| Oleg Trofimchuk | MHK Spartak Moskva | MHL | L | RW | 6’1″ | 165 | Buguruslan, RUS | 2005 | 2023-2024: C+ |
Game Grade: B
Comments: Impressive game from draft eligible Trofimchuk who was able to pick up an assist off of a high effort play on the forecheck. He entered a battle with intention, won the puck and quickly spun towards the cage. He hit a man in front with a quick pass which was moved one more time before the puck was tapped in. He consistently broke up plays with a high effort forecheck and battled hard for possession. He showed an ability to transition the puck with speed, beating multiple defenders with his hands 1v1 and working his way to the net for a shot on goal. Trofimchuk kept his head up when the puck was on his stick and consistently attempted dangerous passes to set up chances in front. Not all of them made it to their targets but he showed a good ability to pick passing options and generated chances through his passes. Definitely a guy I want to check up on as the season continues for a better assessment of his abilities.
| Nikita Rakcheyev | MHK Spartak Moskva | MHL | L | RW | 6’3″ | 198 | Orenburg, RUS | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Grade: B+
Comments: Rakcheyev has not been given very much ice time this season, but I thought he looked like one of the best players in tonight’s game. He is a tall and lanky forward with great skating form and a high compete level. His work along the boards was very impressive in this game. He has a high motor and makes sure to get involved in just about every battle possible. He laid the body when entering battles and quickly stripped the puck and looked up ice to complete quick passes to spark the breakout. He forechecks hard and is a pest to be out against. His work with the puck along the boards was just as impressive. He kept his feet moving and positioned his body in between his man and the puck and made quick cuts to create separation. He showed off skilled hands and was able to deke his way into space while scanning for options and made quick heads up passes to keep play moving. I’m not sure why he is not trusted with more minutes but from what I saw, he is one of the hardest working players on Spartak.
Ivan Demidov | SKA 1946 St. Petersburg | MHL | L | C | 5’11” | 181 | Sergiyev Posad, RUS | 2005 | 2023-2024: A |
Game Grade: A
Comments: Since returning from injury, Demidov has been as advertised and is beginning to dominate the MHL once again. He picked up a goal and a primary assist in this game off of two smart plays. Demidov has elite footwork and is able to generate a ton of speed using changes of edge and quick crossovers. He uses his patented heel to heel form to fly around the offensive zone while searching for options. His straight-line speed is very impressive as well, he is able to accelerate to high speeds quickly and push pace in transition. Demidov’s puck handling ability is elite. He was able to pull off multiple through the legs moves into space, fake opponents out with quick stick handles, and work his way out of very tight situations with precise dekes. I have also been very impressed with his ability to blend receptions with dekes and continue moving up ice in one fluid motion. This ability was shown off in the first period when he reached behind him to steal an errant pass, slip the puck through his legs, and quickly attempt to hit a teammate in the slot. This was also a great example of his vision and ability to read the ice quickly. He always has his head up and makes constant scans of each zone to determine where the next play will develop. He sets up a ton of chances around the cage and completes tricky passes through tiny lanes to find teammates cross zone. He takes risks but most pay off. His assist came early in the second period on a rush attempt. He caught a pass very close to the cage and rather than taking a shot from a bad angle he picked his head up and slid the puck through the crease to a wide-open man for an easy tap in. Great vision on display and he is able to find and execute passes as they are developing. Another trait that Ivan showed tonight was his ability to slip into open space to support his teammates without the puck. He is always in motion and makes sure to move into spots where his teammates can find him with a pass. This allowed for extra possession in the offensive zone by giving escape options for his teammates and generated a ton of chances for Ivan around the slot area. Ivan has a heavy wrist shot and is not afraid to shoot the puck. He fires shots often and hits the cage more often than not. He has consistently picked up 3+ shots on goal in every game this season and has reached 7 shots before. He can clearly create chances through his cuts and handling ability. His goal came in the first period on a rebound finish. He cut into space the second he saw the puck jump off of the goalie’s pad and buried it top shelf with an insanely quick release. Ivan is not an elite defender, but he does not slack in his own end of the ice. He shows off good positioning and scans to keep track of cutting opponents. He works hard without the puck and battles hard for possession in all three zones. I love the fact that he does not give up on plays and is not the typical superstar that is afraid to get to dirty areas/gives up after a turnover. Ivan keeps his feet moving and gets physical to win pucks. There are times when Ivan can force bad plays by attempting to beat multiple defenders or pass into traffic, but he generates more chances than anyone at the MHL level. He deserves top 3 consideration in the draft, and I will not be surprised when he gets called early in June. He has high first line potential and should be a star in the NHL after some experience in the KHL.
| Yegor Graf | SKA 1946 St. Petersburg | MHL | R | LW | 5’10” | 174 | Barnaul, RUS | 2006 | 2023-2024: B |
Game Grade: B
Comments: Ever since he was moved onto a line with Ivan Demidov, Graf has shown a new level of confidence and some skilled playmaking abilities. He has recently shown off some elite footwork and has been able to carve around the offensive zone with speed and help keep play moving with quick passes. He does not have the most skilled hands in the world but is able to work his way into space well and feed the puck to cutting teammates. He picked up a goal in this game off of a great feed from Demidov for a tap in from the crease. He has received a major boost in production from his new linemates, but he has also been able to create some quality chances at times. I am still frustrated with some of his decisions with the puck. Far too often I am writing down that Yegor threw a no-look pass which was intercepted or he mishandled the puck when getting too cocky and forcing play into traffic. Graf is a player I have been up and down with this season, and he continues to show some of the red flags as we get later into his draft year. I will not be surprised when he gets picked but I personally would not draft him.
| Matvei Korotky | SKA 1946 St. Petersburg | MHL | R | C | 5’11” | 170 | Krasnoyarsk, RUS | 2005 | 2023-2024: C+ |
Game Grade: B+
Comments: Another impressive performance from Korotky who continues to work his way up my rankings. His pace of play is fantastic, and he always keeps his feet moving. Matvei’s ability to accelerate to top speeds with a few quick steps is ridiculous. He is very hard to keep up with when he kicks it into high gear. He showed off some elite hands in very tight spaces tonight and was able to work his way into space well. He avoids pokes and uses his hands well to adapt to defensive changes and drive his way into open space. Matvei generates a ton of chances through his speed and skill, creating shots on goal from all over the offensive zone. He needs to work on his playmaking ability as he does not generate as much through his passing and can sometimes force bad plays, but he is still an effective forward. His effort without the puck is equally impressive. He forechecks and backchecks every shift and forces his way into board battles. He applies great pressure without the puck and can force mistakes with his suffocating attacks. On one play in particular, a turnover caused an odd man rush for his opponents. Matvei flew back down ice and made a diving play to try to disrupt the chance. Unfortunately, the puck ended up in the back of the net, but he showed more heart and determination than all of his other teammates on the play and forced a quicker shot than the opponent would have liked. I love Korotky’s combination of motor and skill. His playmaking ability holds him back and is likely the reason why he is not given time on a line with Demidov. I think Korotky has the potential to become a skilled middle six forward with penalty kill potential. The kid has a ton of heart and works hard to earn possession for his team. Worth a look in the middle rounds of the draft.
| Artyom Vilchinsky | SKA 1946 St. Petersburg | MHL | L | D | 6’6″ | 227 | Vladivostok, RUS | 2006 | 2024-2025: B |
Game Grade: A-
Comments: Vilchinsky has been playing with a ton of confidence recently and played a very impressive game tonight. He looked very responsible in his own end and was trusted with a lot of time on the first penalty kill unit. His body positioning was good, but I’d like to see him use his stick more to help disrupt plays. Vilchinsky’s skating has improved a lot over the course of this season. He is still not agile enough to pull off quick escape turns but he looked very mobile and was able to rush the puck with confidence multiple times in this game. He rushed the full length of the ice and was able to beat defenders with some quick moves on his way to controlled zone entries. He fought through pressure and remained calm, allowing him to make smart decisions with the puck for offensive zone time. He made quick and crisp passes on the breakout and consistently picked good options all game. His footspeed was much quicker than I have seen in the past, but he is still going to need a ton of work on his mechanics. His speed is going to need to improve, and he will also need to improve his agility to become more effective with the puck on his stick. Artyom isn’t eligible until 2025 so he will have another season to work on his craft. He has the potential to be a skilled two-way defenseman with rush ability and some playmaking upside. He has trended upward so far and continues to look more confident in each game. He should be a minute eater on SKA’s blue line next season.
Scout: Henry Lawrence