Toronto Maple Leafs: 4 Draft Targets – April Update
By Austin Owens
Alexander Khovanov / Centre / Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
2017-18 Stats: 29 GP / 9 G / 19 A / 28 PTS / 36 PIM / -1
In the case of Khovanov, he’s another example of a player who has had his season, and draft stock, derailed by illness.
The Toronto Maple Leafs found themselves an unexpected gift in Timothy Liljegren in the middle of the first round last year. Why? Because he came down with Mono, forcing him to miss almost every game in his draft year.
Am I comparing the calibre of the two players to one another? No. They play two different positions and were ranked in drastically different positions. But their paths to the draft were similar.
Khovanov was taken with the second overall pick in the 2017 CHL Import Draft behind projected top three pick Andrei Svechnikov.
The Russian agreed to come over to North America to play with the Moncton Wildcats. However, while vacationing in the Dominican Republic during the offseason, Khovanov contracted Hepatitis A, forcing him out of action for the first three months of the season.
He made his CHL debut on Dec. 28. He would register his first North American goal a day later against the Saint John Sea Dogs.
Khovanov averaged just under a point per contest over the final 29 games of his season, finishing in the top 10 in scoring for the Wildcats.
https://twitter.com/monctonwildcats/status/970421790525837312
In the playoffs, Khovanov has three points in seven games. The Wildcats’ title aspirations are still alive, as they have made it through the first round.
The Russian centre will be expected to play a depth role and contribute in every zone. Here’s a scouting report from Future Considerations on Khovanov:
"Khovanov is a crafty little playmaker that excels in many facets of the game all over the ice…an explosive, agile skater who can control the puck with ease even at top speed…good quickness, edge work and balance on his skates…very tough to knock off the puck for a smaller player…silky-smooth hands and shows above-average puck handling…shows great patience with the puck even when under pressure…possesses a dangerous wrist shot, can fire the puck with good accuracy and quickness…a tape-to-tape passer leading guys to open ice with precision dishes…carries the puck very calmly and is well aware of his linemates positioning due to elite vision…strong in the face-off circle…great hockey smarts…plays a strong game away from the puck constantly moving to find open ice and making himself available for passes…anticipates the flow of the game well…very patient, waiting for plays to develop around him…not quite as advanced in his own end, but he does a good job applying pressure and covering his man…a potential top-six two-way center at the next level."
The Leafs need a centre badly to replenish their system. Khovanov has flown under the radar this season and could slip into the second round.
It’s a risk. But the Leafs look to have confidence in their scouting of Russian prospects as of late and don’t have to worry about an unwillingness to play in North America.
This could be a low-risk, high reward pick if Khovanov lives up to the billing he’s been given by scouts.