Three Russian prospects stand out in the 2022 draft: defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, as well as forwards Ivan Miroshnichenko and Danila Yurov. By and large, each of them can leave already in the first round. We present a brief dossier on our main talents.
Pavel Mintyukov, 18 years old. Defender, left grip, CSKA student
From the age of 14, Mintyukov played in the Dynamo Moscow system, but played only 33 matches in the MHL, and after an exchange with SKA in 2020, he left for the Ontario league. There, Pavel ran into a season canceled due to covid, spent a year without practice and fell out of the Russian team. Now it should be clearer why the vast majority of Russian fans have never heard anything about this hockey player.
But Mintyukov was rewarded for his patience and perseverance. Last season, Pavel ignited in the OHL, scoring 62 (17 + 45) points in 67 games (recall, he is a defender!), which significantly increased his pre-draft rating. Mintyukov is an attacking defense, that is, a representative of the most scarce position in Russian hockey in recent years.
Danila Yurov, 18 years old. Right winger, left grip, graduate of Sergei Makarov’s hockey school, Chelyabinsk
Yurov is a technical all-rounder, who stands out noticeably against the background of his peers and has already managed to wipe himself off in men’s hockey. Yes, in Magnitogorsk, crowded with adult leaders, Danila received crumbs of playing time, but this did not prevent scouts around the world from seeing the great talent of the Chelyabinsk player. There is no doubt that Yurov is ready for the NHL in all respects and is ready for a new challenge: holding on to Metallurg, where he is released only at the end of matches with an already clear outcome, makes no sense for him. True, the year of the contract with the Urals will still have to be worked out.
Ivan Miroshnichenko, 18 years old. Left winger, right grip, graduate of Buran Voronezh
One of the most talented and promising Russian forwards born in 2004 (brighter – only Michkov, who will be drafted in a year) six months ago was an iron candidate, if not for the top 5, then for the top 10 of the junior fair in Montreal, but then everything was barely did not collapse when Miroshnichenko was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Fortunately, the guy defeated the disease and seems to be ready to return to the ice – this is the most important thing in this story. However, from a hockey point of view, Ivan, of course, lost a lot: he has long fallen out of the game and training rhythm, and now no one knows how a long break and health problems will affect Miroshnichenko, whether he will be able to return to his previous level. In a word, Ivan’s high choice is a double risk for NHL clubs. But for many it can be very tempting to take a risk, because before Miroshnichenko’s illness, potential was compared with Ovechkin.