Hockey's Future - The #1 Online Prospects Resource

1. Yuri Alexandrov, D

Height: 6'1
Weight: 172 lb
Shoots: Left
Born: 1988-06-24
Birthplace: Cherepovets, Russia

Alexandrov delivered a strong performance for U18 Team Russia and was hands down the squad's top defenseman. His experience in the Super League, combined with his international performance places him right at the top of the RussianProspects’ Final ratings. When comparing him to Russia's recent top defensive prospects, Alexandrov reminds of Volchenkov, but skates better and is more maneuverable than the latter. Alexandrov still needs to bulk up and learn to better play physical hockey to continue his development into a top defensive prospect.

2. Semen Varlamov, G

Height: 6'1
Weight: 174 lb
Catches: Left
Born: 1988-04-27
Birthplace: Yaroslavl, Russia

Semen Varlamov is the best goaltender to come out of Russia since Ilya Bryzgalov. He has already been Russia's U18 squad's starter for two seasons and will inherit the starting role on the U20 squad for the next two years. He has yet to earn any professional experience in the Super League, but Varlamov has proven his worth on the international arena. One area for improvement for Varlamov is positioning. He moves very quickly in the crease and possesses a quick butterfly. Additionally, he possesses a very strong work ethic. The biggest concern regarding Varlamov's development into a blue chip netminder is the lack of an established hockey school in Yaroslavl and on the Russian national team. While his Yaroslavl counterpart Kasutin went to Finland to be schooled, Varlamov is completely "home grown" thus far.

3. Andrei Popov, RW

Height: 6'1
Weight: 187 lb
Shoots: Left
Born: 1988-07-15
Birthplace: Chelyabinsk, Russia

Popov remains the forward with the most potential to come out of Russia in 2006. The young winger is already performing well at the professional adult level in the High League (Russia 2) with Traktor. While he did not enjoy a very successful showing at the U18 World Junior Championships, a lot of it had to do with not having a consistent line, with his center Mamin constantly being moved back to defense due to Russia's defensive vows. Popov possesses impressive size and skill to go along with a developed ability to play in traffic and use his size. However, to continue his development, Popov needs to use his linemates better and to become more aggressive.

4. Nikolai Kulemin, LW

Height: 6'0
Weight: 200 lb
Shoots: Left
Born: 1986-07-14
Birthplace: Magnitogorsk, Russia

Nikolai Kulemin's stock has skyrocketed this season due to his success with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, as well as his performance on Russia's national team at the U20 WJC. Kulemin is an able third line workhorse who works hard for every inch of the ice surface. He brings a physical edge to his team and a strong work ethic. He has shown a scoring touch, especially on the national team, but his scoring success will largely depend on his linemates. Remember, even NHL tough guy Chris Simon was a scoring threat with the Washington Capitals when paired with a capable center. His style will transfer well to the NHL and considering Kulemin's achievements on the international arena, including the World Championships squad in Latvia, he is one of the top Russian players eligible for the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

5. Alexander Bumagin, RW

Height: 6'0
Weight: 165 lb
Shoots: Left
Born: 1987-03-01
Birthplace: Togliatti, Russia

Alexander Bumagin was one of the top 10 Russians eligible for the 2005 NHL Entry Draft but due to the lack of a transfer agreement between the NHL and Russian professional hockey's governing body, he went overlooked through seven rounds. Since the draft, Bumagin established himself as one of the most gifted up and coming young Russian players to make an impact in the Super League. At just 19, the young forward became Lada's leader not only in scoring with 23 points in 40 games, but also with his presence on the ice. Making this achievement even more impressive, he started making an impact even before the club's financial implosion and the subsequent departure of numerous NHL players. Bumagin's game is mature beyond his age and he makes up for his lack of size with skill and vision. At this point Bumagin may not be as "polished" of a forward prospect as Popov or Vasyunov, but he has already proven himself in the Super League and possesses a solid foundation for further development under the supervision of a capable coach. If not for the size difference and the physical edge, Bumagin may even be above Kulemin in the rankings.

6. Artem Anisimov, C

Height: 6'4
Weight: 191 lb
Shoots: Left
Born: 1988-05-24
Birthplace: Yaroslavl, Russia

Artem Anisimov finished his draft year off with an average performance at the U18 WJC. The young center did not deliver a consistent performance, impressing in the game against the Czechs, but failing to make a significant impact in the games either against Canada or the US. He understands the game well and has an impressive vision of the ice. Additionally, he possesses a very impressive wrist shot which is one of his main weapons. Still, besides the strengths, Anisimov needs to bulk up and improve his physical presence, as the young prospect hardly ever competes next to the boards. His lack of mass has also hurt him at the faceoff circle, as he just doesn't yet have the upper body strength. Still, while Anisimov is more raw than some of the other prospects, he has shown a wealth of potential at the international tournaments and even found himself making his Super League debut this season for Lokomotiv.

7. Alexander Vasyunov, LW

Height: 6'0
Weight: 185 lb
Shoots: Left
Born: 1988-04-22
Birthplace: Yaroslavl, Russia

Alexander Vasyunov was largely expected to move up in the rankings after the 2006 U18 WJC, but his disappointing performance there has kept the young prospect in seventh place. The Vasyunov-Anisimov combination was supposed to be Russia's most productive unit, but instead Vasyunov scored just two goals and those two came in the 8-0 trouncing of the lowly Belarus squad during Russia's first game of the tournament. Vasyunov is probably one of the top pure snipers available in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft from anywhere in the world. He has dominated at the Russian junior hockey level with Lokomotiv 2, performing far above any of his counterparts. He played two games for Yaroslavl Lokomotiv and was held scoreless.

However, the widely accepted concern is how well will he be able to adapt to professional hockey and will he continue to develop and grow? Currently he reminds of a young Buffalo Sabres forward Maxim Afinogenov and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Alexander Suglobov. Like those players at the same age, he is very active on the ice, fighting hard against the boards and skating hard everywhere. Unfortunately, as was the case with Suglobov and Afinogenov, there isn't much thought behind his effort and often nothing comes of it.

8. Ivan Vishnevsky, D

Height: 6'0
Weight: 172 lb
Shoots: Left
Born: 1988-08-18

Unlike many other Russians, Ivan Vishnevsky has secured himself a likely fairly high draft position by coming over to North America and performing well in the QJMHL. The young forward hardly skated for the Russian national team, only skating at the tournament in Mytische, Russia and missing the U18 WJC due to injury. Still, while the U18 WJC is an important avenue for many Russians to showcase their skills to NHL scouts and experts, Vishnevsky already achieved this goal by skating in North America and the tournament would have only marginally impacted his draft stock. Vishnevsky is an offensive defenseman in the mold of Sergei Gonchar and Oleg Tverdovsky. To look back to the younger generation, he is similar in style to Kiril Koltsov, though the latter handles the puck better. The young defenseman slipped in the ratings due to his absence from the U18 WJC and some concern regarding his consistency on the ice.

9. Igor Makarov, RW

Height: 6'0
Weight: 180 lb
Shoots: Left
Born: 1987-09-19
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia

Igor Makarov had an uneven season, but he finished strong in the High League (Russia 2) playoffs with the Soviet Wings. The young prospect entered the season with hefty expectations after leading Russia in scoring at the 2005 U18 WJC, but he failed to build on his success by struggling with the Soviet Wings and missing the cut for the U20 WJC squad this past December. The strong end run has raised Makarov's stock once again. A speedy forward who is not afraid of traffic, Makarov would make a capable second liner. However, the young prospect does need to come to play on every shift at any level -- something that got him into trouble with the Soviet Wings coaching staff early in the season when he did not perform at the High League level and did not take his demotion very well.

10. Gennady Churilov, C

Height: 6'0
Weight: 174 lb
Shoots: Left
Born: 1987-05-05
Birthplace: Magnitogorsk, Russia

There were significant concerns last summer after Churilov concluded a mediocre season in the QJMHL and headed back to Russia. The concerns largely revolved around Churilov's ability to break into the lineup of as wealthy club as Lokomotiv. Fortunately, concerns regarding the young forward's ice time did not materialize, as he received plenty of it centering Lokomotiv's second line. Churilov was largely successful and productive during his Super League debut with 15 points in 43 games, but despite his success, the additional concerns regarding him being a typical "soft" European forward have persisted and the young center did little to contradict this perception.

He does see the ice well and is a capable passer, but his hesitation to play in traffic and fight at the boards are his most apparent downsides. While the new NHL is faster, a player will still have to be able to handle physical contact and this is the reason why Churilov, despite his impressive potential, is only ranked 10th among the Russian players.

11. Sopin, Alexei, RW 5'11 191 1987-03-04 Dynamo (Moscow)

12. Shirokov, Sergei, LW 5'10 158 1986-03-10 CKSA Moscow

13. Zharkov, Vladimir, RW 6'2 183 1988-01-10 CSKA (Moscow)

14. Tikhonov, Viktor, RW 6'2 180 1988-05-12 CSKA (Moscow)

15. Kasutin, Ivan, G 6'0 176 1986-10-17 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl

16. Antosik, Igor, C 6'3 185 1987-03-24 Dynamo (Moscow)

17. Zubov, Igor, D 6'0 183 1988-07-04 Lokomotiv (Yaroslavl)

18. Shvalev, Alexei, D 6'3 198 1987-05-25 Lokomotiv (Yaroslavl)

19. Ketov, Evgeny, LW 5'10 176 1986-01-17 Lada (Togliatti)

20. Zachupeiko, Sergei, LW 6'1 180 1988-01-05 HC Orsk

21. Golubtsov, Vadim, LW 6'0 176 1988-01-02 Lipetsk, Russia

22. Tulupov, Kirill, D 6'3 220 1988-04-23 Neftyanik, Almyetevsk

23. Kablukov, Ilya, C 6'3 187 1988-01-18 CSKA (Moscow)

24. Kalyanin, Alexander, RW 6'1 198 1987-09-24 Traktor (Chelyabinsk)

25. Kalimulin, Marat, D 6'0 169 1988-01-08 Lada (Togliatti)

26. Belov, Anton, D 6'3 189 1986-07-26 CSKA Moscow

27. Glebov, Oleg, LW 6'1 198 1988-08-19 CSKA (Moscow)

28. Kucheryavenko, Alex, C 6'0 180 1987-08-27 Rus (Moscow)

29. Zyuzin, Dmitri, RW 6'0 176 1987-10-21 Salavat Yulayev (Ufa)

30. Skorykh, Anton, C 6'4 185 1987-02-23 Lada Togliatti

31. Belokon, Sergei, LW 5'11 176 1988-08-25 Soviet Wings (Moscow)

32. Zhukov, Valeri, D 6'1 180 1988-02-08 Torpedo (Nizhni Novgorod)

33. Glovatsky, Anton, RW NA NA 1988 Metallurg (Magnitogorsk)

34. Galimov, Stanislav, G 6'2 176 1988-02-12 Metallurg (Magnitogorsk)

35. Panin, Grigory, D 6'0 167 1985-11-24 Lada Togliatti

36. Mamin, Maxim, RW 6'0 176 1988-05-17 Metallurg (Magnitogorsk)

37. Ryabev, Alexander, RW 6'0 165 1988-08-24 Lokomotiv (Yaroslavl)

38. Kiryukhin, Andrey, RW 6'0 196 1987-08-04 Lokomotiv (Yaroslavl)

39. Maximkin, Ivan, D 6'3 183 1988-03-05 Lada (Togliatti)

40. Mayorov, Konstantin, C 6'2 180 1988-05-25 Lada (Togliatti)