Ivan Ryabkin – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Rumours began circulating that Ryabkin was headed to North America, and on Dec. 31, the Muskegon Lumberjacks made the move official. Once again, hopes were high that he would realize his incredibly high potential now that he was playing more minutes and not under constant threat of switching teams, and in his first game, he scored twice, including the game-tying goal to send it to overtime, and earned the game’s second star. Since his United States Hockey League (USHL) debut, Ryabkin has put up nine goals and 16 points in 16 games. It’s fair to say that things are looking better than they did a few months ago.

However, two things are immediately clear after his first couple of months in North America. There’s no questioning his ability to move the puck. Ryabkin is a master of the slow game. He waits for the perfect opportunity to draw a player in, then uses a flourish of dekes and deception to get around the attacker. When protecting the puck, he uses his size and strength well to create space and maintain possession. He also has a great selection of shots, from a hard accurate wrister to a dangerous backhand. Few players in the 2025 Draft class have as much offensive skill as Ryabkin.

The rest of Ryabkin’s game is far less refined. While playing in Russia, he had all the time and space to get up to speed and dart around opponents, but the USHL is a far more defensive league and he hasn’t been able to reach his top speed as often. It doesn’t help that he isn’t the strongest skater and has a choppy stride, which leaves him relying on his edges to shift positions. The same issue showed up in the KHL, where he was frequently outpaced by everyone else on the ice.

His overall hockey intelligence is hard to read. There are times when Ryabkin is engaged, tracking the play and anticipating the next move. He positions himself perfectly to score, which he’s been excellent at with the Lumberjacks, and can break up plays by being in the right place at the right time. But there are times when it looks like he is just following the puck and will fall behind the backcheck. He’s not engaged and plays passively, especially when he doesn’t have the puck or thinks he has a chance at getting it, and that’s when he’ll throw an ill-timed hit that can cost his team.

Ryabkin is much stronger and more physically engaged than Michkov or Demidov in their draft years, but he seems to lack the awareness of when to use it appropriately. He doesn’t have a well-defined defensive game, which isn’t surprising for a high-end playmaker, but he doesn’t challenge the opposing puck carrier nearly enough, which allows them to blow by him. That’s when he starts to throw his weight around, and his reckless desperation plays have already cost him playing time. In just his second game, he was ejected for throwing a dangerous hit behind the play.

There have been reports, mainly out of Russia, that Ryabkin had some fitness and character concerns, but so far, none of that has made its way to North America. He’s strong, smart, and can do things with the puck that many players can only dream of. The biggest issue, however, is that he can’t do those things consistently. While his season is looking up now that he’s with Muskegon, there’s still a lot of work left to do before he returns to the heights he saw back in his 16-year-old season.

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Ivan Ryabkin – NHL Draft Projection

At this time, it’s hard to make a case that Ryabkin should be a lottery pick. His talent is undeniable, but when up against tougher competition, he hasn’t shown it consistently enough to make him a top prospect. Those issues have caused his projection to plummet, with some recent rankings placing him somewhere in the second round. While there’s enough talent to make him a first-round pick, he’s a huge risk. If nothing improves, look for him to end up in the 20-40 range with the potential to sneak into the top 20.

Quotables

“Simply put, Ryabkin is one of the most polarizing prospects in this class. He has the skill and creativity to justify a high pick, but some flaws may cause Ryabkin to slip into the draft’s second day. He is one of the most effective players in this class, with the puck on his stick. He has magic hands and can make a play out of almost any situation. This allows him to be a threat at any spot in the offensive zone, especially when paired with his physical stature and willingness to play in the dirty areas. However, Ryabkin struggles to make plays at a high speed and often does not play with pace. This leads to gaps in his transition defence that could lead to a one-dimensional game at higher levels.” Nick Orr, Dobber Prospects

“Ryabkin is a relentless offensive creator in the attacking zone. He sees the ice so well, attacking with a quick pace and his speed catches opponents off guard. He’s always finding the middle of the ice to unleash a swift and powerful release with his shot and his playmaking is just as impressive. He’s great at manipulating situations fooling defenders and showing great hands in the small areas of the ice. In addition, he has that intensity to play physically and does a great job to anticipate plays.” Peter Baracchini, The Hockey Writers

“Putting all negative factors aside, this kind of talent doesn’t just disappear. Ivan has great vision and playmaking ability, can play a hard-hitting game, and be a thorn in the side of the opponent. For the longest time people have been considering Ryabkin to be a skillful playmaker, but the way he has developed his physical game he looks more like a playmaking power forward these days. His off-puck game is simply not good enough and whichever team that drafts him is going to really bank on the fact he can become an offensive, dynamic forward in the future. Additionally, moving from center to wing is something that likely has to happen as it seems unlikely that his two-way ability will improve to the point where he can be a trusted pivot. The potential is still very real, but his game needs major refinement.” Simon Johansson, McKeen’s Hockey

“I was impressed with Ryabkin in my first viewing of him. His positive shifts were really strong. He has the potential to be a difference-maker on every shift with his passing. Consistency will be the key for him. He is a first-round talent and the effort level needs to match and, if he can do that, I could easily see him going top-15.” Jacob Roth, FC Hockey

Strengths

Under Construction/Improvements to Make

NHL Potential

Will Ryabkin become the offensive dynamo he showcased as a 16-year-old in Russia, or will he end up as a role player who’s a liability when he doesn’t have the puck? That will be the number one question heading into the draft. The best-case scenario is that he becomes a top-line playmaker who can score like Evgeny Kuznetsov. Given his defensive shortcomings, he may struggle to play centre in the NHL and have to transition to the wing, although that should help him find success more quickly.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 4/5, Reward – 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense – 8/10, Defence – 5/10

Awards/Achievements

Interviews/Links

Ivan Ryabkin Stats

Videos