Valeri Nichushkin has seen his 2013 NHL draft stock rise considerably since burying Canada with this overtime marker to help Russia win the bronze medal in the most recent World Junior Championships. Since then, the lanky center/left wing has garnered considerable attention for his combination of NHL-ready size, good speed and his ability to drive to the net and score dirty goals.
One needs to look no further than the bronze-clinching goal to see why scouts are watering at the mouth over this prospect.
Standing at 6'4'' and already weighing close to 200 pounds as an 18 year old, he could possibly top out around 225, giving him bona fide power forward size. While some youngsters aren't quite sure how to use their size and strength, Nichushkin uses his big body to protect the puck and drive to the net on a nightly basis.
When he isn't getting to the dirty areas and scoring goals, he is using his considerable speed and hands to open up space for those lining up alongside him. Nichushkin also has excellent vision and can find open players with the best of the 2013 crop of prospects.
Roll all of this into a package and you ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Franklin Steele
Getting to Know 2013 NHL Draft Prospect Valeri Nichushkin
March 9th, 2013 by Franklin Steele Leave a reply »
Advertisement