2020 Draft Profile: G Artur Akhtyamov
Russian netminder Artur Akhtyamov was one of the top under-18 goaltenders in the MHL and ranked among the league leaders with seven shutouts and a .931 save percentage.
Russian netminder Artur Akhtyamov was one of the top under-18 goaltenders in the MHL and ranked among the league leaders with seven shutouts and a .931 save percentage.
Yaroslav Askarov is the top goalie prospect for the 2020 NHL Draft and could go high in the first round. In addition to being one of the most decorated teenage goalies to ever grace the international stage, the 17-year-old backstop was the youngest goalie in VHL history to appear in more than nine games and finished with an impressive 12-3-3 mark.
Since the debate for first overall in the 2020 NHL Draft stopped being a debate several months ago, it’s time to shift our attention to a pair of defenseman who could both be picked in the top five.
A two-way center who can fill many roles, Vasily Ponomaryov was one of the top rookies in the QMJHL and a key contributor to a rebuilding Shawinigan squad. After impressive showings in international tournaments such as the 2019 World U17 Hockey Challenge and the U18 Ivan Hlinka last August, Ponomaryov transitioned to North America for his draft year and made an immediate impact, picking up at least one point in 20 of his first 27 games.
Justin Sourdif is a tough dual-threat winger who was one of the top scorers for the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. He was critical to Vancouver’s deep playoff run in 2019 and followed that up with his best season in junior.
A crafty and opportunistic winger who is reliable in all three zones, London’s Luke Evangelista didn’t take long to become a go-to performer for Dale Hunter’s powerhouse Knights. Fifty nine of his 61 points came at even strength or shorthanded.
An explosive and hard-charging talent committed to Boston College, center Colby Ambrosio was Tri-City’s leading scorer who combined with top 2021 draft prospect Matthew Knies to form one of the USHL’s most lethal duos.
A fast, dual-threat winger who has spent the entire season with Munich in the German Elite League, Peterka is a crafty and skilled forward who is a threat to score every time he hops over the boards.
A graceful offensive defenseman with impressive footwork and escapability, Charlottetown’s Lukas Cormier is one of the more capable power-play quarterbacks available for the 2020 NHL Draft. He played for Team Canada at the under-18 Ivan Hlinka tournament and also participated in the CHL Top Prospects Game.
Sarnia Sting right wing Jacob Perreault is one of the top goal-scoring wingers for the 2020 NHL Draft. The son of former NHL’er Yanic Perreault and owner of a deadly shot, Jacob led the Sting with 39 goals — 15 of which came on the power play.
A prolific scorer with speed who can play a heavy game, Prince Albert’s Ozzy Wiesblatt is one of the top WHL prospects for the 2020 NHL Draft. He finished second on the Raiders in scoring with 70 points in 64 games and played both center and wing in his draft season
Ridly Greig is one of the most versatile centers eligible for the 2020 NHL Draft. A top-six player for the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings, Greig scored 26 goals and registered 60 points while being used on both special teams and even-strength situations.
Physical two-way blueliner Braden Schneider was a key cog for the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings and played for Canada at the Summer WJSS and for Team WHL in the November Super Series. He can play in all situations and ate a lot of minutes on the Wheat Kings’ top pairing.
Kamloops two-way center Connor Zary is one of the top prospects from the WHL for the 2020 NHL Draft. A star for Team Canada at last year’s under-18 world championship, Zary’s third season in the Dub was his best, as he finished fifth in scoring with 86 points.
Dynamo Moscow’s Anton Kosopalov is a high-volume shooter who played the wing for his entire draft season. He has a goal scorer’s touch and soft hands, and was used mostly on the power play and in offensive-zone situations.