Adam French: Russian Draft Eligible's at the U18's

Thanks really appreciate the update.

Early in the season I thought Tarasenko was the best pure player to come out of Russia in a long time. Love his skill, his willingness to go to the hard areas on the ice and his natural leadership skills. Don't see much of St. Louis this year. Wonder why he has had an apparent second half fall off. Understand the concussion symptoms earlier.

Have you followed his game this year and have any insight into his progress?

Thanks really appreciate the update.

Early in the season I thought Tarasenko was the best pure player to come out of Russia in a long time. Love his skill, his willingness to go to the hard areas on the ice and his natural leadership skills. Don't see much of St. Louis this year. Wonder why he has had an apparent second half fall off. Understand the concussion symptoms earlier.

Have you followed his game this year and have any insight into his progress?
- spatso

That injury really took him off his game and then when St. Louis pulled it all together down the stretch Hitchcock probably didn't want to mess around with the roster.

Good write up buuuuuddy.

It will be intersting to see where they choose the Russian guys this year.

I have similar reservations about Valery Nichushkin, but mine are based on the fact he doesn't seem to doesn't look for teammates/options. He is still basically a VHL Russian player, who hasn't played in the Russian Pro Elite, and that, to me, means a team is going get him here, and have him willing to develop a North American game, probably in the AHL....and that its where things get tricky. I don't think anyone reading this blog needs me to start naming Russian names, but NHL teams have had many unsuccessful attempts of polishing promising Russian prospects in the AHL.
A lot comes down to home-sickness, culture adjustment, speaking English/French, fitting in with teammates and not being out on island while trying to be a future NHLer.

So unless you sign him, and basically give him the keys to all the cars, eg.... instant ascension to the NHL team, on hand translator, and constant tutorals at team strategy/tactics, and how many NHL teams in contention can make that commitment?

Or you draft him, and wait and see if when he moves up to the Russian big leagues, he continues to show leite, skill and then, even then, there is an adjustment.
(Yeah, Malkin, Ovie, Datsyuk did it...but I bet if you investigate the back stories, you will see the teams concentrated on helping this transition in many many ways.)

Even the teams who are not in contention better be ready to lose the "my way or the highway" thinking if they select Russians.

But the true bottom line, is Valery Nichushkin is a giant that moves like a lightweight flyer on his skates, and that will attract thoughts of taking him high, despite, all the side issues. It remanins to be seem that he is a player you draft to rresurrect your franchise.

Here's my complete scouting report on him and the other top 250 2013 prospects...click on their name to see them...

Oh, and Adam didn't you have this same blog thrown up there a few weeks ago? Why did you re-post?

http://www.draftsite.com/.../valery-nichushkin/17570/

I have similar reservations about Valery Nichushkin, but mine are based on the fcat he doesn't seem to doesn't look for teammates/options. He is still basically a VHL Russian player, who hasn't played in the Russian Pro Elite, and that, to me, means a team is going get him here, and have him willing to develop a North American game, probably in the AHL....and that its where things get tricky. I don't think anyone reading this blog needs me to start naming Russian names, but NHL teams have had many unsuccessful attempts of polishing promising Russian prospects in the AHL.
A lot comes down to home-sickness, culture adjustment, speaking English/French, fitting in with teammates and not being out on island while trying to be a future NHLer.

So unless you sign him, and basically give him the keys to all the cars, eg.... instant ascension to the NHL team, on hand translator, and constant tutorals at team strategy/tactics, and how many NHL teams in contention can make that commitment?

Or you draft him, and wait and see if when he moves up to the Russian big leagues, he continues to show leite, skill and then, even then, there is an adjustment.
(Yeah, Malkin, Ovie, Datsyuk did it...but I bet if you investigate the back stories, you will see the teams concentrated on helping this transition in many many ways.)

Even the teams who are not in contention better be ready to lose the "my way or the highway" thinking if they select Russians.

But the true bottom line, is Valery Nichushkin is a giant that moves like a lightweight flyer on his skates, and that will attract thoughts of taking him high, despite, all the side issues. It remanins to be seem that he is a player you draft to rresurrect your franchise.

Here's my complete scouting report on him and the other top 250 2013 prospects...click on their name to see them...

Oh, and Adam didn't you have this same blog thrown up there a few weeks ago? Why did you re-post?

http://www.draftsite.com/.../valery-nichushkin/17570/
- wiz1901

I'm going team by team and I agree with the bulk of your concerns on Nichushkin

I'm going to read this female dog in it's entirety. For real this time.

I'm going team by team and I agree with the bulk of your concerns on Nichushkin
- AdamFrench

So why is he ranked so high? Is his sister just that hot?

Something doesn't add up.

So why is he ranked so high? Is his sister just that hot?

Something doesn't add up.
- Lahey

6'4 faster than lightning, can't teach that and his talent level is very high. Teams are all looking for those kinds of players and the cliches of "He can be taught defense, or he can be taught to be tougher" are thrown around.

6'4 faster than lightning, can't teach that and his talent level is very high. Teams are all looking for those kinds of players and the cliches of "He can be taught defense, or he can be taught to be tougher" are thrown around.
- AdamFrench

I have met a couple of 6'4"guys that you could teach nothing to as well.

6'4 faster than lightning, can't teach that and his talent level is very high. Teams are all looking for those kinds of players and the cliches of "He can be taught defense, or he can be taught to be tougher" are thrown around.
- AdamFrench

This whole mystical teaching toughness seems to rarely work out. Although if he has speed and talent he could be like Penner. No not the lazy guy that eats pancakes, but the one that used his size and speed to bull his way to the net.

Does he at least have that bull mentality or glimpses of it?

This whole mystical teaching toughness seems to rarely work out. Although if he has speed and talent he could be like Penner. No not the lazy guy that eats pancakes, but the one that used his size and speed to bull his way to the net.

Does he at least have that bull mentality or glimpses of it?
- Lahey

Glimpses, he'll make a power move once every now and then, see his great two goals in the U20 tournament, if he did that often he'd be a star...but then if he did that often we wouldn't be having a discussion other than Nichushkin or Jones.

I have met a couple of 6'4"guys that you could teach nothing to as well.
- bixll

Glimpses, he'll make a power move once every now and then, see his great two goals in the U20 tournament, if he did that often he'd be a star...but then if he did that often we wouldn't be having a discussion other than Nichushkin or Jones.
- AdamFrench

Ah so a bigger Magnus Pajarvvi

Ah so a bigger Magnus Pajarvvi
- Lahey

Without the defensive awareness that MPS shows

Without the defensive awareness that MPS shows
- AdamFrench

Andrei Kovalenko? He was 240 one year

Andrei Kovalenko? He was 240 one year
- Lahey

Nikita Alexeyev

I'm going team by team and I agree with the bulk of your concerns on Nichushkin
- AdamFrench

Yeah, it can make the home town fans feel good that their team snagged superbly talented impact possible"super-star" in the draft.

It going to be continual re-runs or the Evgeny Kuznetsov scenario in Washington...

Your fan base starts looking across the pond, that this is the guy, and when will he be here, etc.

Fans start to hang their hopes around the arrival, and even build to the prospects "legend" and then they arrive and sometimes can't fit, no matter what the player's skill level...

So sometimes selecting a player like this works better later because if it doesn't work out you don't have the team & fans saying "we missed out on MacKinnon (fill for THIS guy?)
So, choices like this make or break GMs/scouting staffs.

The key is probably where you make this selection.

Maybe it is easier if a team has more than on first rounders.

I have been working on an article on the tiers of an average draft and the thicker ones in this one.
Tier Five: Players that are good value through the the late first round and second round, and may have fallen due to lack of progress in the draft year, or are still working to win over talent evaluators to the idea that they will who may have signficant upside, with developing tools, with the chance to have NHL careers.

The 5th Tier of this 2013 Draft extends well into the the fourth round, unheard of...

6'4 faster than lightning, can't teach that and his talent level is very high. Teams are all looking for those kinds of players and the cliches of "He can be taught defense, or he can be taught to be tougher" are thrown around.
- AdamFrench

To me from the limited times I've seen him, the comparison I used is Dustin Penner. When they want to turn it on, they can be dominant. Control the puck on the boards and extremely hard to push off the puck. Problem as you say is it's not consistent. In an 82 game season in the NHL he's not the kind of guy that is going to show up every night like the Ovi, Kovy, Yakupov energy types. I would not be surprised to see him fall quite a ways.

So why is he ranked so high? Is his sister just that hot?

Something doesn't add up.
- Lahey

More like his skills are.

You don't often see a guy that can blow past defenders on the outside, like little Jason Zucker (who is ((of course)) listed as bigger than he is.), but be a big guy in siuations on the wall and in collisions.

To me from the limited times I've seen him, the comparison I used is Dustin Penner.
- Iggysbff

I actually don't think it is a fair compariosn. Penner spent many a summer with skating instructors to get himself to where he is and Valery Nichushkin moves like a deer.

Now I wouldn't attempt a comparison to Nail Yakupov who to me has a little Marcel Dionne in him. Both have this outreagous jump, but like Dionne, Yakupov is gonna take some time to channel and slow or channel the speed to an attack, and there will be more success.

I am not Nicky's agent, but he clearly has the look of a big time scorer, with no impediments in terms or toughness, or any aspects.

The raw skills are tantalizing but I hope he doesn't have an oiler jersey on draft day unless he slides and we have a second 1st.

Monahan barkov nurse or bust!

How did you feel dani zharkov progressed this year?

The raw skills are tantalizing but I hope he doesn't have an oiler jersey on draft day unless he slides and we have a second 1st.

Monahan barkov nurse or bust!

How did you feel dani zharkov progressed this year?
- ystoil

He is STILL the "King of the Divers."

The raw skills are tantalizing but I hope he doesn't have an oiler jersey on draft day unless he slides and we have a second 1st.

Monahan barkov nurse or bust!

How did you feel dani zharkov progressed this year?
- ystoil

I think the kid still has issues with his feet, the short stride, and the continual over-sell dives he takes...just quit it,Daniil!

I think the Oilers may have one of the bigger defenders targeted, but this draft is all about positioning for the guys you like best at any position.

I could see the Oil looking to trade up a few spots to the ten spot if Buffalo, NJ or Dallas want to move down to slot seven....and still possibly get a bigger defensive defender.