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The Habs Top 10 Prospects: #7 Alexander Zharovsky

Originally posted on The Sick Podcast | By Nick Lariviere | Last updated Aug 11, 2025 12:06 PM ET

In this year’s NHL Entry Draft, the Montreal Canadiens selected a Russian winger with their first pick for a 2nd year in a row by taking Alexander Zharovsky at pick #34. Zharovsky, who is seen as a lanky, dangling winger, is currently ranked as my 7th-best prospect in the Habs pipeline.

The Montreal Canadiens scouting staff viewed Zharovsky as a guy who should have gone in the 1st round (they had him 16th on their list), so the Canadiens traded up in Round 2 to be sure to snatch him up. What they must have liked about his game is his ability to stick-handle through his competition with such ease. Watching his highlight tape, it’s hard to believe that this player wasn’t a 1st round pick. Although the Russian factor is still a concern for many teams, and then there is also the fact that he is extremely lanky and could easily get pushed off the puck when playing against men.

Zharovsky currently stands at 6’1 but weighs only 163 LBS. The good news is that there is plenty of time for the 18-year-old Zharovsky to build muscle into his frame before he is ready to possibly come play in North America. As it stands, he is currently under contract with Salavat Ufa of the KHL until the end of the 2026-27 season, but due to financial issues, the team may allow Zharovsky to come join the Canadiens organization at the end of next season.

If Zharovsky does come over early, the Canadiens must send him to play in the AHL to get used to the North American ice. While Zharovsky is incredibly skilled, there is no way he can just step in right away at the NHL level and play like Ivan Demidov did last season. Demidov is a hockey phenom and likely will become a superstar, whereas Zharovsky will be looking to become a middle-six player at the NHL level. With that being said, some AHL time would do him great if he comes over this upcoming season. In Laval, he can take the steps to learn how to adapt to the smaller ice while rounding out his game as a whole. Currently, his defensive game also needs work, but it can be taught as he knows how to get into the right places at the right times to break up plays; it just needs to be done with more consistency.

Zharovsky has all the offensive skills to eventually make the NHL, as he was one of the best danglers and stick handlers in the MHL last year. His strong performance last year has earned him a spot at the KHL camp for Salavat Ufa this season. We will see how that goes in the next week or so. It would be very interesting to see how his MHL game translates to the KHL with much bigger guys checking him.

He may struggle due to his weight, in which case he’ll need to gain muscle so that he can be a force on the ice. By adding more strength and continuing to dangle the way he does, it looks like he should eventually be an NHL player as it stands now.

His time in the KHL or VHL this upcoming season should give us an idea of how exactly he’s offensive-minded game translates to the men’s pro leagues.

What are your thoughts on Alexander Zharovsky?

This article first appeared on The Sick Podcast and was syndicated with permission.

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