When the season started, Alexander Zharovsky wasn’t on the radar, not even ranked by Central Scouting, but a strong second half raised him up draft boards. Central Scouting had him in the top five European players by the end of the season.
The Montreal Canadiens liked him enough to trade their two second-round picks, 41st and 49th, to move up to 34th overall to take him.
A quick look at his profile shows why. The thing you hear about Zharovsky right away is that he is a top-level offensive talent.
Birthplace: Klin, RUS
Date of birth: February 22, 2007
Shoots: Left
Position: Right Wing
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 163 lbs.
Team: UFA Jr. (Russia)
Zharovsky ended the season with 46 points in his final 29 games in the MHL after starting the year with six points in his first 16 MHL games. That second-half run even got him into some KHL playoff games at the end of the season and he should be expected to play there next season.
Elite Prospects calls him the most skilled puck handler in the draft outside North America. He’s daring and takes chances, but he can often make it work more often than not. He’s not just a puck-handler and creator of his own chances, he is seen as a top-end passer. Despite his size, he battles for pucks and can make plays off the wall.
He’s also a play-driver as can be seen in tracking that Lassi Alanen and Mitch Brown put together, showing that he’s more than just a highlight video on skates.
