Prospect Info: Round 1, Pick 22, German Rubtsov, C, Russia U-19 (MHL)

[Dabest]

Great pick! I hope he gets off his contract in Russia asap to be able to develop into small rink game. I could see him being an immediate for for the Phantoms. He is that good.

Am I alone with saying that he is a poor mans McDavid? Has similar skating style and great hands and very high IQ. There's a lot similarity when you watch him skate thru the neutral zone.

Extremely Poor mans McDavid

 

[FLYguy3911]

Nothing like McDavid other than position and handedness.

 

[Striiker]

He's kinda like a shorter and less fighty John Scott. Also more skill and brains and literally better at everything.

 

[Gsus]

Extremely Poor mans McDavid

So that be it. I was kinda waiting if there's one other person who sees something similar in their skating and puckhandling, but knowing that people will get stuck with the word 'McDavid'. And the similarities kind of end in the skating so.

McDavid-like or not, I'm high on him. McKenzie had Steen for his comparable player, I see more Barkov in him.

 

[Winston Wolf]

I haven't seen enough of him to try to pick apart his skating, but he looks like a good skater to me. It's really impossible to even try to compare him to McDavid though, as he's probably already the best skater in the league. If you're not at that level, I don't think there's any comparison to be made, regardless of the rest of his game.

 

[Gsus]

I haven't seen enough of him to try to pick apart his skating, but he looks like a good skater to me. It's really impossible to even try to compare him to McDavid though, as he's probably already the best skater in the league. If you're not at that level, I don't think there's any comparison to be made, regardless of the rest of his game.

As I said, skating style was the same. Stylistic comparison doesn't mean McDavid wouldn't be from a different planet with his speed. People usually tend to get this thing wrong.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

I don't see Rubtsov as anything close to McDavid.

McDavid plays at breakneck speed.

Rubtsov -- at least from what I've seen, and he's had far less exposure than most in the first round -- slows the game down with patience, vision, puckhandling, and hockey sense. Maybe a Backstrom-type, for a high-end current comparison.

 

[tade]

Just heard that Rubtsov was hoping to get drafted by Philly and that he really wanted to go here. He said that Flyers had the biggest interest in him out of all organizations (most talks). It's awesome that we were able to draft him and then got possible steal in Laberge! I believe that Rubtsov would have been top 15 pick if he played on U18 WC.

Hexy is god.

 

[PEI Flyers Fan]

Can't wait to see who picks him in the CHL import draft. Hopefully he can get out of his KHL deal.

 

[FLYERSG]

Can't wait to see who picks him in the CHL import draft. Hopefully he can get out of his KHL deal.

Kitchener

 

[BackWithaVengeance]

How about the Hitmen

Let them gain some chemistry with Twarynski.

 

[Alex91]

I'm hoping Kingston lol I don't like there is a draft. Should be able to pick teams

 

[onlylordsvsmorebp]

Just heard that Rubtsov was hoping to get drafted by Philly and that he really wanted to go here. He said that Flyers had the biggest interest in him out of all organizations (most talks). It's awesome that we were able to draft him and then got possible steal in Laberge! I believe that Rubtsov would have been top 15 pick if he played on U18 WC.

Hexy is god.

very cool.

 

[Larry44]

Kitchener

Sarnia to play with Konecny and Salinitri...

 

[Dabest]

Whens the Import draft?

 

[BackWithaVengeance]

Whens the Import draft?

Next Tuesday if I am not mistaken.

 

[Cyborg LeClair]

From what I've watched of his highlights, he has a very strong backhand. Good at getting it up above the goalie in close. I like that a lot. The "Russian Toews" might be a very good comparison.

Love this pick. There's been some really great russian forwards the last few years, I'd love to have the next one

 

[Gsus]

Just heard that Rubtsov was hoping to get drafted by Philly and that he really wanted to go here. He said that Flyers had the biggest interest in him out of all organizations (most talks).

Yeah, and that's the reason why he thinks Flyers also is one of his favorite teams since they had most interest. When asked, he pretty much didn't know anything about the history of the organization but you can't blame him, he's been in Russia doing his thing.

 

[Tripod]

For those looking for more comparables, Dallas SB Nation compared him to Logan Couture!

http://www.defendingbigd.com/2016/6/6/11825194/2016-nhl-entry-draft-prospect-profile-german-rubtsov

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Next Tuesday if I am not mistaken.

It's acutally this upcoming Tuesday. The 28th of June at 11 AM EST to be exact. You'll start to hear more stuff tomorrow as most picks have deals done with the players beforehand.

 

[Stizzle]

Rubtsov just asked the other recent Philly sports 1st rounders to go eat a cheesesteak on Twitter? Is this real? If so, that's awesome.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Rubtsov just asked the other recent Philly sports 1st rounders to go eat a cheesesteak on Twitter? Is this real? If so, that's awesome.

It's the running thing. Okafor asked Wentz after he got drafted and then Wentz asked Ben Simmons after he got drafted. I'm sure someone him to say it.

edit: Is that even a real account?

 

[Striiker]

Pretty sure that's a fake account.

 

[Random Forest]

I was curious if my excitement for Rubtsov's upside was because he was our guy and I was talking myself into the enthusiasm, so I browsed through the pre-draft discussion threads to find my earlier thoughts on him and found this post that pretty much still sums up how I feel:

I would be pumped for Rubtsov. There won't be any A prospects available, but he seems to be the only player who could still be available at our pick who has an A skill set between guys like Kunin, Jones, Gauthier, etc. Something of a shot in the dark, but given the other options, I'm willing to roll the dice in that situation if it comes down to it. If he really is coming to North America next year, it could make him a very realistic possibility for the Flyers.

Really think he was a great option for this reason. I really think he could have been regarded in the tier of forwards above him had he played in North America this season. His skill set is just more complete than any of the players in his range, and the only real knock is his Russianness.

 

[FLYguy3911]

I seen him play in the World Junior A Challenge and he sold me. He was playing possessed. Jost, Fabbro, and Cholowski were on the other team.