| Yaroslav Fedoseyev | Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk | MHL | R | D | 6’0″ | 181 | Chelyabinsk, RUS | 2007 |
Game Grade: C+
Comments: Fedoseyev was a guy who I did not go into the game searching for but he caught my eye with his skating ability and quick decision making. He is an incredibly agile skater and was able to pull off some gorgeous escapes with his feet. He used quick changes of edges and tight turns to create separation from forecheckers. He is incredibly patient with the puck and does not let pressure affect his decision-making. He recognizes smart pass options and is able to execute quick one touch passes to move play up ice. He keeps his head up and is able to snap the puck around well in the OZ. I did not get to see much of him in the DZ but he does seem to be more of an offensive player. He got beat pretty easily on a rush in the third and did not show much effort to try to get back leading to a dangerous chance on a 2v1. He did make a great decision to keep play in the OZ with a step up at the line. He timed his cut perfectly and stepped up stick first block the progression of Belye’s breakout. Fedoseyev is an offensively focused defenseman and will need a lot of work to become a more well-rounded player but his skating and quick playmaking abilities make him an intriguing player to keep an eye on. He is not eligible until 2026 and has a ton of time to work on his game and the potential to become one of the top defensive prospects in his class.
| Andrei Matyushin | Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk | MHL | L | C | 5’8″ | 168 | Penza, RUS | 2006 | 2024-2025: B |
Game Grade: C+
Comments: Matyushin is a skilled but undersized forward. He shows off skilled edgework and can accelerate very quickly with a smooth and powerful stride. His most interesting play of the game came early in the first when he pulled off a slick deke around a defender. The man stepped up and attempted a hit through his chest but Andrei stood strong and dropped the much larger man showing off great strength and awareness. He gets time on the first power play as the slot man and does a good job of opening up into space to attempt to become an option. His passes were a bit rushed and not very accurate tonight, missing teammates in motion and causing a couple of avoidable turnovers. His motor was inconsistent and he mostly coasted around but when it was on, he was able to make a big impact. On the forecheck he applied good pressure and forced opponents into bad spots. He finished a couple of checks hard and was able to force a turnover or two. He pulled off a great steal on the backcheck, powering down ice to catch up to his man and stripping him of the puck with a quick stick lift. This was not the best game I have seen from Matyushin this season. He needs to keep that motor going every shift which as a smaller player would give him an advantage in all situations.
| Timofei Zhulin | Irbis Kazan | MHL | R | C | 5’11” | 168 | Pavlovo, RUS | 2005 | 2023-2024: C+ |
Game Grade: C
Comments: Zhulin is a guy that I feel has a lot of NHL upside but this game was not the best showcase of his range of abilities. He is a speedy forward with skilled hands and the ability to power his way to the net. In this game, he lacked the motor that he typically brings every shift. He was a bit more of a background player and was nearly invisible at times. He was able to show off his powerful stride which he used to push pace up ice a few times tonight. He was unable to beat defenders 1v1 like he normally is and was shut down easily after gaining the offensive blue line. When he rushes up ice, he always has his head up and scans for pass options which he was able to take advantage of before he was able to be shut down in the NZ. His effort away from the puck was not as good tonight either. He applied good forecheking pressure but it was not consistent for the full game. In the DZ, he was consistently in the right position but did not exert much effort to attempt to steal possession. He also cheated up ice before possession was secured by his team forcing him to loop back down. Zhulin is a guy that I feel is one of the best forwards in this Russian class. His point totals do not reflect that statement but I have seen him set up a number of dangerous chances this season that were not finished by his teammates.
| Kirill Kutuzov | Irbis Kazan | MHL | L | RW | 6’0″ | 163 | Kostroma, RUS | 2006 | 2024-2025: B |
Game Grade: C+
Comments: Kutuzov had a solid performance in tonight’s game and showed off some of the skill that has made him a highly regarded prospect for the class of 2026. Kirill has quick hands and he uses them well in combination with his body positioning and quick feet to protect the puck from opponents along the wall. In a specific instance, he shielded possession from an opponent as he worked his way around the boards behind the goal. He forced his way above the goal line and attempted to hit a teammate in the slot. Early in the season Kutuzov showed off a heavy wrist shot that helped him earn 7 goals in 8 games but that scoring touch has disappeared for the time being. Most of his shot attempts in this game came from distance and did not threaten the goalie. Though his points have slowed a bit, he still shows off good traits that suggest he will heat back up again soon. He made active cuts into dangerous areas to become a pass target but was not used often enough to make an impact. Kutuzov’s playmaking game needs some work in the sense that he does not take many risks and is unable to manipulate defenses to open up lanes, but he showed off an ability to make quick pass decisions and was able to execute a number of tap passes to keep play moving. He has skilled hands but has trouble using them in tight situations. Without time and space his stickhandling is not very effective. He was a bit undisciplined in this game as well, picking up a lazy hook on the back check and drew a matching rough when he got in a shoving match after the whistle. I like the aggressiveness and the lack of fear to get involved physically but it was not the best time to do so as it was only a 1 goal game in the final 10 minutes of the game. Kirill is a highly skilled forward with great finishing ability. He is going to have to do a lot of work to refine his skills but he has plenty of time to do so and he will be one of the best Russian forwards in the class of 2026.
Scout: Henry Lawrence