Shaq playin second pair minutes overall, sometimes he lead Salavat in TOI. Salavat are league leaders. He has a lot of responsibilities for 19 yo. He play in first pp on the blue line. He is much better skater this year. Play much better with the puck under pressure. He has good potential for driving, he has absolutely great first pass. He makes some mistakes here and there in decision making with the puck in offensive zone, but its ok for his age. He looks very solid for his age.
Misyul playin third pair minutes in Lokomotiv. Good in PK, like I saw, he did well everything lokomotiv did ask him. He is very good skater. Not as fast as Shakir, but much smoother. He have a lesser upside in offensive zone, but he still have some, I like how he working in forecheck in offensive zone. Pretty safe, accurate and always with understanding how things can go wrong. I would say he has very few mistakes for 20yo defenseman. He play like a defensive defenseman of healthy man.
Zaitsev is a rock, hit hard. He lost some speed in this year, but he is heavier this year. Play complete defensive role on the right side. Second line minutes. But he has no offensive upside. I don’t think he will ever travel to us. Even if he will win a battle for the spot, he will never play second pair role. And never have enough money to compensate difference in cost of life. And it is sad because for now he is much better right defenseman than our options. He could be good partners for our puckmovers. He is complet working defenseman. Fast enough, good protecting of the zone, gap control etc.
Gritsyuk play on the third line now, starting as a fourth liner. He is very good line driver and has good skills. Fast, good shot and passing, good puck protecting, he is active on the board, I think he could be better on the short rink. But he must mature. He isn’t active enough in defensive zone. And his acting with the puck/when his team with the puck is much better when his team is without the puck. For now he looks raw and I want from him to be much more active in defensive forecheck, and start to understand how protect zones.
I think Shaq and Misyul have real potential to be NHLers. Shaq looks like second line defenseman with potential to be first line defenseman. Misyul… I think he has potential/ceiling to play second pair minutes. He doesn’t have future as pp specialist. And Gritsyuk has sleeping potential to be middle six forward.