2016 NHL Draft: Russian Prospects

[Paradise*]

What's your take on Oleg Sosunov? A hulking 1st year eligible.

 

[snipes]

Thanks for doing this. Great work, I appreciated the analysis. I don't get a chance to watch any of the MHL or KHL prospects outside of international competition so this was very useful.

 

[Caser]

What's your take on Oleg Sosunov? A hulking 1st year eligible.

You're overrating my knowledge, it rarely spreads to the MHL-B and Sosunov mostly played there.

 

[timlap]

What's your take on Oleg Sosunov? A hulking 1st year eligible.

You're overrating my knowledge, it rarely spreads to the MHL-B and Sosunov mostly played there.

Too bad. No one seems to know about him. CSS has him ranked but no one else seems to know a thing about him. I've been curious, given the tremendous size listed on Elite Prospects- which of course, could be inaccurate.

 

[ChadS]

Any thoughts on Artyom Chmykhov? I've only seen glimpses of him but he looked solid with some skill and good size.

 

[Caser]

Too bad. No one seems to know about him. CSS has him ranked but no one else seems to know a thing about him. I've been curious, given the tremendous size listed on Elite Prospects- which of course, could be inaccurate.

r-hockey has him at 6'8" and 214lbs, which is lighter than ep, and, of course, with that kind of size the first question is if his mobility is at least decent.

Any thoughts on Artyom Chmykhov? I've only seen glimpses of him but he looked solid with some skill and good size.

Currently I have mixed feelings about him: I saw some of his games in VHL and didn't like him there, as in my opinion he lacked strength and intensity on the defensive end, but on the other hand I can't exactly make such a strict judgement, as VHL is a pro league and he is a late 1997 born playing there.

 

[Zine]

Too bad. No one seems to know about him. CSS has him ranked but no one else seems to know a thing about him. I've been curious, given the tremendous size listed on Elite Prospects- which of course, could be inaccurate.

Some videos of Sosunov. He's 78 for Lokomotiv. It's MHL-B, so the level of competition isn't anything special.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XpMY5VhvpA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fytVY-KdCs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlLYHmqLtKY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzMzIbvyz4c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUGE7E_7q3Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJQakUiXRqU

 

[SmartPuck]

Anyone have any more info on Altybarmakyan. He was a guy that I really liked when I saw him for bits and pieces in the 2nd half of the year.

 

[Caser]

Some videos of Sosunov. He's 78 for Lokomotiv. It's MHL-B, so the level of competition isn't anything special.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XpMY5VhvpA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fytVY-KdCs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlLYHmqLtKY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzMzIbvyz4c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUGE7E_7q3Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJQakUiXRqU

Thanks for the input, judging by those videos skating is far from perfect, but you can't teach the size - Tryamkin also didn't look that convincing at the early age, but being 6'8" helps a bit.

Anyone have any more info on Altybarmakyan. He was a guy that I really liked when I saw him for bits and pieces in the 2nd half of the year.

From my point of view Altybarmakyan has a very good offensive sense in terms of positioning and the overall passing game, which allowed him to develop good chemistry both in Serebryannie Lvy and in U18 NT. Not a flashy guy, more of a useful 'sidekick' and not a player who will carry the line on his back. Also not a big guy, but pretty well built for 5'11".

 

[timlap]

Some videos of Sosunov. He's 78 for Lokomotiv. It's MHL-B, so the level of competition isn't anything special.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XpMY5VhvpA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fytVY-KdCs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlLYHmqLtKY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzMzIbvyz4c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUGE7E_7q3Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJQakUiXRqU

Thanks for the links!!

 

[timlap]

I'm glad to be able to get a look at him in those videos. Even though the glimpses are fleeting, I felt I did get a sense of his game.

Not surprisingly, his skating does not appear to be a strength. He displays an okay glide from side-to-side though, when he's manning the point. He's so big it doesn't take many steps to cover a lot of ground. His changes of directions don't look good. He stumbles a few times and at one point he struggles to keep up with a shifty little guy who is dancing around with the puck.

What's most evident about his skating in these few clips is that he lacks balance and strength on his feet. He is quite unsteady. Again, not surprising in one so young and so big.

He actually shows some pretty okay puck handling and passing skills when manning the point. Admittedly the passes are simple, but he makes them with poise and keeps the play alive for his team in the offensive zone. At one point he pinches into the slot, grabs a rebound and scores with a deft quick shot. Might have decent hands, or at least the potential.

Defensively- a couple of times he kneels in front of the shooter and lays his stick down as a fairly ineffective block. It's a rather passive play. He has such a tremendous reach, those might have been times to use the stick to check more aggressively. In front of the net he shows a willingness on a few occasions to physically engage the opposing forward and attempt to throw him around a bit. The results are not as powerful and dramatic as you would hope, given his size, but you can envision what it could look like when he gets physically stronger and much more balanced and steady on his feet. He shows that he can actually get knocked around a bit himself, currently.

Overall, a raw but interesting prospect. Signs of better puck skills than I would have guessed- though what he displays in these videos are limited samples and they are still pretty basic and simple. You can see he might have room to grow there. Big thing in my mind would be to see what happens when he becomes stronger- there' seems to be some potential there, though, to be a decently fluid skater with incredible reach and strength and a degree of puck handling skills.

 

[Caser]

Since earlier I made a comment that this year we have a pretty deep draft eligible prospect pool, I decided to challenge myself, if I could make one more 17 player tier. The obvious condition was not to cheat - e.g. not to include just anyone, but only those, who have shown signs of talent so far and here's what I got:

C Denis Alexeyev
C Kirill Belyayev
LHD Artyom Chmykhov
GK Anton Krasotkin
RW Roman Krikunenko
W Andrey Kuzmenko
W Artur Lauta
W Vyacheslav Leshchenko
C/W Nikita Li
LW Alexandr Polunin
RHD Mikhail Sidorov
LHD Oleg Sosunov
LHD Artyom Volkov
LHD Yegor Voronkov
LW Danil Yurtaikin
LHD Yegor Zaitsev
LHD Nikita Zhuldikov

I think that's not bad for a third tier, so I guess we can't exactly say that Russia isn't producing talents anymore.

 

[Kshahdoo]

So who's going to be this year's Panarin? I.e. a kid, nobody cares about, who perhaps even won't be picked or picked in late rounds, and who then becomes a star.

 

[ozo]

I'm kinda expecting to see some sort of "Panarin effect" with GM's picking productive KHL overagers.

 

[Kshahdoo]

I'm kinda expecting to see some sort of "Panarin effect" with GM's picking productive KHL overagers.

The only one is Golyshev, and it looks like he will definitely be picked.

 

[Caser]

The only one is Golyshev, and it looks like he will definitely be picked.

I'd say for the Panarin's case Polunin might be a more appropriate example: small, had a decent performance at WJC, posted good numbers in KHL, has a long term KHL contract. Golyshev somehow makes me think more of Mozyakin.

 

[Caser]

While reading the boards I have noticed that Grant McCagg of Mckeen's Hockey is kind of sceptical about Abramov's skating (particularly about the top speed). It's interesting, as I had an impression that Abramov is a best Russian prospect in terms of pure skating since... since I don't even know who, Afinogenov maybe. Definitely something to think about and pay a closer look.


By the way, since I've been pretty much out of time recently, I totally forgot to thank everyone for such positive responses to my write-up, I really appreciate that.

 

[Fantomas]

While reading the boards I have noticed that Grant McCagg of Mckeen's Hockey is kind of sceptical about Abramov's skating (particularly about the top speed). It's interesting, as I had an impression that Abramov is a best Russian prospect in terms of pure skating since... since I don't even know who, Afinogenov maybe. Definitely something to think about and pay a closer look.

He doesn't like Russians.

 

[Caser]

He doesn't like Russians.

It's not like I would follow him too much, but I haven't noticed something like that from him so far.

 

[Fantomas]

It's not like I would follow him too much, but I haven't noticed something like that from him so far.

There is a consistent pattern of rankings and statements to know. You probably have seen Abramov, and can make up your own mind if his skating is in any way problematic. I don't think it is.

 

[Bluenote13]

I'm glad to be able to get a look at him in those videos. Even though the glimpses are fleeting, I felt I did get a sense of his game.

Not surprisingly, his skating does not appear to be a strength. He displays an okay glide from side-to-side though, when he's manning the point. He's so big it doesn't take many steps to cover a lot of ground. His changes of directions don't look good. He stumbles a few times and at one point he struggles to keep up with a shifty little guy who is dancing around with the puck.

What's most evident about his skating in these few clips is that he lacks balance and strength on his feet. He is quite unsteady. Again, not surprising in one so young and so big.

He actually shows some pretty okay puck handling and passing skills when manning the point. Admittedly the passes are simple, but he makes them with poise and keeps the play alive for his team in the offensive zone. At one point he pinches into the slot, grabs a rebound and scores with a deft quick shot. Might have decent hands, or at least the potential.

Defensively- a couple of times he kneels in front of the shooter and lays his stick down as a fairly ineffective block. It's a rather passive play. He has such a tremendous reach, those might have been times to use the stick to check more aggressively. In front of the net he shows a willingness on a few occasions to physically engage the opposing forward and attempt to throw him around a bit. The results are not as powerful and dramatic as you would hope, given his size, but you can envision what it could look like when he gets physically stronger and much more balanced and steady on his feet. He shows that he can actually get knocked around a bit himself, currently.

Overall, a raw but interesting prospect. Signs of better puck skills than I would have guessed- though what he displays in these videos are limited samples and they are still pretty basic and simple. You can see he might have room to grow there. Big thing in my mind would be to see what happens when he becomes stronger- there' seems to be some potential there, though, to be a decently fluid skater with incredible reach and strength and a degree of puck handling skills.

I came here to say alot of what you said after watching these videos. Kudos, I agree on everything you had to say, great post.

 

[kp61c]

There is a consistent pattern of rankings and statements to know. You probably have seen Abramov, and can make up your own mind if his skating is in any way problematic. I don't think it is.

to me finding his skating problematic is plain moronic, on the contrary, it's one of his main assets.

 

[Caser]

BobMcKenzie's final scout survey: 9. Sergachyov, 23. Rubtsov, 51. Abramov, 65. Korshkov, 68. Kayumov, 80. Maltsev.

 

[tony d]

Nice read, bit of an off year for Russian picks. That said I think Sergachev goes top 10, Rubstov possibly goes top 20 and that could be it for Russia in Round 1 of the draft this year.

 

[timlap]

While reading the boards I have noticed that Grant McCagg of Mckeen's Hockey is kind of sceptical about Abramov's skating (particularly about the top speed). It's interesting, as I had an impression that Abramov is a best Russian prospect in terms of pure skating since... since I don't even know who, Afinogenov maybe. Definitely something to think about and pay a closer look.


By the way, since I've been pretty much out of time recently, I totally forgot to thank everyone for such positive responses to my write-up, I really appreciate that.

to me finding his skating problematic is plain moronic, on the contrary, it's one of his main assets.

I'm just speculating, but could it be that he's a good skater in short bursts and tight spaces (most important in hockey, imo) but just okay in top end speed, especially for a smaller guy as smaller guys are often speedy?

I'm only guessing, because I haven't watched him. But there are so many aspects to skating, and I think such differences are often behind these arguments when one person says a guy is an excellent skater and another says he's not.