Yegor Privalov (LW, R, 6’1″, 186, SKA 1946 St. Petersburg, 08/27/2007)
Yegor Privalov is a right-shot winger with NHL-caliber size and flashes of high-end puck skill, who is still in the early stages of finding consistency and identity at the MHL level. A product of the Omsk system, Privalov plays a straight-line game with occasional flashes of creativity, particularly in transition. While his effort level and physical maturity are appealing, his puck management, decision-making, and off-puck detail remain areas of concern and development. The foundation is there for a competitive middle-six winger if development trends in the right direction.
Why Privalov Should Be Drafted
- Size, Strength & Compete Level
At 6’1″, 185 lbs, Privalov meets the physical standards for NHL forwards and shows a willingness to play inside contact. He competes hard in contested areas, especially below the dots and at the top of the crease. He averages 8 puck battles per game but wins only 33%, indicating his motor is engaged even if execution and strength application still need developing. He’s not shy about working in traffic and showed consistent effort supporting play off the puck. - Transition Skill and Flash with the Puck
Privalov demonstrates some of the raw puck skill and transitional speed that teams look for in long-term forward projects. He can carry the puck through the neutral zone, beat defenders 1-on-1, and shows strength – creativity while protecting the puck along the walls. He generated 3.4 shot attempts per game, with over half hitting the net (1.84 SOG/game) – he looks to attack rather than defer. His 0.5 pre-shot passes/game and 1.5 loose puck recoveries point to offensive instincts and willingness to hunt second chances. - Power Play Usage & Offensive Zone Time
He saw 2:21 of power play time/game and had over 5:30 per game in offensive zone play, reflecting a degree of trust from the coaching staff in his ability to impact the game offensively. While his offensive numbers haven’t followed yet, those minutes indicate Privalov is still being leaned on in skill situations as an August 27th, 2007 birthday.
Why Privalov Should Not Be Drafted
- Decision-Making & Puck Management Issues
While Privalov shows flashes of skill, he often overhandles pucks or tries to force plays, leading to turnovers. He averaged 4.3 giveaways/game, a red flag for a player with only moderate offensive production. His pass selection can be inconsistent, and while his 85% pass completion rate is respectable, it doesn’t reflect the risk in his overall puck decisions. His scoring chance conversion (4%) on 0.38 chances/game is also well below expectation for a forward receiving power play time. - Limited Physical Impact & Defensive Engagement
Despite having size, Privalov averaged only 0.16 hits/game and 0.03 penalties drawn/game, suggesting his physicality is more accidental than punishing. Defensively, while he applies pressure and has the motor, he sometimes defaults to a stick-only approach, lacking true defensive posture and footwork. He logged just 2 seconds of shorthanded time/game, signaling a lack of defensive trust from his coaches. - Poor Puck Battle Win Rate & Defensive Impact
Winning just 33% of his puck battles indicates either a strength deficit or lack of willingness. While his engagement is above average, he isn’t consistently winning contested plays. Additionally, he posted a -12 rating, and his average giveaways per game (4.3) significantly outpaces his takeaways (3) — a concern in terms of two-way maturity.
Projection & Recommendation
Projection: Depth scoring winger with some match-up potential if he rounds out his puck decisions and off-puck play. Could project as an AHL contributor with NHL spot duty if development is linear.
Draft Range: 7th round or priority camp invite if undrafted.
Development Path: Remain in the Russian junior/pro system, with focus on puck management, strength development, and play without the puck.
Verdict: Privalov is a toolsy, high-effort player with NHL size and flashes of skill, but the lack of puck management, poor battle success rate, and minimal defensive presence raise red flags. A late-round draft pick may be warranted for a team willing to take a patient approach to long-term development, but he is far from a finished product and would need to show significant progress over the next two seasons to justify the investment.