U-18 WJC: Makarov Surprises

We continue our look at key players from the U-18 WJC tournament by shifting our focus to Team Russia. The squad seemed to be hindered by a lack of character and ended up in fifth place, which explains why the pundits thought this group was not one of the favorites heading into the tournament. Vyacheslav Buravchikov improved his name in draft circles though, while Alexei Sopin showed why he may not be suited for the North American game. Also, Igor Makarov's play turned out to be a true revelation.

RISING STAR

Vyacheslav Buravchikov was the only Russian that was consistently impressive and thus boosted his stock as a NHL prospect. The offensive anchor of the Russian blueline started the tournament red-hot; he supported the offense with his precision passing without sacrificing much defensively and he also showed some of his nasty side. The only knock against the All-Star was the fact that he seemed to run out of steam in the quarterfinal game. He failed to deliver his usual two-way prowess in that match, but he picked up his game again in the final Russian match against Slovakia.

PUTS THE "D" IN DEFENSE

Once regarded as a potential top-five pick in 2005, defenseman Vitaly Anikeenko got his final chance to prove himself against the top competition in his age group. He responded with a steady defensive showing coupled with some hard-nosed play. Although he wasn't one of the fastest skaters on the team, he took his man out of the play and patrolled the defensive zone with decent authority. On the downside, Anikeenko showed he probably won't be a defenseman with a noticeable offensive upside. He made some erratic passes and his slow decision-making on the offensive blue line led to several mistakes. Overall though, he can still fill the role of a big, unspectacular defensive defenseman.

EURO-BOUND

The flashy Alexei Sopin will likely enjoy a long and successful career, although it will be in Europe. The swift-skating forward was deftly dancing around opponents with the puck and executing these moves at top speed. He scored important goals for the Russian squad, although all while not having to battle through traffic and play where it hurts. He enjoyed what was arguably his best international tournament ever and there is no doubt about his skill set, but tenacity and aggressiveness are simply missing from this smallish, water bug forward.

MAKAROV SHINES

The most delightful Russian surprise among the forwards turned out to be 2006-eligible forward Igor Makarov. Even if his good skating and puckhandling skills don't match the grace and fluidness of someone like Sopin, Makarov brings more to the table that the scouting community likes to see. He makes you forget about his feet and size with his tenacity and ability to battle through traffic. He is an effective PK player that also has strong scoring instincts. If it weren't for his occasional off-shifts and periodic ineffectiveness, he would have challenged Buravchikov as the Russian tournament MVP.

TRUE GRIT MISSING

Denis Istomin headed into the tournament as the top Russian draft-eligible player but with the emergence of Buravchikov on the blueline, the title may have to be changed to the top draft-eligible forward. Istomin showed off a strong array of skills and an ability to really jump out at anyone watching him play, but the gritty North American style to complement the classy skills was still missing. He emerged as the best Russian forward against Canada, but you had to hate his lack of inspiration and any kind of determination when fifth place was on the line against Slovakia.

POTENT POTENTIAL

Even while toiling on the fourth line, big winger Vyacheslav Trukhno still managed to show flashes of his excellent potential. Trukhno seemed to fit into his role well and he demonstrated a solid, gritty style. He undressed several opponents with his ability to stickhandle in a phone booth, something he really displayed well in the quarterfinal contest against the Czech Republic. A bigger role would have certainly suited him better, especially given the lack of heart shown by several Russians on the top two lines.

LOOK BEYOND THE NUMBERS

Ilya Zubov's point totals here would seem to indicate a terrific showing from the offensive forward, but all is not what it seems. Yes, Zubov was able to out-skate most of the opposing defensemen. Yes, he created scoring chances, displayed strong offensive instincts and also unleashed his lethal wrist and snap shot top shelf several times. But when you weigh in factors like his tendency to float on the perimeter, his lack of aggressiveness and a penchant to dive frequently – then you have a player you better think twice about taking early in the draft.