SCoC Draft Profiles: Ostap Safin could be a perfect 2nd round pick for Boston

Player Analysis:

You don’t often think too hard about 2nd rounders but this is an interesting draft year for it, with plenty of intriguing picks from all over creation. One such player projected here is Ostap Safin, who impressed to the point where he jumped into the top 20 of European Skaters.

At 6’4 and almost 200 lbs., Safin is a powerful skater on an even more powerful frame. But powerful skaters don’t always mean fast skaters. Being able to outmuscle a player doesn’t always mean you’re gonna actually be able to pull it off without being able to pass the puck off. Thankfully, that’s not the case with this guy, as Ostap Safin is much faster than you think he would be with that strength and size, and is more than willing to show it off on the backcheck:

Rest in pieces, Belarusian player.

But more than that, Safin’s major draws are that he’s got a slick set of hands, lethally accurate shot, has an opportunistic streak that can easily counterattack against opposing attackers, A solid backchecker, great passer, is quite hard to knock off the puck, and can, of course, get up ice much faster than you think a guy his size would be able to come up with. And as an added bonus, he can play both center and wing! Utility is always a plus!

What’s still on his docket for improvement is creativity, as he’s never been known to be super tricksy like his contemporaries like Filip Chytil, but his gloriously unsubtle and powerful game can almost counteract that. Almost.

Another thing he could do well to improve is filling out that frame. He’s still a large lad, but there’s still some room on that 6’4 frame to add some extra muscle, which is something playing on HC Sparta Praha in the Czech leagues can do for him or in the AHL, should he decide to make the jump.

Currently slotted for the middle of the pack in the 2nd round (where Boston happens to be at 53rd), While both Chytil and Safin would be great choices here, if you’re more in the mood for a power forward with skill and strength aplenty, there’s no reason to think he would be a good pick to develop.

I mean, this was the edmonton pick given up as compensation for Peter Chiarelli, it makes sense that the man who ensured a czech center would be a part of the Boston Bruins for a long time’s final impact on the team could involve yet another czech center.

Player Rankings:

• Ranked #40 by Future Considerations
• Bob McKenzie: 43rd (Mid-season)
• Craig Button: 75th (March)
• Ranked #14 by NHL Central Scouting (EU Skaters)

Stats:

Age: 18

Position: Center/Wing

Height: 6’4

Weight: 198 lbs.