Miami’s Ilia Morozov Climbing 2026 NHL Draft Boards

In the Jan. 9-10 series at Arizona State, he went 10-for-23 (43.47%) on Friday and 7-for-14 (50%) on Saturday, matching up against high-level opponents like Cullen Potter and Logan Morrell often. When I asked how he could continue improving in the circle, he said this.

“Actually, for me, it’s probably my strength. Like, when I feel strong, I can win a faceoff. But sometimes when I lose that, I’m lost.”

He added that there is plenty of practice dedicated to winning draws.

When I asked him about playing with Kocha Delic (LW) and Matteo Giampa (RW) on the top line, he said their speed and hockey-IQ make it easier.

“They’re both really good skaters. And, you know, they’re older, they’re smart guys, and sometimes they find a soft spot somewhere where you can make a play. They can be as a second quick and, you know, just give the puck in the offensive zone. And they’re really good at making plays, too.”

David Deputy was in Giampa’s place at right-wing this past series at Arizona State, with Giampa out with an injury, making the top line now an all-freshman one until Giampa returns.

Noreen and his staff have also played a role in his development, allowing him to grow at such a young age. Morozov had this to say about Noreen’s coaching style.

“He does not yell. He knows if you want to be better. He tells you every detail you need to fix, and you apply it the next time. When I make a mistake, he comes up and says, hey buddy, you made a mistake, clean it up. That is what I like about him.”

Morozov’s Reliability

Everyone sees Morozov’s offensive upside, but his defensive game has been just as impressive, especially for a 17-year-old center playing in the NCHC. When I asked Noreen about that part of his development and how important it is that he is defensively sound, he said it was one of the biggest reasons they were confident bringing him in so young.

“That was something we talked about when bringing him in at his age. It is not like he is just an offensive guy who is a liability defensively. We have never felt that. His two-way game is his biggest strength and we still feel like there is a ton of offensive upside.

Troy (Thibodeau) has done a tremendous job tapping into that. What you love is that he is willing and capable of playing in every situation. Three-on-five, he is out there. five-on-six, defensive zone draws, he is out there. We feel comfortable putting him out there against anyone, and he is the youngest player in college hockey. That speaks volumes about his overall game and value.”

Morozov’s defensive impact showed up clearly in the Arizona State series. He matched up against the Sun Devils’ top line of Cruz Lucius, Cullen Potter, and Bennett Schimek, which is widely considered the best line in college hockey, and the numbers show it. He is physical on the penalty kill, finishes checks, and plays the high forward in Miami’s diamond-look penalty kill. He moves well left to right, deflects pucks, and is willing to block shots. He has 12 blocks on the season and consistently closes out space on the backcheck, not allowing shooters room to get anything off. As of this writing, Morozov is plus-4 on the season, sixth best on the team in that category.

His size plays a major role in his defensive game. At 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, and not even done growing, he wins board battles with strength and work ethic. He is strong enough to push players off pucks and long enough to disrupt passing lanes. Even though he is not the fastest skater on the ice, he covers ground quickly when he needs to.

Noreen has put him in every situation possible. He plays the penalty kill, the power play, takes defensive zone draws, starts three-on-three overtime, and was even used to win/tie in back-to-back shootouts in the Colorado College series.

When I asked Noreen about that level of trust, he said this.

“Just to be playing center at this level, there is so much that goes into that. Sometimes, with a young guy you try to protect him and put him on the wing. We have never doubted him at center for a second. He has earned that. Troy trusts him up front, trusts him on the power play, Lio (Mauron) trusts him on the penalty kill, both four on five and three on five. Our staff believes in him.

If you are going to take a young player, you have to put them in situations where they can grow. We are not going to take a high-end young player and try to protect him. That is how you grow. He has been able to play through every situation, and that is how you get better. We have a belief that his best game is in front of him, and if you strongly believe in that, you’ve got to continue to put him in those situations.”

Breaking Down Morozov’s Offensive Game

Morozov’s offensive game is what first jumps out to most people, and the tools are obvious. His skating with the puck is elite for his size. He is not the fastest player on the ice, but he moves fast for a 6-foot-3 center and is smooth in transition. He drives to the net from below the goal line, uses his body to create space, and extends plays with his long reach.

He was thrown right onto Miami’s top line from day one, centering Delic (LW) and Giampa (RW). He also plays on the top power-play unit, where he keeps plays alive, hunts pucks down, drops pucks back to the point cleanly, and has a heavy one-timer. His rocket of a one-timer in the semifinal win over RIT in the Friendship Four is one of the best examples of his shot on the man advantage.

He also draws penalties because of how long he can keep the puck on his stick, forcing defenders to hold or slash/hook him in many instances.

His offensive production has been a little inconsistent in NCHC play compared to non-conference games. Miami went 9-1 in non-conference play, and 11 of his 14 points this season have come against non-conference opponents. His only game-winner has come on the road at Lindenwood, scoring a beautiful forehand-backhand goal in overtime after blowing by a defender.

This is not a knock on him; the NCHC is simply that tough and physical, especially for a freshman of his age. His only NCHC goals so far came in the Friday game at Western Michigan on Nov. 14, when he scored twice. His first goal was especially impressive, as he carried the puck in, drove the net, and forced it home with his long reach past 2025 national champion Hampton Slukynsky.

Miami’s power play has struggled to finish lately despite generating plenty of looks, now near the bottom of college hockey at 14.1%. The unit has not converted at the same rate in the late first half and early second half of the season. Morozov is still getting good looks, and as the power play starts clicking again, his offensive numbers should rise with it.

He told me he models his game after Leon Draisaitl, Aleksander Barkov, and Evgeni Malkin, three of the best centers in hockey.

Handling Pressure

Morozov has handled the attention and pressure well. He said he does not pay much attention to the hype.

“You know, I also like to listen when people criticize me, like critics.” When I asked if that motivates him, he said yes.

He has not yet played for Russia internationally, and when asked about the U20 World Juniors, he said this.

“Yeah, I would like to play. You know, it’s just…I never played for my national team yet. And I really want to. I think every kid who plays hockey wants to play for their national team.”

Noreen said the staff was confident he could handle the off-ice challenges of being a 17-year-old in a locker room full of 22-to-25 year olds.

“The hockey part is a very small part of taking in a young player like that. It has to be more than that. Can he handle himself socially as a 17-year-old in a locker room between 20-year-olds, on a college campus, or in school at a demanding academic institution like Miami? Those were the parts we were most confident in.

Who he is as a person, the way he carries himself, his morals and values, that was why we felt so confident in bringing him in here and putting him in this situation. He just kind of has a process of how he goes about doing things. He trusts the situations and the coaching from us. Troy has done a tremendous job with him day to day. He’s got a hunger and appetite to get better. Guys like that are the reason you do this, the guy who’s got the ability but also is willing to put the work in to reach his potential. We have every bit of confidence that he will.”

200-Foot Prospect With NHL Upside

Morozov is a true 200-foot prospect with a ton of potential. Right now, he is projected to go late in the first round. If he can pick up his offensive production over the rest of this second half, he has top 20 potential.

Miami has something special in Morozov, and yet we remind ourselves that he is still only 17.