| Alexander Shen | Khanty Mansiysk | MHL | R | LW | 6’0″ | 191 | Nizhnevartovsk, RUS | 2006 | 2023-2024: B- |
Game Grade: B-
Comments: Shen showed potential to be a late round steal in the NHL draft. Shen plays at a very high pace. He has a smooth and powerful stride that allows him to get around the ice with ease. He is confident with the puck and has the hands to beat defenders 1v1. He is a good transition player that changes lanes at optimal times and uses his speed to break into the offensive zone. He finished with 1G 1A and was a big reason why Mamonty was able to get back into the game. His goal was scored on the rush. He worked hard to get to the slot and kept fighting for the puck, finishing his second attempt after the first was blocked. He picked up an assist on Mamonty’s second goal when he got a stick on a shot from the point that deflected the puck to his teammate for a rebound finish. Unfortunately I did not take many notes on Shen until late in the second so I don’t feel as though I have the full picture of who he is as a player. However, what I did see caused me to add his name to my list and I will definitely put another Yugri game on my schedule soon to get a better feel for him.
| Alexander Plesovskikh | Khanty Mansiysk | MHL | R | RW | 6’2″ | 174 | Tyumen, RUS | 2006 | 2023-2024: B- |
Game Grade: C
Comments: Plesovskikh showed off impressive speed and effort on both sides of the puck. He played at a high pace on the rush, using a smooth stride to work his way around and through opponents. He has quick hands that he was able to show off a few times but attacked head on and turned the puck over too many times. I liked his ability to slip into open space around the net. He timed his cuts well with his linemates movements to become available at opportune moments making himself available for chances in tight. The passes were off and he was unable to generate chances from these cuts but he had the right idea. He showed off good effort on the forecheck and backcheck, applying pressure and making opponents uncomfortable. Although he didn’t have the puck on his stick often, his fluid stride and stick handles caught my eye multiple times throughout the game.
| Artyom Gonchar | Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk | MHL | L | D | 5’11” | 154 | Chelyabinsk, RUS | 2006 | 2024-2025: C+ |
Game Grade: C+
Comments: Gonchar is a quick and agile two way defenseman. He rushed the puck up ice with confidence and joined the play deep into the offensive zone on multiple occasions. He was tasked with minutes on the first powerplay unit and snapped the puck around with intention. He picked up an assist, shooting from the point and his teammate redirected the puck past the goalie. He played solid defense, Using his body to close opponents off into the boards and also using his agility to keep up with opponents circling the defensive zone. A high paced, notable performance from a young defenseman with lots of time to mature into a quality player.
| Saveli Tkach | Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk | MHL | R | D | 5’10” | 172 | Tobolsk, RUS | 2005 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: C+
Comments: Tkach is an agile, quick passing, offensive defenseman. He walks the line with speed and confidence, changing directions with hard stops and quick starts, and uses crossovers well to maneuver around the offensive zone. He does an effective job as power play quarterback firing quick passes around the umbrella. I want to see him take more risks on the power play. It felt like he just chose the closest man more often than not and could have worked harder to generate chances through his pass attempts. He showed off hard slap shots and wrist shots from the point and might be able to score a couple this season if he shoots more often.
Player Evaluations: Henry Lawrence
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