth, fluid stride that appears to be effortless. He possesses elusiveness in his edges to sidestep checks, and employs some deceptive footwork to give himself a bit more room to move. He moves the puck quickly and efficiently, pushing pace and causing headaches for defenders; he's an outstanding stickhandler with quick hands, and is poised and confident with the puck on his blade. Tyurin is proficient at turning defense into offensive rushes going the other way, by kicking off the breakout with a smart first-pass. He beats the forecheck with his stickhandling and deceptive skills to escape with the puck, then clears the zone consistently. His finest asset is his seamlessly orchestrated transitions through the neutral zone, rushing the puck up the ice and linking-up with teammates in smart, quick passing sequences for controlled entries; he seeks out dynamic routes at times, with slick lateral movement and cutbacks to regroup if all else fails. He deals well with pressure, using his handling, footwork, and high-end deception- manipulating opponents into going the wrong direction with dekes and fakes in his hands, stick, feet, and head.

In the offensive zone, he quarterbacks the play with intelligence from the blueline, but lacks true creativity. He makes deft feeds, and has the ability to spot lanes while walking the line; he stays highly active, and understands how to draw pressure in order to open space to pass into. He will join the rush as an extra attacker, and will time his pinches to go deep with, and without the puck to get the chance at a shot from the circle. His point-shot lacks power, and mostly functions as a playmaking tool for second-chance opportunities, but he gets it through to the net consistently, and uses screens very well. Tyurin's defensive game is a bit spotty at best. He moves very well off-puck to provide teammates with a viable option for a quick outlet, but he isn't very physical or aggressive. His gap-control looks tight at times, and too loose at other times. Much like Artyom Gonchar, he functions well in his own-zone when he gets the puck; in possession, he's a difference-maker, otherwise- his impact is not great. He positions himself well enough, but isn't very disruptive or hard to play against. Watching him, I'm reminded a bit of TJ Brodie, but Brodie managed to be a stalwart defender, even though he wasn't a very physical player. If scouts see enough potential in Tyurin to use a draft pick on him, it likely won't be until the later rounds.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Russian Edition, Vol. 9):

RD Eduard Bondar (6'5",194lbs)
Val D'Or (QMJHL): 50gp/ 3g/ 9a/ 12pts, -14, 36 PIM

If the name Eduard Bondar (ranked #110 NA Skaters) sounds familiar, it may be because he was the player traded by the Shawinigan Cataractes to Val D'Or for the rights to Flames' prospect, first-rounder Matvei Gridin, before the start of the current season. Bondar had some hype of his own, being chosen 16th-overall in the 2024 CHL Import Draft by Shawinigan, but now plies his trade for the Foreurs, who are in 13th-place out of 18 teams, 7th-overall in goals-for, and 17th in goals-against. This behemoth righty makes his living as a shutdown defenseman, but it's tough sledding to try to keep pucks out the net on his current team. Bondar is no less than an impressive skater, especially for a player as large as he is, with a long, powerful stride, swift four-directional mobility, and surprising agility that enables him transition seamlessly, pivot quickly, and surf across the ice laterally to seal off the boards.

The big Russian is stifling against the rush, and can easily match footwork with smaller opponents, although he sometimes employs a very loose gap. His enormous reach, combined with his range and mobility, make him like a moving wall that is difficult to get past over the blueline. He guards the middle, forcing attackers outside and away from the net. He possesses high-end awareness, and keen timing to intercept passes, and exerts a fairly detailed shutdown game. Once he gets ahold of the puck in the d-zone, he has several crafty ways of getting the puck out of danger with quick, short passes to his teammates, or by bounce-passing off the boards to their sticks. He makes secure first-passes to kickstart the breakout with consistent reliability, and can stretch the ice with his breakout feeds on occasion. He wins races in retrievals, gets inside position, and uses various forms of deception to make his escape from pressure. Bondar is incredibly active and engaged in all three zones, and frequently jumps into the rush as an extra attacker, and will charge up the middle like a freight train to attack the net, if he sees the opportunity. He also activates off of the point with the goal of creating offense, but these forays don't seem to earn him many points as he's more of a facilitator than a creator, and makes simple plays to funnel pucks to the net, or to teammates in the slot; his stalwart defensive game, and puck-moving ability will most likely be his selling point going forward. It's a good sign though, that he has ideas and the confidence to try things, even when they don't work out.

Bondar is a big body, and though I would like to see him be meaner, and throw hits more prolifically, he does play a physical game, and uses his size well to win puck battles along the boards, and to get inside on his opponents. He has the ability to step up in the neutral zone to carry through transition, and has gone end-to-end on occasion, but he usually defers to teammates with short, connecting passes. Bondar is still a bit raw, and needs runway to grow into his body, but he will be scary when he's fully developed as he's already quite mobile. He could use work on his decision-making, but he's an impressive prospect with enormous potential. Look for him in the 3rd, or 4th round.

[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.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Draft Thoughts (Russian Edition, Vol. 4):

LD Ilyas Magomedsultanov (6'2",176lbs)
Loko Yaroslavl (MHL): 37gp/ 1g/ 6a/ 7pts, +12, 28 PIM

Try and fit this name on a jersey.

Must draft.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Russian Edition, Vol. 11):

RD Maxim Agafonov (6'2",198lbs)
Tolpar Ufa (MHL): 32gp/ 6g/ 7a/ 13pts, -1, 20 PIM
Toros Neftekamsk (VHL): 12gp/ 1g/ 2a/ 3pts, even, 4 PIM

The three big names coming out of Russia for defencemen in this year's draft class are Kurban Limatov, Artyom Vilchinsky, and a steady two-way blueliner by the name of Maxim Agafonov (#17 EU Skaters, #79 by McKenzie, and #49 by Button), who is tied for first overall in scoring by a U-18 player in the VHL- Russia's second-tier league. In the MHL, Russia's top Junior league, he is 9th in scoring (3rd in goals, 6th in ppg) for U-18 defensemen, but doesn't look out of place against older competition in the men's league. Agafonov is a calming, reliable presence on the backend, but has an underrated offensive game, and uses physicality in the course of his duties. He can play in all situations, as well as both sides of special teams. Right now, his main selling-point is his high-end defensive awareness, combined with his pro-style habits, and attention to detail. He is quite active and disruptive, and not only causes a high number of turnovers, but his stellar anticipation allows him to rack up takeaways at an inordinate rate. He protects his net aggressively, identifies oncoming threats quickly, then proactively sets little picks, and ties up sticks proactively. Agafonov exerts immaculate positioning and tight gap control to force plays to the outside, and wields his stick superbly to clog lanes, and poke pucks away from danger.

The second selling point in Agafonov's game is his strong puck-movement and elite passing ability. He reads the play very well, and processes quickly with his solid hockey sense and IQ, but he's not really a creator- he's more of an expeditor, who gets the puck up to his forwards quickly. The passing skill he uses is also high-end, with an inordinately high completion rate on feeds that connect right on the tape with the exact amount of prescribed velocity, although he tends to keep his distribution as safe and simple as possible- he can get into trouble when he tries to force plays, or get too fancy. When he has room, he looks calm and composed on retrievals, but he can be pressured into making mistakes- this is an area that will need improvement. He makes a safe and simple first-pass to kickstart the breakout, and will get involved in transition by connecting plays with short feeds, but he is mostly a quick-touch player and will defer to teammates to carry most of the time. Mobility-wise, he moves smoothly and fluidly, showing sound mechanics, and possessing above-average speed. He is solid on his skates, and hard to knock over- giving him the advantage in physical confrontations. In puck-battles, he wins more than his fair share, and will initiate contact, but he isn't very mean, and relies mostly on his stick and positioning to be effective.

Agafonov is a high-volume shooter, with his shot being his main offensive weapon; it may not be elite in terms of power, but it's hard and heavy enough to cause havok in front of the net, and provide his teammates with opportunities. He uses screens well, has good accuracy, and gets his shot through to the net consistently. He distributes well from the point, and though he isn't afraid tp pinch down low, or to join the rush, he could stand to be more assertive and take more calculated risks. He likes to QB the play from the line, and will jump in only when it's safe to do so, and usually only to keep pucks alive in the zone, as he's often got one foot in his defensive duties. Agafonov has some struggles with his decision-making under pressure, and will need to work on making quicker decisions. He also has to develop another gear in his skating, and improve his shot- but there's two-way potential here. Most of his game is projectable, and he has the ceiling of a second-pairing D with a shutdown presence and an intelligent puck-movement game; but I think he's a pretty safe pick. Look for him in the second, or third round.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Russian Edition, Vol. 12):

LD Artyom Vilchinsky (6'6",243lbs)
SKA-1946 St.Petersburg (MHL): 48gp/ 0g/ 12a/ 12pts, +46, 16 PIM

Godzilla-sized defender Artyom Vilchinsky (rated # 44 EU Skaters) has often been gifted top-pairing minutes this season and last, on a talent-laden squad- which is quite impressive for a U-18 player in Russia. Vilchinsky is a shutdown defender with enormous range and physicality, who sticks out on the ice like a sore thumb. As a testament to his abilities, he leads the league in plus/minus, but he has age working against him, as he missed the cut-off for being in last year's draft by one day, with a Sept.16, 2006 birthday- he might be the oldest player in this draft class. Aside from his gargantuan size, the first thing one might notice when watching him is his impressive straight-ahead speed- he keeps up to the play without any trouble, rarely gets beaten wide, and can even beat smaller players in races to loose pucks. He is fairly agile on his edges, and moves well laterally. Still, he needs upgrades to his first-step, and his acceleration, as well as his top speed for the next level.

When an opposing player tries to throw a hit against Vilchinsky, they usually bounce right off- he's physically unstoppable. He uses his frame very well, finishes his checks, and will throw his weight around to win pucks, but he's a veritable wrecking ball in defensive situations. He is smart about his hitting though, and doesn't take many penalties, but he's a presence in post-whistle scrums. Vilchinsky's bread-and-butter is his play-killing capabilities, and he's an excellent penalty-killer. He exerts smart positioning and tight gap control to smother the rush, and plays angles well to force attackers to the outside, bringing physicality to finish the play with a hit. When in the zone, he applies supreme pressure to opponents with his high activity rate, extra-long reach, and his virtually insurmountable range, which gives him the ability to cut off huge swaths of ice, and makes the middle difficult to penetrate. His mobility helps him to take away time and space, and he swallows up opponents aggressively in front of his net. He carries a hard and heavy shot, but that's really all he brings to his team's offense. He's not a very big scoring threat though, and doesn't use his shot nearly enough as he simply doesn't get very involved in the offensive zone, short of making quick feeds to open teammates. There's not much value here offensively, but he's smart and exhibits good hockey sense- there's just no creativity in his profile, and no real scoring potential.

Vilchinsky is actually a good passer, making safe and simple breakout feeds, but can stretch the ice on occasion with a cross-ice long-bomb. If all else fails, he isn't averse to dumping the puck in-or-out. He is always the last to enter the o-zone, and stays back during the transition to support the play from the backend with quick touches, and short passes. Improvements must be made to his puck-skill, which might not be much of a surprise, but he must show more intensity in 50/50 battles, as he can lose more than a player of his ilk should. His puck-management can be compromised when under pressure, almost as if there was a hole in his blade- he commits mistakes, mishandles, and even forces passes that aren't there when under duress. Vilchinsky has bottom-pairing shutdown potential, and I could see him getting picked in the 3rd, or 4th round.

[Sandman]

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.

[Canada 02]

Carter Bear is out for the season with lacerated achilles

[Tkachukwagon]

Originally Posted by Canada 02

Carter Bear is out for the season with lacerated achilles

Yikes, that’s an awful injury.

[fotze2]

Originally Posted by Tkachukwagon

Yikes, that’s an awful injury.

Oh hells ya, one time there was this great warrior in the trojan army that was felled with the very same injury.

[bdubbs]

Originally Posted by fotze2

Oh hells ya, one time there was this great warrior in the trojan army that was felled with the very same injury.

Achilles fought on the Greek side, friend. . .

[Samonadreau]

^This might make him slip down to about the New Jersey spot. Or farther.

Interesting prospect. He's a Nov 4 birthday so is one of the older players in the draft.