Yegor Surin, the troublemaker of the 2024 NHL draft
Throughout the 2023-2024 NHL season, TSLH Prospects shares observation reports and prospect profiles on young players eligible for the upcoming draft. Similar to the past four seasons, the columnists produce texts on a significant number of prospects to provide a comprehensive overview of the cohort and its progress. Today, the focus is on Yegor Surin, a forward playing in Russia.
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The prospect who has seen the biggest jump in my mid-season ranking compared to the preliminary one is Yegor Surin. The Russian forward, playing for Lokomotiv in the MHL, is having an excellent season with 51 points in 41 games at the time of writing. However, it’s not necessarily his production that catches the eye, but rather his aggressive playing style all over the ice.
Standing at 6 feet 1 inch and 192 pounds, this prospect demonstrates good mobility. We would like a slightly more consistent motor and better explosion, but Yegor Surin does not show any obvious skating problem. This is aided by above-average agility and equally impressive athletic qualities. It becomes apparent quickly that the young player is powerful, and that his balance is solid.
The strength in his legs seems to be ahead of the competition, as he can absorb any contact without being overly destabilized. This is the opposite when he delivers body check to his opponents. He may not necessarily throw himself around continnuously, but impactful hits are common, especially towards the end of his shift. Whether in the middle of the ice, forechecking, or in his own territory, opponents need to keep an eye on him when he’s on the ice.
There’s a kind of arrogance in his game that appeals to me (in a positive sense). Yegor Surin is not ashamed to impose himself physically on the ice. He is not concerned about retaliation or dominating an opponent. The prospect does it, retrieves the puck, and continues his way. Often, at this age, athletes with good size will avoid using their physicality. Whether due to passivity, lack of confidence, or simply a style that doesn’t suit them, these young players tend to be hesitant to establish a physical game consistently. This is definitely not the case with the Russian, who loves it.
When you come across a player who prioritizes a robust style, it’s often a depth player or one who can’t truly project into the NHL. On the other hand, when a talented prospect demonstrates so many qualities with a gritty style, it’s hard to ignore. Yegor Surin, for his part, has talent. He is an excellent playmaker and a forward who can carry the puck regularly. He is one of the main piece of his team in offense due to the versatility of his attributes.
From the right faceoff circle, the left-handed player can deceive opposing defensemen by exploiting what is presented to him. In possession of the puck, the prospect can both beat goalies without a screen and fake the shot to send it to a teammate on the opposite side. He is also excellent at positioning himself in front of defenders to use them as a screen to obstruct the goalie’s view. His arsenal of shots is diverse, but I wouldn’t necessarily label him as an elite goalscorer. The talent is there, for sure, but there are better prospects than him in that regard in the 2024 NHL Draft. It’s more the versatility of his profile that is remarkable.
In terms of puck protection, it is one of his strengths. It doesn’t always happen with speed, but the dekes are effective, and he knows how to use his reach and body to maintain possession. Would I like to see him more often in front of the net with the puck? Yes, but I don’t think his coaches want that. His role is more about entering the zone, setting up the offense, and dictating the pace. Since it works, I can’t really complain. Anyway, on counter-attacks, he is often seen cutting to the net and lowering his shoulders to destabilize his opponents. It’s clear that the prospect is capable of going into traffic. It’s just not his current role.
Now, the same goes for defense. Personally, I find him competent, and he stands out from several MHL prospects in this regard. He is not a player who wanders around. Yegor Surin gets involved in his territory and uses his shoulders and stick to retrieve the puck. It could be a bit more consistent in the passing lanes, but since his role seems to be to get back the puck in the offensive zone, it’s understandable that he might cheat from time to time. There’s nothing irredeemable in my eyes.
As for the draft, I find it difficult to say where he will be selected. I would like it to happen in the first round, but the Russian factor should come into play. Moreover, the MHL is not the most balanced league. There is a large disparity between the good and the bad teams, and Lokomotiv is at the top of the food chain. This could influence Yegor Surin’s evaluations downward since the competition is less fierce than elsewhere in the world. I would have really liked to see him in North America or in international championships to observe the effect of a change in context. We might only know that in a few years…
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