Scouting Report: Marat Khusnutdinov

Photo Credit – SKA.ru

Marat Khusnutdinov is a 2020 NHL Draft eligible prospect hailing from Moscow, Russia. Before joining the MHL’s SKA-1946 St. Petersburg this past season, he played in the Vityaz Podolsk system (U16, U17 and U18 hockey). Over the course of his time in Podolsk (just outside of Moscow), he played alongside a great core of talented youth including Kirill Steklov (London Knights, 2020 NHL Draft eligible), Alexander Mirzabalayaev (Val-d’Or Foreurs, 2021 NHL Draft eligible), Pavel Tyutnev (Loko Yaroslavl, 2020 NHL Draft eligible) and Nikita Shuidin (SKA-1946 St. Petersburg, 2020 NHL Draft eligible).

In his first season with SKA-1946 St. Petersburg, he tallied 13 goals and 25 assists in 44 games played. While he did not out-produce other 2020 NHL Draft eligibles playing in the MHL like Yegor Chinakhov (Omskie Yastreby, D+1 overager), Dmitri Rashevsky (MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg, D+1 overager), Dmitri Ovchinnikov (Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk) and Maxim Beryozkin (Loko Yaroslavl), he does have quite a bit of talent up his sleeve.

In June of 2019, Khusnutdinov was selected by the OHL’s Erie Otters in the 2019 CHL Import Draft. While he did not report to the Otters for the 2019-2020 regular season, perhaps he might join the club for the 2020-2021 season. But, that depends a lot of different things. Given that the European leagues are looking to start on-time and the CHL might have a delayed start, luring Khusnutdinov to Erie could become a challenge. If Khusnutdinov does not report at the start of the CHL season, the Otters’ last hope would be that he would report following the conclusion of the 2021 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships (Edmonton, Alberta and Red Deer, Alberta). This past season, we saw a few players come over to the CHL following the conclusion of the World Juniors including Martin Chromiak (Kingston), Jan Mysak (Hamilton) and Nick Malik (Sault Ste. Marie).

While Khusnutdinov coming to Erie is a question mark at this point, he would be a big addition for the Otters if he came. He would provide Erie with another weapon in their offensive attack. In addition, players like Jamie Drysdale and Connor Lockhart (2021 NHL Draft eligible) would certainly benefit from Khusnutdinov’s presence especially on the power play.

Player Profile

D.O.B – July 17, 2002
Nationality – Russia
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –5’9
Weight –165 lbs
Position – Center
Handedness – Left

Khusnutdinov’s Style Of Play

When you look at Khusnutdinov, you quickly look at his height. He is on the smaller end of the stick. In general, when you look at a player who is 5’9, you quickly expect that finesse and speed is their game. But, Khusnutdinov offers more than that. His defensive ability is quite strong and he is aggressive. There are plenty of instances where the young Russian prospect will be physical along the boards at both ends. In the defensive zone, he does not like giving his opposition room to breathe. While he might not always be following his opponent like a hawk, he will often look to decipher where his opponent is going with the puck and block that lane. Yet, when he wants to play body-to-body, his gap control is quite sound and he is not timid about bulldozing you down at the boards. There are times where Khusnutdinov will be very aggressive in front of his own net. Often times, you would expect a heavier defenseman to play that role, but Khusnutdinov proves that size does not matter. He is aware that his attacker is looking to block his goaltender’s sight-lines and hope to deflect the puck in the back of the net. So, he goes to work.

In the offensive zone, Khusnutdinov plays a very similar game. While he is nowhere close to Lucas Raymond when it comes to forechecking, he will get in your face, put pressure on you and snag the puck. Khusnutdinov does not want to give his opponents the ability to re-group and start a new rush. There are times where he rushes for the loose puck and fails, but he is persistent. Instead, he plays the body and finds the right opportunity to steal the puck and quickly fires the puck along the boards to his teammate.

As I mentioned above, while Khusnutdinov’s point totals seemed low, his is still a great play-maker. Similar to Seth Jarvis of the Portland Winterhawks, he loves throwing backhanded passes to the slot. It does not seem to matter where his teammate is, he can thread the needle from distance with his backhand pass.

Not only is his backhand pass in great form, but he can also make his opponents believe that he is about to fire a shot and instead place the perfect pass to his teammate in the low slot. When Khusnutdinov is at the point in which he delivers the pass, his right skate is extended. His positioning is similar to what it would look like if he was about to fire a snap shot.

When it comes to shot and his scoring ability, most of his success is in high-danger/low slot situations. Tony Ferrari of Dobber Prospects point this out in his article, February Draft Report: Risers and Fallers. Ferrari states, “His shot is good but will likely need to build up a bit of strength to get it to the next level. Where Khusnutdinov scores many of his goals is around the net. He works his way in tight and has a quick release and the ability to elevate the puck from in tight. At this point, he is more of a crafty goal-scorer than a lethal shooter but his shot has been above average at each level.” Ferrari hits the nail on the head.

His stick-handling is quite efficient as well. Khusnutdinov does a great job of securing the puck and dancing around his opponents. The only challenge that he has when it comes to stick-handling is controlling the puck in high-danger areas. His puck security in high-danger areas is not as strong as several other 2020 draft eligible prospects. The Russian forward is effective with his stick-handling. He is able to dodge opponents, buy space, go to the slot and score.

The biggest challenge for Khusnutdinov is going to be addressing his stride and crossovers. While he is a dominant at both ends and an outstanding play-maker, his skating is the one area that needs more development. His left foot is very heavy on the ice, so he tends to favor his right foot more. Often, Khusnutdinov will rely heavily on his right foot to accelerate versus his left foot. Instead, of extending his left foot and then right foot in a synchronized fashion, he will only use his right foot to push forward. There are instances in which he adds a small extension with his left foot, but the extension is not the same length as his right foot extension is. Not only is the length of his extension different, he tends to use his right foot to crossover more often than his left foot.

Comparison

Anthony Beauvillier, Left Wing, New York Islanders

Craig Button from TSN is right on the money with his comparable for Khusnutdinov. The Russian prospect’s game and frame is reminiscent of Anthony Beauvillier. Both, Beauvillier and Khusnutdinov are strong in all three zones from an aggressive standpoint and offer quality play-making.

stats from InStat Hockey and EliteProspects


Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.

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Scouting Report: Seth Jarvis

Photo Credit: Keith Dwiggins / Portland Winterhawks

Seth Jarvis is a 2020 NHL Draft eligible prospect, who hails from Winnipeg, Manitoba. For youth hockey, Jarvis played for the Winnipeg Monarchs (U14 AAA) and for Rink Hockey Academy (Bantam and U18). In his time at Rink Hockey Academy (CSSHL), he played alongside Tristen Robins (Saskatoon Blades, 2020 eligibility), Brock Gould (Moose Jaw Warriors, 2020 eligibility) and Carson Lambos (Winnipeg ICE, 2021 eligibility).

After the 2017-2018 CCSHL playoffs concluded, Jarvis joined the Portland Winterhawks and made his WHL debut. In his first full season in the WHL (2018-19), he tallied 16 goals and 23 assists in 61 games played. While that season was respectable in terms of offensive production, Jarvis more than doubled his production this past season (2019-20). In 58 games, he mustered up 42 goals and 56 assists. Jarvis had the second highest point total in the WHL. Adam Beckman (Spokane Chiefs, Minnesota Wild prospect) bested him by nine points. But, Jarvis did lead all 2020 NHL Draft eligibles in the WHL in points. He recorded 12 points more than Connor Zary (Kamloops Blazers) and managed to out-produce Tristen Robins, Gage Goncalves (Everett Silvertips), Ozzy Wiesblatt (Prince Albert Raiders), Jake Neighbours (Edmonton Oil Kings), Oliver Okuliar (Lethbridge Hurricanes) and Ridly Greig (Brandon Wheat Kings).

Player Profile

D.O.B – February 1, 2002
Nationality – Canada
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –5’10
Weight –172 lbs
Position – Right Wing
Handedness – Right

Jarvis’ Style Of Play

When you tune into a Portland Winterhawks game, you quickly see that the player that possesses the strongest motor, mobility and determination to bring home a win game-in game-out is Seth Jarvis. From a transitional and puck movement perspective, Jarvis shines in almost every shift. But, even in those instances where Jarvis does not possess the puck, he constantly looks for opportunities to muster scoring chances. The Winnipeg native does a great job of identifying open lanes or lanes that are about to be open. When he sees a fellow forward carry the puck up the boards and there is only one defenseman standing guard, Jarvis follows the rush and goes to the right or left of the defenseman.

As I mentioned above, given his quality motor and desire to move the puck, he completes plenty of controlled zone entries. With his crossovers, he manages to accelerate at a quick pace. Jarvis has quick feet and his footwork is unmatched by any 2020 NHL Draft eligible forward. There are other forward prospects that have strong crossovers, but Jarvis seems to deploy them at a faster rate, which allows him to push himself up the ice at a much faster speed. In addition, his edge work when turning (look at the four second mark and at the eight second mark) are in fine form. His edges allow for tight turns and due to his feet placement, he still remains very mobile. What I love about Jarvis is his willingness to adapt and fight for the puck. Even though Jarvis’ frame is on the smaller side, he still has a lot of fight in his game. He will challenge anyone regardless of size and does so in the clip. Once he maintains possession of the puck in the neutral zone, he shows persistency and attacks the offensive zone yet again. In fact, in the neutral zone, he will pass the puck off the boards with tight pressure in his face. When you watch Jarvis’ transitional play, he will more than often opt to pass the puck off the boards in an effort to buy more open ice.

Like his teammate Cross Hanas (2020 eligible prospect), Jarvis possesses strong puck-handling. Jarvis is quite dominant at controlling the puck with both hands or even one hand. Similar to Rodion Amirov (2020 eligible prospect), Jarvis manages to control the puck with his non-dominant hand, but still has some work to do in truly developing his stick-handling with his non-dominant hand. When he moves the puck with his left hand controlling his stick, it is incredibly short-lived unlike Amirov, but it is useful especially when fending off an attacker while making a sharp turn.

If you thought that Jarvis is fond of completing a backhand pass to the slot from time-to-time, you are mistaken. It is his bread and butter pass. Jarvis loves delivering backhand passes to the slot.

But, while Jarvis loves the backhand pass, he can still deliver crisp and accurate seam and cross ice passes. In the clip below from InStat Hockey, he delivers a quick tape-to-tape pass and that leads to a one-timer goal.

We have seen how dominant Jarvis is from a playmaking perspective, but he is capable of putting the puck in the back of the net himself. In the shot map below from InStat Hockey, you will see that the majority of his goals come from up close.

Image Credit: InStat Hockey

Given Jarvis’ stick-handling, speed, edgework and crossovers, he loves to skate to the net and score. In Cam Robinson’s post, Seth Jarvis’ Strong Second-Half Thrusts Him Into Elite Company for 2020 NHL Draft for EP Rinkside, he explained that “Jarvis is also unafraid to simple force his way into the high-danger areas using speed and puck protection.” Robinson is right on the money. With Jarvis’ handy work, he will go full-force to the net and is highly efficient at maintaining possession and not coughing it up.

While his shot is quite dominant from the slot, Jarvis does miss the mark on plenty of shots. In the shot map below, you will see the areas in which Jarvis missed shots from this past season. Quite a few missed shots occurred in the slot. Given how dominant he is in the slot, it is interesting to see him struggle to get shots on net. One of Jarvis’ goals should be to further develop his shot, especially from in close.

Image Credit: InStat Hockey

In the defensive zone, Jarvis is not as aggressive as he is in the offensive zone. There are times where he plays more of an insurance role, but there are also instances where he will get a bit physical with his board play. Even though his frame is on the smaller end of the stick, he can be physical when needed. Also, you can expect Jarvis with his quality stride to chase after loose pucks.

Comparison

Mitch Marner, Right Wing, Toronto Maple Leafs

With Jarvis’ size and playing style, he plays a similar to game to Marner. Both wingers possess top-notch crossovers and speed. Over time, Marner has truly honed in on his play-making ability and that has become his bread and butter. While we have seen Jarvis score a number of goals in the CHL, I believe that he will always be a play-making forward first and that will translate into more assists at the NHL level then goals.

stats from InStat Hockey and EliteProspects


Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.

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Scouting Report: Yegor Chinakhov


Photo Credit: Avangard Omsk

Yegor Chinakhov is an over-ager and is the son of Vitali Chinakhov, former Russian hockey player and was drafted in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers. The Omsk, Russia native was eligible for the 2019 NHL Draft, but was passed over. Granted, his offensive production in 2018-19 was nowhere close to what it was in 2019-20. In 2018-19, Chinakhov had tallied eight goals and eight assists. This past season, he quadrupled his offensive production. In 56 games played with the MHL’s Omskie Yastreby, he mustered up 27 goals and 42 assists. In addition, he was featured in two games for the VHL’s Izhstal Izhevsk and recorded three points (two goals and one assist) in his short stint.

Not only did Chinakhov increase his offensive production at a high rate, but his 69 points was the fifth highest in the MHL this season. With his electric shot, he successfully put himself back on the map.

Player Profile

D.O.B – February 1, 2001
Nationality – Russia
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –5’11
Weight –179 lbs
Position – Right Wing
Handedness – Right

Chinakhov’s Style Of Play

As I mentioned above, Chinakhov has a quick blistering shot. His wrist and snap shot are quite fierce. He can rip shots about the glove and pick corners extremely well. In the clip below, you will see the Russian winger identify his opponent’s penalty kill unit and that they have formed a line blocking the slot. Instead of opting to pass the puck through the danger zone, he sees that he has a teammate at the net and as soon as the teammate drifts to the side, Chinakhov fires a snap shot above the glove. He picks the precise moment to fire his shot. Sure, he could have taken the shot with his teammate in front of the net, but the chances of success could have been minimal as the puck could have ricocheted off of his teammate. Instead, he waits for the moment where the goaltender is aiming to regain his sight-lines, but he does not give the goaltender enough time to get re-adjusted.

If you want to see another highlight goal, we have another one for you to check out. This time around, Chinakhov completes a controlled zone entry and fires a wrist shot from right outside of the perimeter. He manages to get the puck past the goaltender’s blocker.

Aside from his shot, Chinakhov is fairly strong at feeding tape-to-tape passes and drop passes. He is often positioned along the half-wall, especially on the power play and feeds smooth tape-to-tape passes. But, there are some inconsistencies with his passing. When he elects to complete a cross ice pass, his accuracy is too inconsistent and it seems to vary by game.

From a puck handling perspective, Chinakhov is not bad, but there could be some improvement. There are times where he will manage to control the puck in tight spaces, but he will also cough up the puck too easily. The biggest challenge for Chinakhov is how he handles the puck along his blade. The puck sits at the edge of the stick blade, which makes him susceptible to losing the puck when encountering pressure.

The defensive zone is Chinakhov’s weakest zone. There are instances where the winger will attempt to wave his stick and poke-check, but he often misses the mark. In addition, when he is putting on pressure along the blue-line, his speed and mobility burns him. Instead of applying consistent pressure, he will get challenged and burned by speedier puck movers. There are similar challenges in the offensive zone when Chinakhov is attempting to fore-check, but his lack of speed hurts him as his attackers easily move the puck away from him. Also, he does have some physicality in his play, but my concern is with Chinakhov following through on his body checks and keeping himself balanced.

The ultimate challenge for Chinakhov is his skating. His speed and mobility need improvement. There are several instances where his skates are too far apart. When your skates are too far apart and you are gliding forward, it becomes a challenge to play in tight situations especially near the net. Or if you have to divert and turn around, your ability to switch directions at a fast rate becomes a challenge. In the clip below, you will able to see how far apart his skates are and the challenges that he faces when skating up to the net with his skates that far apart.

Unfortunately, his feet placement also impacts his edge work. When your feet are that far apart, it can be difficult to navigate around traffic with the puck. In the clip below, you will see Chinakhov confront his attackers, but fails to get around them due to his wide stride. He does not have the ability to utilize his outside edge to turn because of how wide apart his feet are.

The good news is that his skating can be addressed and improved upon. So, I’m not overly concerned with his skating ability. If he works with an instructor or two and does not adapt, that is when I would get concerned.

But, as I stated above, Chinakhov has an excellent shot and NHL teams will certainly love his ability to rip snap and wrist shots top shelf.

Comparison

Tanner Pearson, Left Wing, Vancouver Canucks

Tanner Pearson was an over-ager once upon a time ago and like Chinakhov, Pearson has a dominant shot. Pearson does possess a stronger defensive game and better physicality, so Chinakhov is off the mark there. But, if Chinakhov can improve his defense, physicality and skating, he could resemble Pearson.

stats from InStat Hockey and EliteProspects


Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.

Looking for other scouting reports? Check out the Prospects tab for our other scouting reports.

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Scouting Report: Cross Hanas

Photo Credit: Keith Dwiggins / Portland Winterhawks

Cross Hanas is a left winger playing for the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks. He grew up in the Highland Village, Texas (between Denton, Texas and Dallas, Texas). His father, Trevor Hanas played junior hockey for the Regina Pats, Saskatoon Blades and the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Now, Trevor is the head coach of the Dallas Stars Elite and he is the Texas scout for the Portland Winterhawks.

Hanas has played the last two seasons for the Winterhawks. This past season, in 60 games played, he tallied 22 goals and 27 assists. It’s a major improvement from his rookie season in the WHL, in which he tallied 22 points in 67 games.

Player Profile

D.O.B – January 5, 2002
Nationality – USA / Canada, represents USA at international level
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –6’1
Weight –165 lbs
Position – Left Wing
Handedness – Left

Hanas’ Style Of Play

Let’s kick off by looking at Hanas’ strengths. One of my favorite attributes that Hanas has is his spacial awareness. At times, it seems like Hanas has eyes on the back of his head because he knows exactly where his teammates are when they are behind him. In addition, he reads his attackers well and knows exactly what lanes will be open, so he can pass the puck through that lane to his teammate. For instance in a game against the Victoria Royals, Hanas delivered two passes behind his back. The first pass comes right after a controlled zone entry. Hanas sees three attackers in a triangle formation and he has two forwards rushing back to the defensive zone on his lower right. He anticipates that he will be boxed out by all of them, so he moves to the right and then delivers a behind the back pass to his teammate who comes into the zone. The second pass is right along the boards. Hanas has a couple of attackers who have sealed off the left and right sides, but they a sizable gap in the middle and Hanas exploits that. He delivers a backhand pass to his teammate and fellow 2020 NHL Draft eligible prospect Simon Knak.

Hanas’ hands are another one of his strengths. While there are times where Hanas has puck control issues and coughs up the puck, he still has plenty of moments where he manages to puck-handle around traffic and create scoring opportunities for himself.

In terms of Hanas’ passing ability, he is a pretty solid tape-to-tape passer and does extremely well at feeding seam passes through the slot. As I noted above, Hanas is also strong at backhand hand passing. Sure, there are instances in which Hanas will miss the mark on his passes, but that can be attributed to poor decision making as there are instances when Hanas will throw the puck into traffic.

Next, let’s talk about Hanas’ skating. His stride is a lengthy one, but since he has heavy feet his lengthy stride does not help him from a power skating perspective. In addition, his wide stride limits his ability to be more agile and mobile. His wider stride makes it a challenge for him to revert back if there is a sudden change in possession.

Due to his heavy foot stride, he has challenges when looking to complete crossovers on the rush. He has a hard time completing crossovers on the rush, which limits his speed. The crossovers do not appear to be well-balanced and Hanas seems to have challenges lifting one foot over the other. In the tweet below from Pavel Barber, you can check out Hanas going from zone-to-zone, showing off his stick-handling and scoring, but while you would anticipate that he would use crossovers to help propel him up the ice, he instead picks one foot up/places it down and repeats that movement over and over.

While crossovers are an area of weakness for Hanas, he does have strong foot work and manages to pull off quick pivots at opportune times. Using his strong foot work, he will make his opponents believe that he is doubling back, but instead, he has other plans. In the below clip from InStat Hockey, you will see Hanas pivot while doubling back and quickly firing a shot at the net for a goal.

When it comes to his defensive work, the Texan prospect has a lot of grit to his game. But, Hanas occasionally will struggle with following through with his poke-checks and has some balance issues delivering body checks along the boards. If Hanas goes in for a body check, his balance might seem a bit off.

But, there is plenty of time for Hanas to refine his physical play.

Comparison

Benoit Pouliot, Left Wing, Retired (Played for Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres)

Sometimes choosing a good comparable can be tough, so I pulled up Byron Bader’s NHLe Player Comparison Tool for some assistance. The first player that came up as a comparable for Hanas is Pouliot. Like Hanas, Pouliot had quality hands and played with a ton of grit.

stats from InStat Hockey and EliteProspects


Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.

Looking for other scouting reports? Check out the Prospects tab for our other scouting reports.

Need a scouting report on a particular prospect, contact us today!

Scouting Report: Yaroslav Askarov

Photo Credit: SKA.ru

Yaroslav Askarov is the best goaltender in the 2020 NHL Draft class. He grew up in Omsk, Russia and played youth hockey in the Avangard Omsk system.

Askarov catches right, which seems to be a rarity in hockey. Most goaltenders catch left over right and the list of successful goaltenders who caught right in the NHL is a rather short one. The most famous NHL goaltenders who caught right include Tony Esposito, Grant Fuhr, Jose Theodore and Jonas Hiller. In fact, most of the highly touted goaltending prospects in the 2020 NHL Draft class such as Nico Daws, Samuel Hlavaj, Nick Malik, Jan Bednář and Joel Blomqvist all catch with their left hand.

Per EliteProspects, Askarov played U16 hockey with Buldogi St. Petersburg in 2017-18. Once the season concluded, he joined the SKA St. Petersburg’s system.

For those who are unaware about Russian youth hockey, SKA St. Petersburg has become one of the best youth hockey developmental systems in Europe. There are quite a few 2020 and 2021 NHL Draft prospects in their system including Marat Khusnutdinov, Nikita Shuidin, Nikita Chibrikov and Daniil Lazutin. Lazutin and Chibrikov were dealt to SKA St. Petersburg a few months back in a trade with Dynamo Moscow.

But, let’s go back to Askarov. He made his MHL debut in 2018-19 with SKA-Varyagi, in which he mustered up a 2.37 GAA and a .921 SV% in 31 appearances. This past season, he spent most of his time playing in the VHL for SKA-Neva St. Petersburg. He appeared in 18 games and recorded a 2.45 GAA and a .920 SV%. In addition, he suited at the KHL level for SKA St. Petersburg in one game.

Aside from league play, Askarov has suited up for Russia at the international level and competed in several tournaments including the World Juniors, Hlinka Gretzky and Five Nations.

Player Profile

D.O.B – June 16, 2002
Nationality – Russia
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –6’3
Weight –176 lbs
Position – Goaltender
Catches – Right

Askarov’s Style Of Play

As I mentioned above, Askarov catches with his right hand, which is interesting because when you compare his save percentage with shots coming at his blocker versus his glove, he tends to be much stronger with his blocker. Goaltenders are normally stronger with their glove than their blocker and that is mainly because shooters tend to shoot the puck high blocker versus to the glove. In the chart below from InStat Hockey, you will see Askarov’s save percentages.

Photo Credit: InStat Hockey

If you are looking to compare Askarov’s above/below blocker percentage and above/below glove to other 2020 NHL Draft eligibles goaltenders, check out the table below. *Note – the two highest percentages per category are highlighted in yellow.

Stats from InStat Hockey

As you can see from the table, Askarov is one of the stronger goaltenders in the group. His above blocker, below blocker and below glove percentages are higher than some of his peers. But, it is abundantly clear that Askarov has some work to do in developing his glove work as shots that go higher than his glove have an 18% chance of getting past him. I

Aside from Askarov’s glove and blocker work, he is a strong hybrid goaltender that will rely on his butterfly quite often when his opponents have possession of the puck in his zone. He does an outstanding job of using his edges and power pushing off of his pads to move around the net at a quick rate. Askarov’s ability to push his pads quickly helps him defend 2 on-1 and 2-on-0 situations. With how dynamic he is at reading the puck movement and how quick he is at transitioning, it is a challenge to fool him. His reflexes are just too sharp.

In terms of protecting the sides of the net, Askarov tends to use the RVH approach rather than the VH approach which means that he leans into the post and his pads are aligned in a half vertical/horizontal shape rather than a VH (left leg vertical, right leg horizontal). Askarov hugs the corners of the net when he leans in to limit the amount of open net. Also, while some goaltenders like Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens tend to use the overlap technique to shield the post when implementing the RVH, Askarov does not use the overlap.

Comparison

Jonathan Quick, Goaltender, LA Kings

While some analysts and scouts have stated that Askarov looks like Carey Price, I would argue that Jonathan Quick is a better comparable. With how strong Quick is at power pushing off of his pads and defending scoring chances in the slot, he seems to be a stronger comparable for Askarov. Also, Quick does not overlap when using RVH, while Price does overlap. So, I would argue that Quick is a stronger comparable for the Russian net-minder.

stats from InStat Hockey and EliteProspects


Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.

Looking for other scouting reports? Check out the Prospects tab for our other scouting reports.

Need a scouting report on a particular prospect, contact us today!

Scouting Report: Rodion Amirov

Photo Credit: Roman Khakimov

Rodion Amirov will more than likely be the first Russian skater off the board on draft night. While there is a possibility that Amirov could be the first Russian prospect off the board, Yaroslav Askarov, who is the number one goaltending prospect (in the SKA St. Petersburg system) has garnered plenty of attention and teams might be higher on Askarov than Amirov because of positional need.

The Salavat, Russia (in the republic of Bashkortostan, close to the Russia-Kazakhstan border) native played in the MHL (Russian Junior Hockey League), VHL (Russian Minor Hockey League) and the KHL (Russian Professional Hockey League) this season. While the bulk of his offensive production occurred in the MHL and VHL, Amirov was still a valued asset for Ufa Salavat Yulaev at the KHL level.

When Amirov suited up in the MHL, he was lights out. In 17 games for Tolpar Ufa, he tallied 10 goals and 12 assists. His experience in the VHL was a little less fruitful, but he still managed to tally three points in five regular season games for Toros Neftekamsk.

At the beginning of the season, he was battle tested at the KHL level, but he did not get a ton of playing time, which impacted his offensive production (two assists in 21 games). While Amirov was sent down to the MHL, it was not a bad thing. Often times in Europe, we see younger prospects play lower minutes because the coaches are adamant on getting the veterans out on the ice as they more confident in them to produce and help push their clubs forward. We have seen similar situations in Sweden with Lucas Raymond, Alexander Holtz and Noel Gunler. Yet, the only difference is that Raymond, Holtz and Gunler spent the bulk of their season playing at the highest competitive level while Amirov was up and down.

Player Profile

D.O.B – October 2, 2001
Nationality – Russia
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –6’0
Weight –168 lbs
Position – Left Wing
Handedness – Left

Amirov’s Style Of Play

One of my favorite things about Amirov is his ability to read playing surface and identify which teammate is going where. When the Russian prospect is about to make a pass, he seems to identify the desired area where his teammate will be and deliver the pass to that spot. It’s almost like in the National Football League, where you have quarterbacks like Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes or Aaron Rodgers, who know exactly where to throw the ball to even though their wide receiver is still en route to their desired open spot.

While Amirov reads on-ice strategy like a NFL Quarterback would, he brings much more to the table. With his soft hands, his passes seem to always be on target and he always has an extremely light release. In addition, with his hands, he possesses a strong stick-handling skill-set. He is not a flashy stick-handler like some of his fellow Russian draft eligible prospects like Vasili Ponomaryov of the Shawinigan Catarctes (QMJHL), but when he is controlling the puck with his non-dominant hand, he can elevate the puck around danger and create controlled zone entries like the one below.

While Amirov is strong puck-handler, there is an area of his stick-handling that needs improvement. Often times, Amirov is effective at beating the first opponent and even the second or the third, but as soon as he gets to the last man standing, he ends up coughing up the puck and losing the opportunity to capitalize. Even though there are hiccups in Amirov’s ability to beat that last attacker, his stick-handling is still robust and he excels at implementing his stick-handling when running the cycle.

In terms of Amirov’s skating, he has some of the best crossovers in the 2020 NHL Draft class. The young Russian uses his crosses perfectly to help him accelerate up and down the ice. In some of the clips above, you can see how Amirov implements tight crosses to help weave around the perimeter in the offensive zone and to administer speed to drive up the ice with the puck at a quick rate.

When you analyze Amirov’s shot, you will notice that his success solely comes in the slot. Granted Amirov is not known for his shot and is more known for his two-way game, so this should not come as a shock. In the picture below from InStat Hockey, you can check out his shot/goal map.

Photo Credit: InStat Hockey

Last, but not least, let’s talk about Amirov’s two-way game. His defensive and forechecking style is similar to Lucas Raymond of Frölunda and Anton Lundell of HIFK. Amirov is defensively responsible and when he sees his defenseman pinch and jump into the cycle, he drops back to the blue-line to provide support for the other defenseman. In the defensive zone, Amirov is a versatile defender. He is always in gear and is often seen identifying open lanes in the zone and quickly moving to that lane to shut it down. There are moments where Amirov is providing support/insurance along the boards for a fellow teammate who is executing a poke-check or bodycheck. In addition, you can expect Amirov to play the puck and use his poke-checking ability to neutralize the attack. He brings the same poke-checking style to his offensive zone and neutral zone play.

All-in-all, Amirov is a strong winger prospect and is dynamic in all three zones. The only areas where you would like to see some improvement is beating that last attacker with his puck-handling and working on his shooting ability from range.

Comparison

Mark Stone, Right Wing, Las Vegas Golden Knights

Mark Stone seems like the perfect comparable for Amirov. Just like Amirov, Stone always seems to know where his teammates will be headed when delivering cross ice feeds and his stick-handling is strong (like in the tweet below from Corey Sznajder). In addition, both Stone and Amirov are strong two-way wingers.

stats from InStat Hockey and EliteProspects


Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.

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Need a scouting report on a particular prospect, contact us today!

Scouting Report: Wyatt Kaiser

Photo Credit: Stephen Gassman

Wyatt Kaiser is a defensive prospect, who played high school hockey in Minnesota for the majority of the season. Per EliteProspects, his grandfather, Blane Comstock had played collegiate hockey in Minnesota and his sister, Madison Kaiser is 15-year-old forward playing for the women’s hockey team at Andover.

Before suiting up for his high school varsity club, the Andover Huskies, Kaiser appeared in 11 games for the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints and recorded three assists.

Per Mick Hatten of The Rink Live in his article, Andover’s Wyatt Kaiser is a smooth-skating artist/defenseman, Kaiser informed the Fighting Saints that he would suit up for Andover once the season kicked off. In the same article, Kaiser shared with Hatten that he was adamant on getting his high school team to the state tournament.

While I do not often look at a prospect’s personality or morals in my reports, mainly because most of my work is done through video scouting and my interaction is limited with prospects, I do feel that given Kaiser’s loyalty to his high school team and his determination to get his team to the state tournament does bode well for his character.

After returning to Andover, Kaiser appeared in 25 regular season games and mustered up nine goals and 25 assists. He also played in six playoff games and recorded two goals and seven assists. In addition, Kaiser served as team captain for his varsity team, per Elite Prospects.

Next season, Kaiser will be playing for the University of Minnesota-Duluth and will play alongside a few other 2020 NHL Draft prospects including Ben Steeves, Owen Gallatin and Connor Kelley.

Player Profile

D.O.B – July 31, 2002
Nationality – United States of America
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –5’11
Weight –170 lbs
Position – Defense
Handedness – Left

Kaiser’s Style Of Play

One of the first things that you notice about Kaiser is how smooth his skating is. While it is not on par with Erie Otters’ defenseman Jamie Drysdale, his stride is still quite smooth and his crosses and edges are both in great form. Given how strong his footwork is, he is quite strong at moving laterally along the blue-line. With his blue-line skating ability, you could potentially look at Kaiser as a possible power play quarterback down the road.

From a defensive perspective, there is plenty to like about Kaiser. His gap control is air tight and when the opposition is playing the puck up against the boards, it can be difficult for the attackers to find room to bypass Kaiser. Kaiser has strong physicality and he is not afraid to use it at each end of the ice. With Kaiser’s physicality and gap control, if you are rushing up the ice or playing the puck close to the boards, your chances of getting around him are slim. In addition, the Ham Lake, Minnesota native does excellent work poke-checking. Similar to USNTDP defenseman Jake Sanderson, Kaiser gives you limited room to breathe when he has his stick glued to you.

In addition to Kaiser’s skating and defensive play, his hands are worth noting about it. When Kaiser has the puck and ready to complete a pass, his hands allow him to make a quick soft pass. The young Minnesotan is fully capable of completing a long stretch pass, behind the back pass along the boards with traffic glued on him and a strong tape-to-tape feed in the offensive zone.

In the offensive zone, Kaiser loves to pinch and join the cycle. He is constantly moving up and down the half-wall to pinch or go back to the blue-line. While Kaiser enjoys running the cycle and getting more involved in the offensive zone, there are instances where he holds onto the puck for too long in the slot and loses an opportunity to capitalize.

The only area where Kaiser could benefit from some more development is his decision making. At times, Kaiser does an excellent job reading the situation and using his peripheral vision to pin-point open teammates. But, there are also times where Kaiser acts too quickly and passes without determining the best teammate or lane to pass to/through. With that being said, his decision making will occasionally lead to turnovers. But, when Kaiser is on the mark, he will make plays like this, which look subtle and yet are highly effective.

Comparison

Bret Hedican, Left Handed Defenseman, Played for St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes and Anaheim Ducks

Trying to come up with a fair comparable for Kaiser was a challenge. While debating about it, Steven Ellis stumbled upon Mick Hatten’s article on The Rink Live and it mentioned a comparable in the post. Hatten spoke to Andover’s assistant coach Brett Barta and Barta explained that Bret Hedican was a comparable for Kaiser. After reading the Hedican comparable, I can not think of anyone better. With Hedican’s grit and determination to get involved in the offense (pinch/help the cycle), it seems like the perfect match.

stats from InStat Hockey and EliteProspects


Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.

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Need a scouting report on a particular prospect, contact us today!

Scouting Report: Jamie Drysdale

Photo from Aaron Bell/OHL Images

This is far from a strong year for defensemen. It wouldn’t be shocking if just 3-4 defenders in the first round, compared to a potential five in the top 10 next year. With so much focus on big-game, skillful forwards, it’s easy to forget just how good Jamie Drysdale is – and the top defensive prospect, no doubt.

In his two years of major junior, Drysdale has been named to both the first all-rookie and all-star teams, won medals with Canada at the U-18 and U-20 level and post two 40-plus point campaigns as an undersized, but pure skill-based defenseman with the Erie Otters. Digging deeper with the stats, only William Villeneuve (0.45) had a better even strength primary-points-per-game average than Drysdale (0.41) among draft-elgible defense prospects with at least 25 games played, regardless of league. In the past decade, only Evan Bouchard (0.51) and Tony DeAngelo (0.45) had a better primary EV P1/GP than Drysdale, albeit Drysdale played fewer games due to the World Junior Championship and an upper-body injury in February. Ottawa’s Alec Belanger was the only OHL defensemen this year in spitting distance (0.36), but even then, that’s quite the difference.

With the boring numbers out of the way, here’s a look at what makes Drysdale so valued as a prospect from a style perspective:

Player Profile

D.O.B – April 08, 2002
Nationality – Canada
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –5’11
Weight –170 lbs
Position – Defense
Handedness – Right

Drysdale’s Style Of Play

Unquestionably, in a year dominated by skilled, two-way centermen, Drysdale stands out as the top defenseman in the draft –and perhaps the only one selected in the top 10. Drysdale’s status as a modern-day defenseman – someone who can be effective at all ends of the ice and builds much of his game around speed – is unmatched among the draft class. One of the best skaters in the draft based on acceleration, top speed and start-stop fluidity, Drysdale possesses a smooth, powerful stride that often looks effortless in technique, but eloquent in execution. He’s on the small side of 5-foot-11, so Drysdale’s skating is a big plus – think Cale Makar’s foot speed.

Another big positive of his game is Drysdale’s confidence. Drysdale proved at the World Junior Championship that he can handle pressure and stop the game’s top young stars and despite the only 17-year-old defenseman on the team, he stepped up when the team needed him and rarely looked outmatched on any given shift. His confidence translates well when trying to dish the puck out – he’s willing to take risks because he has the ability to effectively get back into position without putting himself in a dangerous situation. When Drysdale rushes the puck, he’s capable of holding on to it as long as he needs to prepare a play without getting pressured into a mistake. That ability to remain calm in tough situations allows him to make the best play possible, especially on a rush – and Drysdale is no slouch when it comes to contributing offensively.

The best way to describe his decision-making with the puck is that he thinks like a forward. The best passers don’t look for the easy passes, they go for the smart ones that create the best scoring opportunity. Drysdale has the hands to make a move on a rush and like any good setup man, he keeps his options open while seeking the best partner around the net. Drysdale’s skating allows him to rush back to the blueline if he loses control, so he’s not afraid to pinch in and act as a fourth forward if the opportunity is right. That was evident at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup when he often found himself actively creating scoring opportunities and continued when the OHL season took full force – he just didn’t have high-end teammates to capitalize on the chances anymore.

That’s one of the main reasons why Dysdale became an instant power-play star in Erie. Drysdale’s high-end skating and smart decision-making make him an ideal candidate to quarterback the back end, highlighted by 22 of his 45 points coming on the power play. Ryan O’Rourke (four) was the only draft-eligible OHL defenseman with more power-play goals than Drysdale (three), with Drysdale leading the pack with 18 extra-man assists.

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Shot data via InStat

Drysdale will never be a physical defenseman and won’t have the strength to his advantage, but he’ll win puck possession by using his active stick or by utilizing his speed to cut off angles. When looking at the wave of young talented defensemen in the NHL – Makar, Rasmus Dahlin, Quinn Hughes – they sacrifice physicality for speed and skill, allowing them to thrive in the new NHL where small defensemen can reign supreme. Brandt Clarke, a top prospect for the 2021 NHL draft, has a similar build/skillset combination.

What sets Drysdale apart from the rest of the defensive pack is his ability to bring every positive quality of his game together every night. Drysdale has very few off-games and has the energy to keep going at a high pace throughout a contest. Drysdale’s complete package combines every noticeable quality a team is looking for in a modern-day defenseman – I’d argue that he’d be a threat for first overall in 2021.

Comparison

Dan Boyle, Right-Handed Defenseman, Florida Panthers/Tampa Bay Lightning/San Jose Sharks/New York Rangers

If we’re basing it solely off of Hockey Prospecting’s NHLe model, Drysdale and Boyle’s numbers are quite similar – style-wise, even more. Boyle was a power-play mastermind who was often one of the NHL’s top-scoring defenders, twice leading the NHL post-season in points by a defender. Boyle would often pinch in on a rush and had the creative skills to handle himself nicely under pressure. Boyle played in over 1,000 games and recorded 605 points – and that doesn’t include his Olympic performances, either – so that’s a solid career trajectory if Drysdale can hit anywhere close.

Stats from InStat Hockey and Elite Prospects.


This prospect report was written by Steven Ellis. If you would like to follow Steven on Twitter, his handle is @StevenEllisNHL.

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Scouting Report: Jacob Dion

Photo Credit: Voltigeurs de Drummondville

Jacob Dion is coming off of his rookie season with the QMJHL’s Drummondville Voltigeurs. The former fourth round selection in the 2018 QMJHL Draft displayed strong offensive qualities throughout the season. In 63 games played, the Stoke, Quebec native tallied 17 goals and 34 assists. With his 17 goal campaign, he broke records such as the Voltigeurs record for most goals by a rookie defenseman, earned a spot on the QMJHL’s All-Rookie Team and was a finalist for the Raymond-Legacé Trophy (went to Samuel Hlavaj of the Sherbrooke Phoenix).

Prior to his time with the Voltigeurs, he spent multiple seasons with the Magog Cantonniers of the QMAAA and played with a strong group of prospects including William Villeneuve (2020, Saint John Sea Dogs), Patrick Guay (2020, Sherbrooke Phoenix), Justin Robidas (2021, Val-d’Or Foreurs) and Isaac Belliveau (2021, Rimouski Océanic).

Player Profile

D.O.B – November 1, 2001
Nationality – Canada
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –5’9
Weight –181 lbs
Position – Defense
Handedness – Left

Dion’s Style Of Play

Jacob Dion likes to control the pace of the game in the offensive zone. The 5’9 defenseman is eager to pinch and complete tape-to-tape passes to his forwards once he has jumped up into the cycle.

In the defensive zone, Dion has a crisp and accurate first pass. Even with pressure bearing down on him, Dion still finds ways to evade a potential take-away and sends the puck over to an open teammate. In addition, he will occasionally use the boards to help complete his first pass if his attacker has not provided a gap. The Stoke native also does an efficient job of tracking the puck along the boards and he started to work on his physical play along the boards towards the end of the season (which was needed).

While Dion is still working on his physical game, there are some other areas in the defensive zone in which the young defenseman needs to improve upon. When it comes to be defending the rush, Dion has challenges handling speedy wingers like James Malatesta (2021, Quebec Remparts) and Zachary L’Heureux (2021, Halifax Mooseheads, formerly of the Moncton Wildcats). Speedy wingers seem to stun Dion and the defenseman has to switch from defending the rush to rushing after the puck. Aside from dealing with a speedy rush, Dion should be looking to tighten up his gap control, but I do expect that once he develops a more physically robust playing style that he will be able to use that to his advantage to tighten up gaps. Ultimately, the goal for Dion should be to acquire some of the physical attributes that fellow 2020 NHL Draft eligible prospect Eemil Viro of TPS has (Viro is similar in height/weight, just slightly taller). If Dion can resemble the physical play that Viro brings to the ice, he will be tough to beat at both ends of the ice.

In terms of transitional play and skating, Dion has proven to be quite reliable at moving the puck from zone-to-zone. As others have mentioned, Dion has “silky smooth skating” and it is hard to disagree with their assessment. He possesses strong mobility and cross-overs that power his acceleration.

While it is evident that Dion has found plenty of success at scoring goals, in the below chart from InStat Hockey, you can see that his success solely comes from the slot. This makes sense as Dion is at his best from a playmaking perspective when he pinches and is part of the cycle. But, if you were expecting Dion to fire hard slap shot from the point like a Mike Green or John Carlson, those type of goals will not likely occur that often.

Image Credit: InStat Hockey

All-in-all, Dion has plenty of upside and if he can develop a stronger physical game, he will be a handful for his opponents.

Comparison

Matt Grzelcyk, Left Handed Defenseman, Boston Bruins

While Grzelcyk is easily more physical and is stronger at gap control than Dion, both defensemen are undersized and are strong pinching defensemen. Grzelcyk and Dion have the ability to create perfectly timed tape-to-tape passes that lead the way to scoring chances.

stats from InStat Hockey and EliteProspects


Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.

Looking for other scouting reports? Check out the Prospects tab for our other scouting reports.

Need a scouting report on a particular prospect, contact us today!

Scouting Report: Colby Ambrosio

Photo Credit: Eldon Holmes / Tri-City Storm

The Welland, Ontario native has been playing competitively in the United States since 2017 when he spent the season played with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres 16U. When he was playing midget hockey up in Buffalo, he had played alongside fellow 2020 NHL Draft eligible prospect, Luke Tuch (now part of the USNTDP program).

After the 2017-2018 season, Ambrosio joined the Tri-City Storm of the USHL and has completed two seasons with the Kearney, Nebraska based club. This past season, he recorded 26 goals and 24 assists in 48 games played. Ambrosio lead the Storm in totals points and was second in the USHL in power play goals with 13 (behind Christian Sarlo of the Lincoln Stars).

Next season, Ambrosio will be joining the Boston College Eagles. He will get the opportunity to play of one of the most notable college hockey coaches in Jerry York. In addition, he will be playing in a strong offensive unit which features Alex Newhook (Colorado Avalanche), Nikita Nesterenko (Minnesota Wild), Jack McBain (Minnesota Wild), Logan Hutsko (Florida Panthers) and Matthew Boldy (Minnesota Wild).

Given the relationship that the Minnesota Wild have with Boston College, I would not be shocked to see the Wild scoop up Ambrosio at the draft. But, do not rule out the Avalanche and Panthers, who have multiple prospects on the Eagles.

Player Profile

D.O.B –August 7, 2002
Nationality – Canada
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –5’9
Weight –170 lbs
Position – Center
Handedness – Right

Ambrosio’s Style Of Play

Colby Ambrosio has a lethal shot and if you could not tell from the above content, he is dynamite on the power play. While you could argue that having a dynamic power play quarterback like Mitchell Miller would make Ambrosio stronger, you can not ignore how accurate Ambrosio is with his shot on the left side of the ice. He has his Alexander Ovechkin-style preferred power play shooting spot and frustrates goaltenders whenever he is being fed one-timer passes.

In addition, Ambrosio does embody solid speed and his crossovers help drive him. He can get up and down the ice at a relatively quick pace. He will dart after loose pucks and apply some pressure in the offensive zone to try to regain the puck.

While Ambrosio does have a fast stride, I have noticed some issues with his acceleration. Ambrosio tends to plant his left skate on the ice and then use his right skate to help propel him. This means that Ambrosio is exerting quite a bit of power from his right leg to push him forward.

While this might not seem like a big issue, it is a habit that needs to be addressed. This style of skating with damper his speed and creates challenges when the puck is quickly turned over and Ambrosio has to quickly react.

From a passing perspective, Ambrosio is a good tape-to-tape passer. But, occasionally will struggle in the slot with a decent amount of pressure and will find difficulty in completing cross ice passes. There are instances in which Ambrosio is aiming to complete a cross ice pass, but instead of connecting with his teammate, the puck misses the mark and he ends up giving the puck away.

When you look at Ambrosio’s aggression, he has fight in his game and is determined to keep the puck in the cycle when his opponent is looking to clear the puck. Also, Ambrosio seems to fare well at open ice when poke-checking. But, when Ambrosio has the puck along the boards, he has challenges fending off his attacker and that has a lot to do with his size. In the defensive zone, Ambrosio does not have the same aggression in his game and tends to move around the left side of the ice and wait for a loose puck. In fact, InStat Hockey has provided several challenge metrics from Ambrosio’s 2019-2020 campaign. He will average anywhere between 2-4 challenges in the defensive zone per game. Ambrosio should be looking to improve his defensive game next season in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

If Ambrosio does not seem to be improving upon his defensive game, I suspect that Jerry York will experiment with Ambrosio on the wing instead of at center.

Comparison

Victor Olofsson, Left Wing, Buffalo Sabres

Just like Olofsson, Ambrosio has plenty of speed and a dangerous shot that allows for quite a bit of success on the power play. Also, both forwards are looking to improve their productivity at 5v5 as their 5v4/5v3 production truly out-weights their 5v5 production.

stats from InStat Hockey and EliteProspects


Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.

Looking for other scouting reports? Check out the Prospects tab for our other scouting reports.

Need a scouting report on a particular prospect, contact us today!