Yegor Surin – 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

When he’s at his best, Surin uses his teammates well, both as passing options and as distractions for opposing defenders. Surin’s best trait is his compete level, which is strong enough to make him that classic fan-favorite type of player who just never seems to quit on a play. He works incredibly hard in all three zones, putting as much effort into a forecheck/backcheck as he would a two-on-one situation on offense. 

Surin has the size to be a pro forward at 6-foot-1, and his high motor makes him a consistent factor defensively. Those are the main reasons I could see him as a long-term center, though he can truly play any of the three forward positions. Just because he’s a high-effort type doesn’t mean he doesn’t have offense either. Surin’s dangerous from the flank on the power play, and his shot is hard and accurate which makes him a scoring threat from a good range.

He spent this season in Russia’s top junior league, the MHL, where he scored 53 points in 43 games, as well as 23 points in 19 playoff games. His production really leveled up since the calendar turned to 2024, and he carried that momentum all the way to the end of his season. His 53 points were enough for ninth in the league, and the second most among all U18 players.

I expect he’ll spend his 18-year-old season in the MHL once again next year before turning pro, likely jumping right to the KHL due to his size and defensive reliability. He will be a dominant force if he returns to the MHL, and could push for the league’s scoring lead.

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Yegor Surin – NHL Draft Projection

Russian players are still incredibly difficult to project in the NHL Draft (aside from the elite ones), but I think it’s most likely Surin is drafted in the second round at this point. While his offensive skill and high compete level are exciting, I think his decision making will give teams enough pause to wait on him a bit. I wouldn’t be shocked to hear a team is considering him as high as the early 20s in the first round, however.  

Quotables

 “When he does work off his teammates, there’s a lot more to like there; if he can be reined in a bit and learn to play more of a team game, he could be a solid complementary playmaker, or physical energy guy; both roles I think he could perform well in.” – Gray Matter, Smaht Scouting

“Surin is a hyper competitive forward and the energy he brings to shifts is what makes me optimistic about his NHL projection. He brings it every game, plays both ways, is very physical and has a lot of tempo in how he creates offense.” Corey Pronman, The Athletic (April 17, 2024, “NHL Draft 2024 prospects ranking: Celebrini leads Pronman’s April list, Levshunov follows”)

Strengths

Under Construction – Improvements to Make

NHL Potential

Surin has a very clear path to becoming a middle-six forward in the NHL, with the offensive skill to provide offense and the work ethic to absorb tough matchups. I don’t see a ton of star potential to his game, but I think he’ll have a long career in the NHL. When it comes to an NHL comparable, I’d say Surin is like a better skating Andrew Copp, who you can just plug into your second or third line and just forget about him since you know he’ll handle whatever the other team throws at him.

Risk-Reward

Risk – 1/5, Reward – 3.5/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense – 7/10, Defense – 7/10

Yegor Surin Stats

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