2020 NHL Draft: Top 70 Russian Prospects (pre-draft update added)

[Caser]

@Caser any thoughts on Sergei Safin-Tregubov? I've seen his name as a late pick in a few lists but basically nothing else.

The issue with him is pretty simple: he is clearly undersized. And maybe I'm biased, but when I see an undersized D, I really want to see him excelling at basically everything else. In case of Safin-Tregubov, I totally think that he is a good skater, has some puck skills and is actually very strong for his size, but I didn't have an overall "wow" impression of both his offensive and defensive game: he is contributing at both ends, but I don't really think it can be called high-end. And, again, for an undersized D that is something I would really like to see.

 

[Caser]

I just thought that all those names might not mean too much sense without trying to make some kind of a mapping to the draft stock just to show how it would look in my eyes:


1st round 1st half
Askarov

1st round 2nd half
Amirov

2nd round 1st half
Pashin
Kuznetsov

2nd round 2nd half
Gushchin
Khusnutdnov

3rd round 1st half
Ponomaryov
Groshev
Beryozkin

3rd round 2nd half
Nikishin
Mukhamadullin

4th round 1st half
Chinakhov
Zlodeyev

4th round 2nd half
Tyutnev
Alalykin
Ovchinnikov

5th round
Trineyev
Skotnikov
Galimov
Sokolov

6th-7th rounds
Tsyplakov
Galenyuk
Gogolev
Shashkov
Safonov
Steklov
Marushev


As for others in my list, while there are some interesting names too, I would think at least twice if I like them enough to spend a draft pick, but I can totally imagine that a lot of scouts will have a more favorable opinion towards some of them at the draft.

According to Bob McKenzie's poll, NHL scout opinion on Top100 is quite different from mine though:

#11 Askarov
#19 Amirov
#35 Khusnutdinov
#42 Mukhamadullin
#59 Ponomaryov
#61 Gushchin
#62 Kuznetsov
#63 Groshev
#83 Sokolov
#89 Pashin
#94-100 Trineyev

 

[QJL]

In my opinion, the big name you are missing is Danil Aimurzin. I think he ends up in the top 100 picks of the draft.

 

[Caser]

In my opinion, the big name you are missing is Danil Aimurzin. I think he ends up in the top 100 picks of the draft.

I'm kind of not sure about his skating, especially considering he doesn't have a very big frame as an excuse for that. Aside from that he got good hands and is a responsible center, but that skating*size combo might limit the upside notably here.

 

[EXTRAS]

Hmmm no ilya morozov?

 

[TopC0rner]

While he may not always play with intensity, I think Gordin has all the tools to be a good late pick.

 

[57special]

One of my favorite posters. Full of info, clear thinking, humble.

Kuznetzov and Beryozkin seem to be meat and potatoes players that GM's will be very interested in. Size appears to be out of fashion with some posters, but not everyone on the team can be a shifty, skilled smurf. There is only one puck!

 

[Caser]

Hmmm no ilya morozov?

He actually is there, just not very high.

While he may not always play with intensity, I think Gordin has all the tools to be a good late pick.

Yeah, but practice shows that not always the tools are enough if the attitude is not there, so that's the risk here, imo.

Kuznetzov and Beryozkin seem to be meat and potatoes players that GM's will be very interested in. Size appears to be out of fashion with some posters, but not everyone on the team can be a shifty, skilled smurf. There is only one puck!

I'm not exactly sure if Beryozkin would be the right kind of player to mention in terms of just "meat and potatoes", since he comes with a good variety of spicy skills and creativity.

 

[57special]

As long as the staples are there, a bit of spice is just fine.

 

[Caser]

As long as the staples are there, a bit of spice is just fine.

I just meant that when I hear "meat and potatoes" type of players I usually think of someone with a more straightforward playing style (someone like Groshev, for example), but maybe it's just me.

 

[rt]

@Caser - which North American players (either old and retired, or currently in the NHL, or prospects not there yet) would you compare these players to:

Khusnutdinov
Mukhamadullin
Nikishin
Zlodeyev
Didkovsky
Bereyozkin
Trineyev
Gutik

Just a stylistic comparison is okay, doesn’t have to be projection.

 

[Caser]

@Caser - which North American players (either old and retired, or currently in the NHL, or prospects not there yet) would you compare these players to:

Khusnutdinov
Mukhamadullin
Nikishin
Zlodeyev
Didkovsky
Bereyozkin
Trineyev
Gutik

Just a stylistic comparison is okay, doesn’t have to be projection.

Can't say I'm good at comparisons, but let's try:

Both Beryozkin and Trineyev I'd say are in some way similar to Korshkov.
For Mukhamadullin maybe Zadorov.
In Zlodeyev and Didkovskiy I see some reminiscence of Lipanov and Kostin.
Nikishin kind of reminds me of Igor Ulanov.
In Khusnutdinov I kind of want to see Tyler Johnson.
As for Gutik I'm totally failing to find comparable at least for now.

 

[Fantomas]

16. W/C Dmitriy Ovchinnikov
Kind of a complicated and in some way controversial one here in Ovchinnikov, as while I like the Kravtsovian smoothness both of his skating and hands as well as his scoring talent and ability to make creative plays, I must admit he lacks overall strength both in terms of upper and lower body even on the junior level (even though he is not too small). While it is definitely fixable, it automatically makes him a longshot, as it might cause issues at translating his skillset to the pro hockey and his development might see hurdles because of that.

To be perfectly honest, "lacks strength" is one of the worst reasons I can think of to overlook a player. This is precisely how really good players drop and later become steals.

 

[EXTRAS]

Question about a last year eligible guy:

Defenseman, Ilya Morozov

Do you think he has what it takes to ever be an NHLer? Has he progressed the past couple seasons? Defensively?

Could he ever be as good as...say a guy like Zub?

@Caser

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

U20's not finding much competition vs HC Sochi ... 6-0, 10-0 scores

 

[Caser]

To be perfectly honest, "lacks strength" is one of the worst reasons I can think of to overlook a player. This is precisely how really good players drop and later become steals.

Well, he really did lack strength and I really mean it. But I think I didn't make myself clear by why I think it is important here. I mean, currently he already was at ppg in the MHL, so the clear expectation for him is to step up to VHL/KHL and there the lack of strength might be an issue, which might lead to him seeing himself in the MHL again and I'm not sure if that's good for his development curve now.

Question about a last year eligible guy:

Defenseman, Ilya Morozov

Do you think he has what it takes to ever be an NHLer? Has he progressed the past couple seasons? Defensively?

Could he ever be as good as...say a guy like Zub?

@Caser

I really doubt it. Zub was always not too error prone and also was a bit more mobile than Morozov.

U20's not finding much competition vs HC Sochi ... 6-0, 10-0 scores

As I mentioned in another thread it is "HC Sochi", so actually it's Kapitan. But on the other hand it's not that bad that they got an opportunity to maybe find some chemistry against weaker opposition before the big game Vs. Ska on Saturday.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Well, he really did lack strength and I really mean it. But I think I didn't make myself clear by why I think it is important here. I mean, currently he already was at ppg in the MHL, so the clear expectation for him is to step up to VHL/KHL and there the lack of strength might be an issue, which might lead to him seeing himself in the MHL again and I'm not sure if that's good for his development curve now.



I really doubt it. Zub was always not too error prone and also was a bit more mobile than Morozov.



As I mentioned in another thread it is "HC Sochi", so actually it's Kapitan. But on the other hand it's not that bad that they got an opportunity to maybe find some chemistry against weaker opposition before the big game Vs. Ska on Saturday.

I was just going off the flash live score info... I was a little confused on that .. thanks again for clarifying. Is there any video for that Ska game?

 

[Caser]

I was just going off the flash live score info... I was a little confused on that .. thanks again for clarifying. Is there any video for that Ska game?

Game Vs. SKA is on Saturday, probably there will be some streams.

Upd: nope, they cancelled the main event too.

 

[montreal]

With the KHL season started, any '20 guys expected to be on KHL teams full time?

 

[lilidk]

With the KHL season started, any '20 guys expected to be on KHL teams full time?

I guess Amirov and Groshev.

 

[montreal]

I guess Amirov and Groshev.

I watch Groshev last year and liked him but was wondering about anyone making their team this season.

 

[Caser]

With the KHL season started, any '20 guys expected to be on KHL teams full time?

I'd suggest just to wait couple of days for the opening rosters to find that out, but from the new names, Saveliy Kuvardin was a notable positive surprise this offseason.

 

[NJ Fan 12]

Nikita Tolopilo, G, Dynamo Minsk

Apologize if this is the wrong thread. Just going through KHL rosters from last season trying to find "wildcards" that a team might take late or sign as a free agent down the line. Twenty-year-old goalie played six games in KHL, had decent numbers on a team that wasn't very strong in lower level play, and is one of the taller goalie prospects.

Czech veteran goalie Dominik Furch is getting the first crack as the starter for Minsk but is there any chance Tolopilo plays much this year?

 

[Vagrant]

i look forward to your thread every year about russian prospects. it's such a mystery here in north america to get any insight behind the numbers. i have a few players that i am curious about that i would like to hear what you think, if they haven't already been addressed before. semyon demidov as an extremely young '20 eligible is the first. he seems to have missed the cutoff by mere days and i haven't seen much info on him, but he might be one of the young players that benefits from the draft being pushed into the start of this season?

yegor chizhikov seems like he might be done at the mhl level in terms of how much he can improve. is there a khl or vhl assignment in his near future? what are some elements that are holding him back as far as being seen as a legitimate prospect? thank you for these threads

 

[Caser]

i look forward to your thread every year about russian prospects. it's such a mystery here in north america to get any insight behind the numbers. i have a few players that i am curious about that i would like to hear what you think, if they haven't already been addressed before. semyon demidov as an extremely young '20 eligible is the first. he seems to have missed the cutoff by mere days and i haven't seen much info on him, but he might be one of the young players that benefits from the draft being pushed into the start of this season?

yegor chizhikov seems like he might be done at the mhl level in terms of how much he can improve. is there a khl or vhl assignment in his near future? what are some elements that are holding him back as far as being seen as a legitimate prospect? thank you for these threads

Demidov's name got me scratching my head a bit: I mean, I didn't follow him much and to be honest not sure if there's really been a reason to do it. He didn't miss the cutoff though, as for the NHL draft it is 15th of September.

For Chizhikov, I'd expect him to play in the KHL in the nearest future, but in the turbulent times like this you never know. As for what's holding him back it's maybe overall not so attacking mindset and decent, but not great skating.