C Ivan Ryabkin - Muskegon Lumberjacks, USHL (2025 Draft)

There's gonna be a team that has to take a Flyer (pardon the pun) on him because of center issues. But he's exactly what every team claims to be worried about when it comes to Russians.
 
IMHO he’s not an R1 talent anymore. Kid screwed his season up on his own. List of red flags is beyond legit — subpar MHL production, changing teams mid-season, overweight, slow, undisciplined, disinterest. Shame because talent with the puck is rare in a given draft year. People will look at his USHL stats and say “oh he’s back to normal” but f*** that. He came to NA to save his draft stock. Better players with less issues were drafted late. He should be no exception.
 
Suspended for a 2nd time in the USHL.
I think the real issue isn't that he hit the guy high, it's that he jumped to do it. You can clearly see him leaving his feet when the hit is delivered. That was certainly deserving

He certainly seems to have an edge to his game, which I think is fantastic. He just needs to be guided on how to channel the aggression. I would certainly take a gamble on him with Montreal's second pick. There are a TON of safe picks in the system. You don't draft with an eye to a bottom 6 forward or bottom pairing dman. This guy may never make the NHL and be back in Russia in a few years. He might also gel into a #1 center with an edge. I take that risk all day with a 12-18 range pick. Especially in what is considered a weak draft class.
 
A team with multiple firsts and center depth issues will take him at the end of the first/beginning of the second. If the Isles trade Nelson I can see them taking a shot on him with the pick they get.
 
My review of what I've watched from him this season. Has 9+7=16 points in 15 games for Muskegon.

Keeping this strictly to how I would assess him (as I personally am considering him for my DND list and might not rank him), I think he’s pretty good, but I don’t at all see this top 5-10 range people were talking about previously. I don’t think he skates that well and he’s only 5’11. I think he’s good offensively and pretty responsible defensively. His passing, shooting, hockey sense, and puck skills are all clear NHL top 9 level, but he’s also kind of small and not the best skater. I don’t see him falling out of the first round. I think he goes 20-32, but I definitely would not consider him in the first round. A player like this isn’t for me and isn’t a player I think pans out.
 
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Played tonight, had 2 goals and another misconduct in the third. He's probably one of my favorite prospects in this class, just because he has a pretty rare mix of skill and snarl.
 
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Comps are tough and I've never been a fan of them but this one doesn't fit at all as Ryabkin looks a bit lazy defensively from the few games i've seen so far. He can hit and has a big shot though, I'm hoping the Habs are keeping an eye on him.
Between you and me, you got the ear of anyone in their scouting department?
 
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After teams passing on Demidov and Michkov, will teams pass on Ryabkin and regret it?

He’s not that class. A team deciding on Ryabkin will not have any correlation to a Michkov or Demidov level talent. Completely unrelated. It’s like saying a team may pick Benjamin Kindel high because Connor Bedard went high.

Think more like Gridin or Surin last year. Snarl like Surin, North American experience like Gridin. Frankly Gridin’s offfense blew what Ryabkin is doing out of water at the same age and same team and league. Ryabkin is pretty fun but it’s clear he’s not that transcendent offensive player his early MHL stats suggested.
 
Ryabkin is a unicorn mainly because his underlying defensive numbers have actually been good this year. Very atypical for a Russian drafted inside the first round.
 

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