I realise it has its critics, but as a CHL fan living in the UK, I love the Import Draft.
I enjoy the idea of each team selecting a pair of top end Euros, and see which ones "have the right stuff" to compete against the top North American talent.
Its always tricky to find info on players,pre draft, however I stumbled across this site, which had a great feature on a recent tournament, with thoughts on the top participating Euros.
(all are 1996 er`s, obviously not all will be drafted, but a great article)
http://www.ushr.com/news/20120401
Maksim Tretiak, G (CSKA) 6-2/198— Is the grandson of possibly the greatest goaltender of all time, Vladislav Tretiak, now the President of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation. Maksim wears #20, just like his grandfather once did. A massive kid, Tretiak could be the best ’96 we have seen at his position in the ’96 age group (his competition for the top spot would be Liam Herbst of the Mississauga Rebels). Tretiak, who led Russia to a silver medal at the 2012 Youth Olympics, is a flawless goalie in terms of technique. Add in his size and you have a goalie who is incredibly hard to beat. If there was one player here we feel will become a first round NHL draft pick it would have to be Tretiak. Led his team to a championship over the weekend in Maine, giving up only three goals total in the semifinals and finals against two very good teams in Ak Bars and the Sweden Selects. Tretiak is a franchise goalie in the making and is a name we will all be hearing again the future, as we once did in the past.
Radel Fazleev, F (AK Bars) 6-0/160— (#19) Exciting and fun to watch. Is incredibly intelligent and poised with the puck in the mold of a Pavel Datsyuk. Was the second leading scorer in the tournament, producing a 7-8-15 scoring line in seven games played. Is not a burner, but is extremely agile and as slippery as they come. Never throws the puck away and makes a play every time he has it on his stick. There were times he found his way out of situations that had everyone in the building raising their eyebrows. Excellent in high-traffic areas and dangerous on the PP. Another player with first round NHL draft potential.
Dima Timashov, F (Sweden Selects) 5-8/170—(#11) A player you want on your team. Has a high skill level and a compete level to match. Wants the puck on his stick at all times and is relentless in retrieving loose pucks. Is very dangerous in the offensive zone and is a marksman rolling off the half wall. We are told he is the top forward in his homeland and will compete for a spot on the Swedish World Junior Team as a 16 year old. Led the tournament in scoring with a 9-8-17 scoring line.
Evgeniy Svechnikov, F (AK Bars) 6-1/180—(#7) Tall forward who is a good skater and a bull on the puck. Played on line with Fazleev, and the two regularly dominated entire shifts. Projects nicely and is another player who could be a high draft pick. Is not as flashy as his linemate, but is equally productive and plays more of a North American style. Produced a 5-7-12 scoring line, good for sixth in the tournament scoring race.
Andrey Kuzmenko, F (CSKA) 5-8/143—(#10) Small, but extremely quick. Bobs and weaves through traffic with alluring grace. Is a shark in water in the offensive zone as the diminutive Russian pounces on loose pucks. Hard to contain in the corners as he can turn on a dime. 5-4-9 scoring line.
Egor Orlov, D (CSKA) 6-0/165—(#55) Smooth, puck-moving defender is typical of a European defenseman in that he is very good with the puck, but not as effective under physical duress. Played this past season for Moscow Dynamo, but was picked up by CSKA for this tournament —and made a difference too, as CSKA topped AK Bars, something they were unable to do in Russia. Was the top-scoring defender for his team, striking for a 2-4-6 scoring line.
Maxim Lazarev, F (AK Bars) 5-9/152—(#23) Dangerous. You sleep on this player for a second in the offensive zone and he will bury the puck in the back of the net. Is enjoyable to watch as he has game-breaking ability displayed by many Europeans (Radulov, Bure, Gaborik, etc). Is not very big, nor is he a complete player. Doesn’t do a lot of competing defensively, but loves scoring goals and displayed a quick release, which he used often on the PP in one-time situations. Makes himself available on the back door often. 7-6-13 scoring line.
Gustav Bouramann, D (Sweden Selects) 5-11/172—(#97) An elite talent. Is a 1/24/97 DOB making him the youngest player on his team. Playing a year up does not faze the puck-moving defenseman one bit. Has a gifted set of hands and makes good, sound decisions under pressure. Likely is one of the top ’97 defenseman in Europe.
Ivan Nikolishin, F (CSKA) 5-9/157—(#11) Excellent stick; makes eye-popping plays. Thinks the game at a high level and possesses exceptional vision. Is not very big or very fast, but understands how to create scoring chances. Is strong on his skates and is excellent making plays while protecting the puck. 7-5-12 in eight games played.
Eduard Nasybullin, D (AK Bars) 5-8/152—(#18) If this kid were an American he would be a top college prospect. Very likely will have a long career overseas, but do not know that he has the size to be effective in the North American pro game. Intelligent and slick with the puck. Slides through the opposition and is very elusive in traffic. Top scoring defenseman for AK Bars—2-4-6.
Haralds Egle, F (Latvia Selects) 5-8/185—Skilled Latvian is attempting to follow in the footsteps of UVM recruit Zemgus Girgensons, his fellow countryman. Played this past season for the Green Mountain Glades of the Empire League and led his team in scoring with an 18-29-47 scoring line in only 32 games played. Had an excellent weekend and produced a lot of offense, finishing tied for second in tournament scoring with a 7-8-15 line in only six games played.
Stanislav Kondratyev, F (CSKA) 5-9/161—(#96) Having a difficult time figuring out why the electric Russian produced a paltry 3-0-3 scoring line in eight games played. Was one of the most skilled offensive players on hand. Has a quick first step and is incredibly hard to contain in 1x1 situations. Has – like most of the forwards on CSKA -- outstanding puck skills and vision.
Artem Rasulov, F (AK Bars) 5-11/150—(#22) Does not play like a stereotypical Russian. An unselfish center who is effective in the dirty areas of the ice. Is strong on the puck and is solid in the faceoff circle. Will be a much different player when he fills out. 2-6-8 in seven games played.
Andrey Svetlakov, F (CSKA) 5-11/170—(#87) Top offensive talent. Creative with the puck on his stick and extremely dangerous on the man advantage. Fun to watch. 6-5-11 in eight games played.
Dennis Sergushkin, F (Metallurg) 6-0/148—Metallurg was nowhere near as good as the other two Russian teams, but Sergushkin, a tall, slender forward who is a strong skater with a good stick, was a standout. Was constantly creating scoring chances, but was also kind of alone. We feel he would take a great leap in effectiveness if he were put with other top players. Tied for the team lead in scoring with a 5-3-8 scoring line in six games played.
Oscar Nord, F (Sweden Selects) 6-2/172—Big Swede has a strong shot and a lot of skill. Played on a line with Timashov and did a good job drawing defenders to him before distributing the puck. Had an excellent weekend and finished tied for second in scoring with a 3-12-15 scoring line.
