Yan Kanarsky (D, L, 6’4″, 191, Akademiya SKA St. Petersburg, 06/29/2008)
Kanarsky is a big, strong, left-shot defenseman with a prototypical NHL frame that will only continue to fill out as he matures. He plays a steady, physically engaged brand of hockey, consistently using his size and reach to close space and separate opponents from pucks. Despite his age, he already possesses a mature defensive presence and a willingness to initiate contact whenever possible.
Skating
Kanarsky skates with a knee-over-toe, upright posture and generates power through a long, full stride that currently finishes with a slight heel kick. We feel that inefficiency should diminish as he builds core and lower-body strength. His glide is smooth and balanced, and he transitions well using clean heel-to-heel pivots rather than over-relying on crossovers. Laterally, he moves efficiently and keeps his feet underneath him, maintaining a shoulder width base that allows him to control his gap and body position against smaller, quicker forwards.
Puck Skills and Decision-Making
Kanarsky handles poor passes cleanly on both his forehand and backhand and has the composure to move pucks into positive space when under pressure. He is not projected as a power-play defenseman at the professional level but shows reliability when facilitating low-risk breakouts and making first passes. His current passing completion rate is below 75%, which shows real room for improvement in all areas. That said, his puck management numbers are encouraging as he averages roughly 7 takeaways per game versus just 3 giveaways. This clearly shows awareness, anticipation and active stick detail.
Defensive Play and Physicality
Defensively, Kanarsky plays with pro-style habits. He averages over one heavy body check per game and wins more than 70% of his 50/50 puck battles, both indicators of his assertiveness and competitiveness. He reads developing plays well, using his length and positioning to deflect passes and eliminate options off the rush. His ability to recover loose pucks after initial shots (averaging two recoveries per game) speaks to his timing, anticipation and physical engagement below the face-off dots in his defensive zone.
Projection
Kanarsky projects as a stay-at-home, two-way defenseman with potential to anchor a shutdown pairing at higher levels if his skating explosiveness and puck movement continue to progress. His size, mobility for his frame, and defensive commitment make him a player worth tracking closely over his draft season. For an NHL career, he will need to improve first-step acceleration, core strength and puck distribution consistency, but his combination of length, mobility and compete level make him a legitimate long-term prospect.
Neutral Zone Grade: C-rated 2026 NHL Draft Prospect — a big, mobile defender who warrants continued monitoring as his skating and confidence evolve.