Caser
@RUSProspects
Quick and dirty midterm update (in the quote below)
Hi Everyone!
All the junior league action is underway, let's see what we have for the 2018 NHL Draft among Russian prospects. Those, who have followed me for some time might have noticed that among the prospects I prefer the "dark horse" type of prospects: not rated too high, but having that "special something" in their game. This year is not for those kind of prospects, this year it's all about the high-end skill, natural talent and boom-or-busts — so it's as stereotypical Russian draft year as it can be. Or it just looks that way at the moment, it won't surprise me a bit if I will be singing a totally different song in June, but that's what makes this stuff so fun.
Ok, enough talking, let's see what we got here: in my ranking I managed to rank Top 18 of first-year draft eligible players and also there is an unranked Honorable Mentions pool of 12 players (those are placed in totally non-particular order). As a bonus I've added my Top12 overagers ranking. Tried to also add some description/impression for those players, but to be honest I didn't try too hard, as those will have to be reviewed several times this year. And one more important note: this ranking shouldn't be taken too serious, it is basically just a watchlist or reference point for me that shows those players, whom I'm paying most attention at this current point of the season.
Top18 for 2018
1. RW Andrei Svechnikov (6'3" 184 lbs; Barrie Colts, OHL)
No comment.
2. C Alexander Khovanov (5'11" 179 lbs)
Khovanov has got himself a reputation of Svechnikov's sidekick, as they were playing together for quite some time, but he is quite solid standalone player too. Creative center with some skill, not big, but pretty strong, still he will be falling down the rankings due to Hepatitis A that will keep him out for quite some time. Also it's not even clear where he plays this season.
3. LW Grigoriy Denisenko (5'10" 165 lbs; Loko Yaroslavl, MHL)
If talking about sidekicks, Denisenko was considered more of a third guy behind Svechnikov and Khovanov, but still he is, you know, that type of secondary sidekicks that are still the fan favorites (like that cool Gizmoduck guy). A lot of skill here, although that alone won't be enough, so let's see if there is something more.
4. C Mikhail Bitsadze (5'10" 165 lbs; Dynamo Moscow, KHL)
Bitsadze is another candidate for falling down the ranks, as he is late 1999 born and is out until December with a shoulder injury. Still he looked pretty promising, dynamic and with some two-way potential.
5. W Vitaliy Kravtsov (6'2" 170 lbs; Traktor Chelyabinsk, KHL)
Good hands and skating combination here, but again being late 1999 born is not in his favor, although his KHL experience is.
6. LW Dmitriy Zavgorodniy (5'9" 168 lbs; Rimouski Oceanic, QMJHL)
Zavgorodniy had an awesome Hlinka's Memorial tournament, and while he is small, his superpower is that defensemen can't even blink when he is with the puck in the offensive zone, as it will immediately turn into a scoring chance.
7. W Kirill Nizhnikov (6'1" 190 lbs; Barrie Colts, OHL)
Not a long time ago Nizhnikov was always there in the conversation when someone mentioned Svechnikov, but didn't exactly shine since those days, yet he still possesses a great shot and overall attacking potential, so hopefully we will see that again this season on a consistent basis.
8. LHD Alexander Alexeyev (6'3" 200 lbs; Red Deer Rebels, WHL)
Size, skating and defensive reliability are what made everyone talk about AlexAlex last season until he had a knee injury. The question now is if that injury had an impact on his development.
9. LHD Danila Galenyuk (6'1" 201 lbs; Mamonti Yugri, MHL)
Similarly to Alexeyev, Galenyuk is physically gifted with good mobility and I'd say that looks like he got some puckmoving potential too.
10. C Semyon Der Arguchintsev (5'10" 168 lbs; Peterborough Petes, OHL)
SDA is the youngest player in the draft, yet he already has deserved some first line center duties last season, as there is quite some playmaking potential here even despite the size being a bit lacking.
11. W Ivan Muranov (6'3" 179 lbs; MHK Dynamo Moscow, MHL)
Muranov is a dynamic power winger who isn't shy to hit everything that moves and if it doesn't, he can always move it first. Not the greatest attacking potential, but it looks like he can become a quality two-way winger.
12. W Nikita Rtishchev (6'1" 192 lbs; Krasnaya Armiya Moscow, MHL)
Rtishchev is a skilled and creative winger with good speed, not too explosive though.
13. W Vladislav Kotkov (6'5" 202 lbs; Chicoutimi Sagueneens, QMJHL)
In Kotkov we have a big kid with very good hands, the big question here is the skating part.
14. W Yegor Sokolov (6'3" 222 lbs; Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, QMJHL)
When looking at Yegor Sokolov it's hard for me not to make a comparison with Dmitry Sokolov, as both are big wingers with a nice shot.
15. W Kirill Marchenko (6'3" 168 lbs; Mamonti Yugri, MHL)
Similarly to Kotkov, some good size and hands are there, not sure about the skating. Still he is able to be very productive in the MHL, which is a very good sign.
16. GK Amir Miftakhov (5'11" 159 lbs; Irbis Kazan MHL)
Miftakhov is a calm and athletic goalie, but being undersized really hurts the draft chances.
17. W Pavel Gogolev (6'0" 168 lbs; Peterborough Petes, OHL)
Gogolev is a natural goalscorer and a dynamic skater, not too physical though, had a modest last season, but is a solid candidate for a breakout this year.
18. C Alexander Zhabreyev (5'7" 152 lbs; MHK Dynamo St.Petersburg, MHL)
With all the skillset Zhabreyev has, the first thing you think when talking about him is that he is very undersized. And the worst part here is that he is a center and, to be honest, I'm not sure if he will be able to successfully convert to wing, as his main assets are his elite vision and playmaking ability.
Honorable mentions (in totally no particular order)
C/W Ruslan Iskhakov (5'8" 152 lbs; Krasnaya Armiya Moscow, MHL)
I didn't see him last season, as Iskhakov played in Slovakia, but based on what I've seen at the Hlinka's he might have the best hands I've seen in something like last 3 years (among Russian prospects). Size is an issue, but I think Iskhakov's playing style will allow him to convert to winger's position, where it isn't that critical.
LHD Yevgeniy Kalabushkin (6'0" 181 lbs; SKA-1946 St.Petersburg, MHL)
Kalabushkin has some puckmoving potential and I think this season might be the one when we will see it finally fulfilling.
LHD Georgiy Dedov (6'3" 190 lbs; Russkie Vityazi Chekhov, MHL)
Dedov has some size and skating, but last season showed that he should improve in the defensive reliability department.
W Nikolai Kovalenko (5'10" 174 lbs; Loko Yaroslavl, MHL)
Kovalenko jr. made a name for himself two years ago with the U18 NT with good skills and understanding of the game, but had a quiet season last year. Since then he managed to add some height though, so that might help him.
W Artemiy Mutovin (5'10" 170 lbs; Belie Medvedi Chelyabinsk, MHL)
Two years ago Mutovin had a reputation of a quality goalscorer, but he had been under the radar last year, so it will be interesting to see what is he like now.
LHD Bogdan Zhilyakov (6'0" 176 lbs; MHK Dynamo St.Petersburg, MHL)
Another defender on the list who likes to play physical and is a hard worker, although for now I have an impression that he needs to read the game better.
LHD Daniil Zhuravlyov (6'0" 157 lbs; Irbis Kazan, MHL)
Another notable prospect from the Hlinka Memorial tournament, Zhuravlyov might be not as naturally gifted as other defensemen in this list, but he made a good impression with his defensive awareness.
LHD Gleb Babintsev (6'0" 197 lbs; Peterborough Petes,OHL)
Babintsev has earned a reputation of being physical and cerebral defenseman, let's see if he can maintain that in the OHL.
W Yegor Zudilov (6'2" 191 lbs; Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL)
In Zudilov I see another relatively unknown player (he didn't play in MHL last season), yet having the size and being one of the youngest players here adds him to the draft conversation.
W Mikhail Shestopalov (6'0" 177 lbs; Gatineau Olympiques, QMJHL)
In Shestopalov we have a good overall attacking skillset and a great nose for the net. He definitely will try to prove that he isn't just a third guy from the Kazan hockey school.
W Bulat Shafigullin (6'1" 163 lbs; Reaktor Nizhnekamsk, MHL)
Shafigullin is a very interesting kid who started to set MHL on fire right from the start of the season. Skating and puckhandling definitely looks interesting here.
C /W Nikita Rozhkov (5'10" 168 lbs; Stalnie Lisy Magnitogorsk, MHL)
Can't say I've seen enough of Rozhkov, but the first thing that stands out here is the skating, it looks pretty explosive to me.
Overagers
1. W Ivan Kosorenkov (5'11" 192 lbs; Victoriaville Tigres, QMJHL)
I didn't have to think too much about my #1 overager here as Kosorenkov had a great camp and nobody understood how he wasn't signed (I guess Flyers were reaching the contract limit).
2. LD Grigoriy Dronov (6'2" 207 lbs; Metallurg Magnitogorsk, KHL)
Also not too many doubts about the #2, Dronov is very gifted naturally and is expected to have a big role on the U20 NT.
3. GK Vladislav Sukhachyov (5'10.5" 181 lbs; Chelmet Chelyabinsk, VHL)
While being undersized, Sukhachyov is a clear favorite to take the Russia U20 NT WJC starter's duties.
4. LW Danil Yurtaikin (5'11" 170 lbs; Amur Khabarovsk, KHL)
Yurtaikin is my top triple overager at this point, as I'm not sure how the teams passed on this kind of skating. Was traded to Amur Khabarovsk team recently, so he should have enough KHL practice this season.
5. C/W Georgiy Ivanov (6'0" 192 lbs; Loko Yaroslavl, MHL)
I think very highly of Ivanov as a utility player, but not sure how high is the demand for those kind of guys nowadays.
6. LHD Vladislav Syomin (6'3" 214 lbs; SKA-Neva St. Petersburg, VHL)
Again talking about the natural giftedness, Syomin is 6'3" and full of muscles and his heavy hits look very impressive. Needs to make those hits cleaner though, as he spends too much time in the box.
7. RHD Nikita Makeyev (5'9" 181 lbs; CSKA Moscow, KHL)
In short, about Makeyev I can tell that he has basically everything, but the size.
8. GK Ivan Prosvetov (6'4" 174 lbs; Youngstown Phantoms, USHL)
Enough size in Prosvetov, but the question here is if he can be successful in a tier higher than NAHL.
9. W Yaroslav Alexeyev (5'10" 153 lbs; Sherbrooke Phoenix, QMJHL)
Alexeyev had a disappointing last season, but the skill is definitely there.
10. W/C Marsel Sholokhov (5'10" 170 lbs; Traktor Chelyabinsk, KHL)
Sholokhov is not too flashy, but is a hard working and versatile player, is expected to have an important role at the WJC.
11. LHD Mark Rubinchik (6'1" 188 lbs; Saskatoon Blades, WHL)
Hoping that Rubinchik will be able to finally put those tools in a toolbox this year.
12. W/C Kirill Slepets (5'10" 146 lbs; Loko Yaroslavl, MHL)
Slepets is one of the most intriguing prospects, but it's not easy to predict how he will be doing this season, as consistency is something that was totally lacking last season.
HM: C Nikita Anokhovskiy (6'0" 190 lbs; Loko Yaroslavl, MHL)
Anokhovskiy showed some two-way potential last season, but wasn't given a proper role both in his MHL team and NT, looks like he will get that chance this season.
Maybe someone will be a bit disappointed with this year's midterm update format, as I didn't make it as detailed as I used to (even more, it's what I like to call 'quick and dirty'), but this year I think that's the right way to do, because, additionally to me being always out of time, a lot of events are coming up very soon: the CHL Top prospects game and U18 Five Nations Tournament; additionally new rankings and scout surveys will be released and that probably will influence me whether I want it or not. That's why I thought it's better to release it now with very lazy comments than to wait for a month or so.
So, below is the Top10 with brief comments, then there are prospects ranked 11-to-25 without any comments at all. To disappoint you even more, there is still group of players (14 total) that are still unranked, as I didn't get the full picture of them yet. As a compensation I can offer some comments at your requests about a particular prospects, so feel free to make requests in this thread. Btw, for the first time I decided to make a midterm rankings without dividing it into first-year/overagers, so that's another excuse I have for me.
1. RW Andrei Svechnikov
No comment.
2. RW Vitaliy Kravtsov
Not sure if Kravtsov is a surefire elite-ceiling prospect, but at this point he already established himself as a KHL regular and that's definitely a good floor to start with.
3. LHD Alexander Alexeyev
Size and skating are still there, also some point production, definitely no complaints there.
4. LW Grigoriy Denisenko
After an impressive WJAC tournament everyone is head over heels for Denisenko, but I'm not a fan of his decision making at this point. Skill and skating is obviously there though.
5. RW/C Ruslan Iskhakov
And in Iskhakov's case I am a fan: probably the best hands I've seen in many years and a cerebral playing style. Yes, I know that he is lightweight and small, I don't care.
6. RW Alexei Polodyan
After a solid performance both at the CAN/RUS Series and at the WJC Polodyan can be considered a top overager and since those are a fashion thing nowadays, I think we can place him that high.
7. LW Dmitriy Zavgorodniy
From hero at the Hlinka's to zero at the WJAC - quite a worrying situation here. Still, not a long time ago Zavgorodniy got a hat-trick in the Q, so maybe he can turn things around.
8. LHD Danila Galenyuk
Physically and defensively solid, with a good pass, but nothing flashy. Also already made a debut in pro hockey (both in VHL and KHL).
9. W Vladislav Kotkov
Kotkov isn't exactly a great skater, but c'mon, he is 6'5"... also I have an impression that the stride itself isn't bad and he just needs to move his feet quicker, that's something that can be fixed.
10. LW Nikita Rtishchev
A lot of skill here, would like to see it on a more consistent basis.
In short about the 11-to-25 part of the rankings: here we have a lot of inconsistency in Gogolev, Nizhnikov and Kosorenkov, although it looks like they have showed signs of life recently. Malyshev and Morozov looked very good at the WJAC, kind of reminded me of Gavrikov and Maltsev. Some goalies are here too - Miftakhov, Melnichuk and Prosvetov are very different goalies each, so here it's up to your likings.
11. W Kirill Nizhnikov
12. RHD Anton Malyshev
13. LW Pavel Gogolev
14. LW Yegor Sokolov
15. RW Bulat Shafigullin
16. W Ivan Kosorenkov
17. C Ivan Morozov
18. LHD Vladislav Syomin
19. W Ivan Muranov
20. GK Amir Miftakhov
21. C Semyon Der-Arguchintsev
22. GK Alexei Melnichuk
23. GK Ivan Prosvetov
24. LHD Nikolai Knyzhov
25. C/W Georgiy Ivanov
And the third part of the rankings is the part where I'm yet to made up my mind on where to rank those. Khovanov, Bitsadze and Dronov are obvious candidates for the top positions in my ranking, but they just relatively recently returned from injuries. Kovalenko has been red hot and even is scoring at the KHL All-stars game, it's totally my bad that I missed his recent games. Kizimov is another new name, he has been very interesting at the WJAC; Zhabreyev and Zhuravlyov were not, that's why I want to see more of him despite being more or less familiar with their game. Petunin has been collecting 'KHL rookie of the month' awards, which is interesting to me, as I totally remember disliking him couple of years ago.
Still to watch (in order of my interest):
C/W Alexander Khovanov
C Mikhail Bitsadze
LHD Grigoriy Dronov
RW Nikolai Kovalenko
LW Semyon Kizimov
LHD Yegor Kalabushkin
C/W Alexander Petunin
GK Shamil Shmakov
C Nikita Anokhovskiy
C Alexander Zhabreyev
LHD Danila Zhuravlyov
LHD Ilya Morozov
W/C German Voloshin
W German Grachyov
Hi Everyone!
All the junior league action is underway, let's see what we have for the 2018 NHL Draft among Russian prospects. Those, who have followed me for some time might have noticed that among the prospects I prefer the "dark horse" type of prospects: not rated too high, but having that "special something" in their game. This year is not for those kind of prospects, this year it's all about the high-end skill, natural talent and boom-or-busts — so it's as stereotypical Russian draft year as it can be. Or it just looks that way at the moment, it won't surprise me a bit if I will be singing a totally different song in June, but that's what makes this stuff so fun.
Ok, enough talking, let's see what we got here: in my ranking I managed to rank Top 18 of first-year draft eligible players and also there is an unranked Honorable Mentions pool of 12 players (those are placed in totally non-particular order). As a bonus I've added my Top12 overagers ranking. Tried to also add some description/impression for those players, but to be honest I didn't try too hard, as those will have to be reviewed several times this year. And one more important note: this ranking shouldn't be taken too serious, it is basically just a watchlist or reference point for me that shows those players, whom I'm paying most attention at this current point of the season.
Top18 for 2018
1. RW Andrei Svechnikov (6'3" 184 lbs; Barrie Colts, OHL)
No comment.
2. C Alexander Khovanov (5'11" 179 lbs)
Khovanov has got himself a reputation of Svechnikov's sidekick, as they were playing together for quite some time, but he is quite solid standalone player too. Creative center with some skill, not big, but pretty strong, still he will be falling down the rankings due to Hepatitis A that will keep him out for quite some time. Also it's not even clear where he plays this season.
3. LW Grigoriy Denisenko (5'10" 165 lbs; Loko Yaroslavl, MHL)
If talking about sidekicks, Denisenko was considered more of a third guy behind Svechnikov and Khovanov, but still he is, you know, that type of secondary sidekicks that are still the fan favorites (like that cool Gizmoduck guy). A lot of skill here, although that alone won't be enough, so let's see if there is something more.
4. C Mikhail Bitsadze (5'10" 165 lbs; Dynamo Moscow, KHL)
Bitsadze is another candidate for falling down the ranks, as he is late 1999 born and is out until December with a shoulder injury. Still he looked pretty promising, dynamic and with some two-way potential.
5. W Vitaliy Kravtsov (6'2" 170 lbs; Traktor Chelyabinsk, KHL)
Good hands and skating combination here, but again being late 1999 born is not in his favor, although his KHL experience is.
6. LW Dmitriy Zavgorodniy (5'9" 168 lbs; Rimouski Oceanic, QMJHL)
Zavgorodniy had an awesome Hlinka's Memorial tournament, and while he is small, his superpower is that defensemen can't even blink when he is with the puck in the offensive zone, as it will immediately turn into a scoring chance.
7. W Kirill Nizhnikov (6'1" 190 lbs; Barrie Colts, OHL)
Not a long time ago Nizhnikov was always there in the conversation when someone mentioned Svechnikov, but didn't exactly shine since those days, yet he still possesses a great shot and overall attacking potential, so hopefully we will see that again this season on a consistent basis.
8. LHD Alexander Alexeyev (6'3" 200 lbs; Red Deer Rebels, WHL)
Size, skating and defensive reliability are what made everyone talk about AlexAlex last season until he had a knee injury. The question now is if that injury had an impact on his development.
9. LHD Danila Galenyuk (6'1" 201 lbs; Mamonti Yugri, MHL)
Similarly to Alexeyev, Galenyuk is physically gifted with good mobility and I'd say that looks like he got some puckmoving potential too.
10. C Semyon Der Arguchintsev (5'10" 168 lbs; Peterborough Petes, OHL)
SDA is the youngest player in the draft, yet he already has deserved some first line center duties last season, as there is quite some playmaking potential here even despite the size being a bit lacking.
11. W Ivan Muranov (6'3" 179 lbs; MHK Dynamo Moscow, MHL)
Muranov is a dynamic power winger who isn't shy to hit everything that moves and if it doesn't, he can always move it first. Not the greatest attacking potential, but it looks like he can become a quality two-way winger.
12. W Nikita Rtishchev (6'1" 192 lbs; Krasnaya Armiya Moscow, MHL)
Rtishchev is a skilled and creative winger with good speed, not too explosive though.
13. W Vladislav Kotkov (6'5" 202 lbs; Chicoutimi Sagueneens, QMJHL)
In Kotkov we have a big kid with very good hands, the big question here is the skating part.
14. W Yegor Sokolov (6'3" 222 lbs; Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, QMJHL)
When looking at Yegor Sokolov it's hard for me not to make a comparison with Dmitry Sokolov, as both are big wingers with a nice shot.
15. W Kirill Marchenko (6'3" 168 lbs; Mamonti Yugri, MHL)
Similarly to Kotkov, some good size and hands are there, not sure about the skating. Still he is able to be very productive in the MHL, which is a very good sign.
16. GK Amir Miftakhov (5'11" 159 lbs; Irbis Kazan MHL)
Miftakhov is a calm and athletic goalie, but being undersized really hurts the draft chances.
17. W Pavel Gogolev (6'0" 168 lbs; Peterborough Petes, OHL)
Gogolev is a natural goalscorer and a dynamic skater, not too physical though, had a modest last season, but is a solid candidate for a breakout this year.
18. C Alexander Zhabreyev (5'7" 152 lbs; MHK Dynamo St.Petersburg, MHL)
With all the skillset Zhabreyev has, the first thing you think when talking about him is that he is very undersized. And the worst part here is that he is a center and, to be honest, I'm not sure if he will be able to successfully convert to wing, as his main assets are his elite vision and playmaking ability.
Honorable mentions (in totally no particular order)
C/W Ruslan Iskhakov (5'8" 152 lbs; Krasnaya Armiya Moscow, MHL)
I didn't see him last season, as Iskhakov played in Slovakia, but based on what I've seen at the Hlinka's he might have the best hands I've seen in something like last 3 years (among Russian prospects). Size is an issue, but I think Iskhakov's playing style will allow him to convert to winger's position, where it isn't that critical.
LHD Yevgeniy Kalabushkin (6'0" 181 lbs; SKA-1946 St.Petersburg, MHL)
Kalabushkin has some puckmoving potential and I think this season might be the one when we will see it finally fulfilling.
LHD Georgiy Dedov (6'3" 190 lbs; Russkie Vityazi Chekhov, MHL)
Dedov has some size and skating, but last season showed that he should improve in the defensive reliability department.
W Nikolai Kovalenko (5'10" 174 lbs; Loko Yaroslavl, MHL)
Kovalenko jr. made a name for himself two years ago with the U18 NT with good skills and understanding of the game, but had a quiet season last year. Since then he managed to add some height though, so that might help him.
W Artemiy Mutovin (5'10" 170 lbs; Belie Medvedi Chelyabinsk, MHL)
Two years ago Mutovin had a reputation of a quality goalscorer, but he had been under the radar last year, so it will be interesting to see what is he like now.
LHD Bogdan Zhilyakov (6'0" 176 lbs; MHK Dynamo St.Petersburg, MHL)
Another defender on the list who likes to play physical and is a hard worker, although for now I have an impression that he needs to read the game better.
LHD Daniil Zhuravlyov (6'0" 157 lbs; Irbis Kazan, MHL)
Another notable prospect from the Hlinka Memorial tournament, Zhuravlyov might be not as naturally gifted as other defensemen in this list, but he made a good impression with his defensive awareness.
LHD Gleb Babintsev (6'0" 197 lbs; Peterborough Petes,OHL)
Babintsev has earned a reputation of being physical and cerebral defenseman, let's see if he can maintain that in the OHL.
W Yegor Zudilov (6'2" 191 lbs; Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL)
In Zudilov I see another relatively unknown player (he didn't play in MHL last season), yet having the size and being one of the youngest players here adds him to the draft conversation.
W Mikhail Shestopalov (6'0" 177 lbs; Gatineau Olympiques, QMJHL)
In Shestopalov we have a good overall attacking skillset and a great nose for the net. He definitely will try to prove that he isn't just a third guy from the Kazan hockey school.
W Bulat Shafigullin (6'1" 163 lbs; Reaktor Nizhnekamsk, MHL)
Shafigullin is a very interesting kid who started to set MHL on fire right from the start of the season. Skating and puckhandling definitely looks interesting here.
C /W Nikita Rozhkov (5'10" 168 lbs; Stalnie Lisy Magnitogorsk, MHL)
Can't say I've seen enough of Rozhkov, but the first thing that stands out here is the skating, it looks pretty explosive to me.
Overagers
1. W Ivan Kosorenkov (5'11" 192 lbs; Victoriaville Tigres, QMJHL)
I didn't have to think too much about my #1 overager here as Kosorenkov had a great camp and nobody understood how he wasn't signed (I guess Flyers were reaching the contract limit).
2. LD Grigoriy Dronov (6'2" 207 lbs; Metallurg Magnitogorsk, KHL)
Also not too many doubts about the #2, Dronov is very gifted naturally and is expected to have a big role on the U20 NT.
3. GK Vladislav Sukhachyov (5'10.5" 181 lbs; Chelmet Chelyabinsk, VHL)
While being undersized, Sukhachyov is a clear favorite to take the Russia U20 NT WJC starter's duties.
4. LW Danil Yurtaikin (5'11" 170 lbs; Amur Khabarovsk, KHL)
Yurtaikin is my top triple overager at this point, as I'm not sure how the teams passed on this kind of skating. Was traded to Amur Khabarovsk team recently, so he should have enough KHL practice this season.
5. C/W Georgiy Ivanov (6'0" 192 lbs; Loko Yaroslavl, MHL)
I think very highly of Ivanov as a utility player, but not sure how high is the demand for those kind of guys nowadays.
6. LHD Vladislav Syomin (6'3" 214 lbs; SKA-Neva St. Petersburg, VHL)
Again talking about the natural giftedness, Syomin is 6'3" and full of muscles and his heavy hits look very impressive. Needs to make those hits cleaner though, as he spends too much time in the box.
7. RHD Nikita Makeyev (5'9" 181 lbs; CSKA Moscow, KHL)
In short, about Makeyev I can tell that he has basically everything, but the size.
8. GK Ivan Prosvetov (6'4" 174 lbs; Youngstown Phantoms, USHL)
Enough size in Prosvetov, but the question here is if he can be successful in a tier higher than NAHL.
9. W Yaroslav Alexeyev (5'10" 153 lbs; Sherbrooke Phoenix, QMJHL)
Alexeyev had a disappointing last season, but the skill is definitely there.
10. W/C Marsel Sholokhov (5'10" 170 lbs; Traktor Chelyabinsk, KHL)
Sholokhov is not too flashy, but is a hard working and versatile player, is expected to have an important role at the WJC.
11. LHD Mark Rubinchik (6'1" 188 lbs; Saskatoon Blades, WHL)
Hoping that Rubinchik will be able to finally put those tools in a toolbox this year.
12. W/C Kirill Slepets (5'10" 146 lbs; Loko Yaroslavl, MHL)
Slepets is one of the most intriguing prospects, but it's not easy to predict how he will be doing this season, as consistency is something that was totally lacking last season.
HM: C Nikita Anokhovskiy (6'0" 190 lbs; Loko Yaroslavl, MHL)
Anokhovskiy showed some two-way potential last season, but wasn't given a proper role both in his MHL team and NT, looks like he will get that chance this season.
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