| Alexei Dontsov | Krasnaya Armiya Moskva | MHL | L | C | 5’9″ | 176 | Moscow, RUS | 2006 | 2023-2024: B |
Game Grade: C+
Comments: Dontsov is a speedy forward able to generate a ton of offense when given the space to do so. At times he was able to pull off some high skilled dekes around opponents but for a majority of the game he had a lot of trouble possessing the puck. He fumbled it often when pressure was applied, and he seemed to throw the puck away without much thought. He showed off some agile footwork and was able to cut into space with confidence. He has very quick acceleration and is able to get to his top speed in 2-3 steps. Dontsov scored the first goal for his team tonight while on the powerplay. He slipped into space in the slot and buried a perfect feed with a one touch shot. At times we have seen Dontsov look like one of the best players in the MHL, pulling off highly skilled moves at a high rate of speed but for a majority of this season he has had trouble controlling the puck when the defense covers him.
| Ivan Okunev | Krasnaya Armiya Moskva | International | L | C | 5’11” | 161 | Voronezh, RUS | 2006 | 2023-2024: B- |
Game Grade: C+
Comments: Okunev is a skilled playmaker. He controls the puck well under pressure and is able to work his way into space with good reads and well-timed cuts. He brought good energy on both sides of the puck, showing off a hard backcheck and some good defensive pressure as well. He picked up a nice assist on the powerplay where he spotted an open teammate in the crease and hit him with a perfect pass through traffic to set up an easy tap in goal. He played the game at a good pace and provided positive offensive contributions for his team tonight.
| Ilya Pautov | Krasnaya Armiya Moskva | MHL | L | RW | 5’10” | 165 | Novosibirsk, RUS | 2006 | 2023-2024: C+ |
Game Grade: B+
Comments: Pautov is a highly skilled forward that plays the game at an incredibly high pace. He has very quick hands that he uses to fake out opponents in a precise and controlled manner. He pulls off skilled drag moves and cuts under pressure and is very difficult to steal the puck from due to his great coordination and reaction time. He rushed the puck up ice with speed many times and was able to beat opponents 1v1 with a quick combo of handles. One of his best plays of the game came on a zone entry where he trailed his puck carrying teammate. A pass was dropped back to Ilya, and he walked into the slot, then faked a shot to drop the defender and quickly cut around him into the middle of the ice and get a shot on goal. Very high IQ play executed to perfection by Pautov. He is a smooth and agile skater that was able to pull off some hairpin turns to escape opponents and cut into space with defenders on his hip. He has a high motor and plays at a very high pace in the offensive zone to win possession and quickly move the puck towards the goal. He was able to pick up an assist tonight when he fired a shot wide that bounced off the wall and was tapped in. He created a ton of chances and could have easily left tonight’s game with 3-4 points if bounces had gone his way. Pautov is a highly skilled offensive forward. The only thing really holding him back is his lack of size.
| Yegor Andriyanov | Loko Yaroslavl | International | L | D | 6’0″ | 168 | Yaroslavl, RUS | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Grade: C+
Comments: Andriyanov is an undersized but highly skilled offensive defenseman in the 2025 draft class. He is a quick and agile skater and is able to cover ground very quickly. Despite his lack of size, he has a very high compete level and does not give up on plays very easily. He battles hard in his own end and works to win possession for his team. He will need to work on his gap control and ability to force opponents to the outside as he was easily walked around multiple times on the rush today. He has very quick feet and was able to rush the puck up ice with confidence. He moves the puck quickly in the offensive zone and he was given some time on the second power play unit tonight. Andriyanov was also able to show off a heavy wrist shot which he rang off the post but put some great weight behind it. Andriyanov has developed well over the course of this season and should be a quality top pairing offensive defenseman for Loko next season.
| Vadim Dudorov | Loko Yaroslavl MHL | MHL | L | C | 5’11” | 185 | Sarov, RUS | 2006 | 2023-2024: B- |
Game Grade: B
Comments: Vadim was full of energy tonight and made sure his impact was felt in all three zones. His motor was high, and he battled hard to win possession. He was in on just about every board battle he could be. He forechecked hard and had some impressive backchecking efforts to shut down play. He was given time on the first penalty kill unit and did a fantastic job of applying tight pressure to his opponents and forcing pucks out of his zone. This game was the perfect example of what Dudurov can provide when the puck is not on his stick. He played a solid offensive game as well. He moved the puck around quickly with well-timed and smart pass decisions. He was given time on the powerplay where he was able to snap the puck around and set up some chances in the offensive zone. He makes quick cuts into space and is very difficult to strip possession from due to his ability to shield the puck using his big frame. He is an agile skater and able to escape with tight turns. He always has his head up and is constantly searching for better space or open teammates. High energy performance from Vadim tonight.
| Yegor Surin | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | KHL | L | C | 6’1″ | 176 | Voronezh, RUS | 2006 | 2023-2024: A- |
Game Grade: B-
Comments: Surin did not bring the same energy tonight that has become standard for him this season. Despite a slower pace, he was still able to show off many of the habits that have earned him a lot of attention this season. He battled hard on the forecheck and was able to dig pucks off the wall. He back checked hard and on one occasion was able to shut down play by catching up to his opponent and sealing him off along the boards with a hard check. He was given time on the penalty kill tonight where he did a fantastic job of forcing turnovers and sending the puck down ice with a clear or controlled rush. He was able to hold possession along the boards in the offensive zone for a large percentage of the time he spent shorthanded. Surin lacks speed but is able to rush the puck up ice in a calm and controlled manner. He makes smart passing decisions consistently and is able to protect the puck with a series of well-timed turns and dekes. He fumbled the puck at times tonight but was overall a positive contributor. It is hard to knock Surin for not playing at the high standard for which he has set for himself night after night when he battles hard and makes it very difficult for opponents to control the puck. He picked up 2 secondary assists tonight adding to what has been a very productive season so far. I’m sure Surin will be back to the same high pace play that he has brought all season very soon.
Scout: Henry Lawrence