Prospect Info: Shakir Mukhamadullin (#20 pick - 2020 draft)

[TheUnseenHand]

Muk at 18 is better defensively than Gelinas ever was

That's the biggest thing I've noticed. His one on one defense is actually very good. Not just for a converted forward, but for a defenseman. He absolutely needs to work on his in zone play with the puck under pressure. He also needs to be more assertive in the offensive zone. He is certainly well ahead of Gelinas. But he also has a lot to work on if he wants to be an NHL player.

 

[Lou is God]

Converted forward who skates well for his size, good shot, but doesn’t think the game fast enough for his own zone. I see a lot of similarities. Both were project picks boom or bust.

I thought you were being sarcastic with the Gelinas comment - they're really nothing alike at all.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Let's be honest, the NA media had no clue who Shak was.

Like I said on draft day, if his name was John Smith or Bob Johnson he wouldn't be getting half the shit he has been getting.

 

[Nubmer6]

Like I said on draft day, if his name was John Smith or Bob Johnson he wouldn't be getting half the shit he has been getting.

It's just wishful thinking by the rest of the hockey world because they're hoping they won't have to spell/pronounce Mukhamadullin on a regular basis.

 

[My3Sons]

It's just wishful thinking by the rest of the hockey world because they're hoping they won't have to spell/pronounce Mukhamadullin on a regular basis.

He is the walrus Mukh Mukh - a dull (in)

 

[Emperoreddy]

Gelinas never had the success in other leagues that Muk already is having. That comparison is just wrong and frankly lazy.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Gelinas never had the success in other leagues that Muk already is having. That comparison is just wrong and frankly lazy.

It's not that lazy. Both big, lanky guys with booming shots, defensive question marks, not a ton of physicality and converted forwards. Both seen as "project" type picks with all the physical tools.

I completely agree that Mukhamdullin is well ahead of where Gelinas was at his age, but I can see why they would be compared.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

It's not that lazy. Both big, lanky guys with booming shots, defensive question marks, not a ton of physicality and converted forwards. Both seen as "project" type picks with all the physical tools.

I completely agree that Mukhamdullin is well ahead of where Gelinas was at his age, but I can see why they would be compared.

One didn't sniff WJC, don't think Gelinas even played for the QMJHL super series roster. The other is the number 1 defensmen for Team Russia at 18 years old. It's a lazy comparison.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

One didn't sniff WJC, don't think Gelinas even played for the QMJHL super series roster. The other is the number 1 defensmen for Team Russia at 18 years old. It's a lazy comparison.

It's a lot less lazy than a vast majority of the comps made on this site. They do have a lot of things in common. Mukha is just a better player. You don't have to think Mukhamdullin is going to be a bad player to see some similarities to Gelinas.

 

[devilsblood]

Ya Gelinas was never even a big time prospect. He just took the NJ fans by storm early on due to one of the nastiest shots ever.

He did have an interesting overall skill set, very good even, but conversely he may have had the lowest hockey IQ of any D-man who has played for NJ ever. And that is where the comparison to Shak goes awry. Even if Shak lacks in the hockey IQ dept he it is not going to be the same hindrance it was for Gelinas.

 

[devilsblood]

It's a lot less lazy than a vast majority of the comps made on this site. They do have a lot of things in common. Mukha is just a better player. You don't have to think Mukhamdullin is going to be a bad player to see some similarities to Gelinas.

I think the real problem with a Gelinas comparison is Gelinas was the ultimate shooting star. He went from bit prospect, to superstar(in NJ fandom) to washout in a couple years time.

 

[Ds88]

I don't really get why it's lazy. Just because Gelinas didn't pan out don't forget how high we all were on him when he was a prospect. He looked like Chris Pronger on his run to the Memorial Cup. There are a lot of similarities between the two but you can just disregard all of that and call it lazy. It's great that he's being used as the #1 defenseman, but Russia doesn't have the strongest depth there this year. One could even say that if Gelinas was Russian he would have made their wjc roster. I'm not the one saying that but someone in theory could.

I like Mukhamadullin I do think he was taken too high but that is what it is. I just have my expectations tempered with him being a high risk high reward prospect.

 

[Triumph]

I don't really get why it's lazy. Just because Gelinas didn't pan out don't forget how high we all were on him when he was a prospect. He looked like Chris Pronger on his run to the Memorial Cup. There are a lot of similarities between the two but you can just disregard all of that and call it lazy. It's great that he's being used as the #1 defenseman, but Russia doesn't have the strongest depth there this year. One could even say that if Gelinas was Russian he would have made their wjc roster. I'm not the one saying that but someone in theory could.

I like Mukhamadullin I do think he was taken too high but that is what it is. I just have my expectations tempered with him being a high risk high reward prospect.

Come on. Gelinas had 5 goals and 7 assists on his run to the Memorial Cup, those are pedestrian numbers for an NHL prospect in his final year of junior playing on a Memorial Cup team. In his draft+1 year, Gelinas had 31 points in 61 games - I doubt very much that Russia wouldn't have 7 better D than that.

It's lazy in that they are both defensemen.

 

[AfroThunder396]

 

[StevenToddIves]

Like I said on draft day, if his name was John Smith or Bob Johnson he wouldn't be getting half the shit he has been getting.

"Gord Plukaluk". He'd already be getting Norris votes.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Gelinas never had the success in other leagues that Muk already is having. That comparison is just wrong and frankly lazy.

Holy #@$# you're so right. If I hear one more Gelinas comparison I think there's going to be a permanent imprint of my head in my wall.

Devils fans #1 flaw is the lazy propensity to compare players to "the closest Devil who comes to mind". Mukhamadullin to Gelinas? Um, I think the comparison starts at "they both have a great shot" and ends at "they both have a great shot". I just saw someone compare Holtz to Palmieri, for crying out loud. I saw someone last week compare Dawson Mercer to Blake Coleman. I swear I want to pull my hair out when I see this.

 

[Ds88]

The more I dive into this the more I think Mukh is very much in the Matt Corrente mold.

 

[Lou is God]

The more I dive into this the more I think Mukh is very much in the Matt Corrente mold.

This is actually worse than comparing him to Gelinas.

 

[Blackjack]

I see him as a combination of Phil Housley and Pierre-Luc Létourneau-Leblond

 

[Emperoreddy]

And Muk isn't tossing dirty hits like Schneider

 

[MartyOwns]

The more I dive into this the more I think Mukh is very much in the Matt Corrente mold.

he’s sort of a mark fraser/brad bombardir hybrid

 

[TheUnseenHand]

he’s sort of a mark fraser/brad bombardir hybrid

**** mark fraser. I'd take a full team if Gelinas over one fraser.

 

[Blackjack]

he’s sort of a mark fraser/brad bombardir hybrid

You're crazy, I see more Mike Mottau, less Anssi Salmela.

 

[Devils731]

He reminds me of Anton Kadeykin because he’s a Russian defenseman the a Devils drafted early who also won’t come close to playing an NHL game.

 

[Blender]

He's actually like Vladimir Malakhov and Anton Volchenkov because they are all Russian.