I've seen that "hard worker who hustles all over the ice" quote a couple of times now...I must say it differs from what I've seen, and what I heard transpired at the 5 Nations most nights. I'm also waiting to see that tremendous speed; he certainly doesn't have it on startup; needs a lot of work on his quickness before he's ever considered to have "temendous speed" at the NHL level.
I've seen entire games where if Mayorov was "hustling all over the ice", Keven Veilleux is the second coming of Steve Begin.
Each year it seems a Russian prospect gets overhyped by a scouting service and each year they don't get picked anywhere close to where armchair scouts subsequently predict they'll be picked. Vlad Evseev, Anikyenko (sp), Anisimov...... Mayorov is this year's version IMO.
Not calling you an armchair scout Hiishawk BTW. ; but IMO Mayorov will not be picked in the top 12 or 13 - there's just no way Toronto or Montreal or any of the teams ahead of them will be picking him; I'd be willing to wager on that.
Not being at the WJC will only make the odds of him being a top 20 pick even less slim. You think a head scout is going to take the word of their Russian scouts to gamble on a player he hasn't seen much if any, especially with the problems teams have had with Russian prospects? Believe me; teams factor that stuff into their decisions. Teams aren't going to waste a top 20 on a "gamble" very often.