| Maxim Ilyichyov | Russkie Vityazi Chekhov | MHL | L | C | 6’0″ | 154 | Ufa, RUS | 2006 | 2023-2024: B |
Game Grade: C
Comments: Ilyichov had a couple of good moments in this game but overall was a bit too passive. He is great in the faceoff circle and won a majority of his attempts. He showed a deep knee’d athletic skating posture with a smooth glide allowing him to move around the ice with ease. We feel there are times he is a bit too overconfident with the puck on his stick and seems to think faster than he can which causes him to move into bad areas and cough up the puck on the rush. We also noted he took a lazy penalty after ignoring his coach’s call for a change in the offensive zone. He got stuck on the ice for way longer than he should have been and punished his team with a bad penalty. In our mind Ilyichov does not have the elite offensive skill set or compete level right now to push for a draft selection.
| Arseni Ilyin | SKA-Yunior Krasnogorsk | MHL | L | RW | 6’1″ | 181 | Petrozavodsk, RUS | 2007 |
Game Grade: A-
Comments: Arseni Ilyin is a late 2007 that looks as confident as an MHL veteran at 15 years old. He has elite hands and can maneuver himself out of very tight situations with a couple of quick stick handles. He keeps his head up when the puck is on his stick and is able to quickly adapt to incoming pressure and changes in the defensive positioning. He evades pressure with tight turns and gives himself enough space along the boards to leave multiple escape options. Arseni is very patient with the puck and is not afraid to cut back on the rush if his lane is taken away. He makes sure to find good pass options to help his team transition the puck rather than force it through congested areas. As he gets older and refines his skill this will be a very important trait which should allow him to dominate with high IQ decision making. Without the puck on his stick, he stays in motion and works his way around the offensive zone to provide pass support for his teammates. He times his cuts well to become the best target possible and was able to generate a couple of shot opportunities through his movements in the offensive zone. Arseni plays a very patient and smart game for his age. A great example of this is his retrieval of pucks in the corner. He angled his feet as if he was going to cut behind the net once the puck was on his stick but dropped his weight and made an agile turn the other way, opening up a wide lane to start the breakout. Ilyin is trusted on the second power play unit and will likely get time on the first unit by the end of the season. Arseni Ilyin is likely the next Michkov/Demidov and will be a very high draft pick in 2026. He is incredibly smart and skilled for his age and has plenty of time to further develop his game and become a dominant first line player before his draft. Very high potential for Ilyin.
| Artyom Bilinchuk | SKA-Yunior Krasnogorsk | MHL | RW | 6’0″ | 161 | St. Petersburg, RUS | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Grade: Limited Viewing
Comments: Bilinchuk did not get much ice time in this game, but he was able to show off some elite hands when he got the chance. He has very strong wrists and was able to pull off some impressive moves with a combination of quick stick handles in tight spots. He wasn’t able to generate much from his moves, but his hands were impressive enough to mention.
| German Suzdorf | SKA-Yunior Krasnogorsk | MHL | L | C | 6’4″ | 192 | Yeysk, RUS | 2007 | 2024-2025: B |
Game Grade: B
Comments: Suzdorf is a 2025 draft eligible forward with a tall build and defense first mindset. He makes diligent scans in the defensive zone and stays in motion to help close off any potential options in his zone. German is trusted on the first penalty kill unit at 16 years old and does a fantastic job of taking away passing lanes with constant movement and his long reach. He angles opponents towards the boards and helps to shut down play with his quick feet and positioning. As he gains strength his skating form will need work over the next few seasons as he moves with an outside of his shoulder width stance and short strides that do not finish with a toe snap. He is very skinny and easily knocked over. His puck play is also not great right now, but he has shown some improvements this season. As German gets some more experience at the MHL level and fills his lanky frame, he will be on the right path to become a responsible two way forward and give himself a great chance to be drafted.
| Daniil Anatsky | SKA-Yunior Krasnogorsk | MHL | L | C | 6’3″ | 214 | Khanty-Mansiysk, RUS | 2006 | 2023-2024: B |
Game Grade: C+
Comments: 2024 draft eligible Daniil Anatsky has a big frame and some good traits to build off of. He has a powerful stride which he uses well to rush the puck with pace. He uses the full width of the ice and is able to change lanes quickly with crossovers to avoid opponents on his way into the offensive zone. Without the puck on his stick, he is a bit too low energy. He coasts around the offensive zone with a straight up stance and is not much of a threat to become an option. Neutral Zone want to see Anatsky become more confident and try to actively contribute in the offensive zone rather than stand around waiting for the puck to find him.
| Nikita Surayev | SKA-Yunior Krasnogorsk | MHL | L | RW | 5’10” | 150 | Karaganda, KAZ | 2005 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Grade: C+
Comments: 2024 draft eligible Surayev is a skilled forward who controls possession every time he is on the ice. He seemed to have the puck on his stick all night and was able to slip his way through opponents in the offensive zone with quick cuts and well timed dekes to move into space. He circles the zone on his inside edges and his head up scanning for options. He is very hard to get the puck from as he is very aware of where everyone is on the ice and shields the puck with his body before pulling off skilled moves to create separation. He is incredibly calm under pressure and seems to always have an escape plan. He plays at a high pace and is hard to keep up with. There were moments in this game where he executed some perfect passes to set up teammates cross zone but, overall, we feel he needs to work on moving the puck more. He seems to hold onto the puck for far too long and misses out on some great opportunities. Although he has the skill to create chances he just does not capitalize when teammates become targets. Surayev scored the game winner with a well-placed shot from the slot. He cut into the middle lane then stopped up hard to create a bit of separation and fired a hard wrist shot over the goalie’s glove. Surayev is a very skilled and poised player worth a look in the second half of the 2024 draft.
Logo Courtesy of SKA-Yunior Krasnogorsk
Player Evaluations: Henry Lawrence