2024 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: LD, Shoots L
H/W: 6’4”, 198lbs
Date of Birth: 2006-03-22
Matvei Shuravin is a very interesting defensive prospect for the 2024 NHL Draft. He is a defensive defender who has spent this season split between the MHL, VHL, and the KHL. In the KHL, he plays for CSKA Moskva where he was far and away the youngest player to suit up for the organization this season. It may have been only 8 games, but Shuravin showcased his potential as a shutdown defender who can help the offense with his strong transitional play and great first pass.
One thing I’d like to note with Shuravin is that on many outlets online, he is listed at 6’2” - however he has recently stated in an interview that he now sits at 6’4” and he could still be growing as his father, who is a former volleyball player stands at 6’6”. If that’s the case, the sky could be the limit for Shuravin. If he does continue his growth and is able to fill out his body, he could be an intimidating force once he comes over to North America. Along with countryman, and fellow 2024 Draft prospect, Anton Silayev, as well as 2023 draftee Dimitri Simashev - the Russian defenders are coming in BIG lately.
I noted earlier that Shuravin had played 8 games in the KHL, he notched 2 assists and, in the process, looked very good, more than holding his own against the senior competition. He was getting between 12-13 minutes a game and playing well. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury to his shoulder and proceeded to miss a month of game action. When he was ready to go again, CSKA sent him down to the MHL to get back into game shape.
In Russia, people are excited about Shuravin and his game. He has even gotten comparisons to countryman and Hockey Hall of Famer Vladislav Fetisov. And honestly, the comparison is a great one because both of their games are/were highlighted by their defensive play, positioning, and playmaking from the blueline. Now Shuravin has a long way to go to reach the heights of Fetisov, but it’s easy to see why he is garnering such praise.
Skating
One of the most striking aspects of Shuravin’s skating is his smooth stride. Despite his imposing stature, he moves with astonishing grace and efficiency - effortlessly gliding across the ice. His long, powerful strides generate tremendous speed and momentum, enabling him to cover distances in a short amount of time. Whether he's chasing down opponents on the backcheck or leading the rush up the ice, Shuravin’s skating mechanics are a sight to behold.
What sets Shuravin apart from many other defensemen in this draft is his ability to accelerate and change directions with great agility. Despite his size, he possesses quick feet and very good edge work, allowing him to pivot and maneuver effortlessly in tight spaces. This agility gives him a distinct advantage in one-on-one situations, as he can quickly adjust his position to disrupt opposing forwards and maintain defensive integrity.
Shuravin’s skating technique is incredibly efficient, allowing him to conserve energy and maintain peak performance throughout the course of a game. His powerful strides and smooth technique minimize wasted movement, allowing him to sustain high levels of intensity and compete at an elite level for extended periods. Shuravin’s skating proficiency also enhances his defensive capabilities. His speed and agility enable him to close gaps quickly, disrupt passing lanes, and shut down opposing forwards with authority. Whether he's delivering bone-crushing hits along the boards or breaking up plays in the neutral zone, his mobility and agility make him a formidable force in his own end.
This is a play that demonstrates Shuravin’s ability to pivot and keep up his momentum. He is defending against his opposition in transition and after a cross-ice pass you can see Shuravin’s ability to quickly change direction to cut off the player, then pivot again to make sure he isn;t able to cut and beat him to the outside. Because of his skating and positioning in this clip, Shuravin forces a bad shot.
Another clip that really highlighted Shuravin’s back skating ability and how because of his skating ability he is able to spread the ice and essentially cover two of the attacking forwards on the 3-on-2.
In this play, Shuravin showcases his ability to activate from the blueline and use some deceptive footwork to try and force the defense to make a mistake so he can make a play. He doesn’t do this often - but when he does you can really see his potential as a potential two-way guy in the NHL.
This is Shuravin’s best play that really showcases his abilities as a puck carrier in transition and how, even though he is a big boy at 6’4” he can get up to speed quickly and maintain separation from the defenders when he wants. Because of his acceleration in this clip, his team is able to get a goal after a slick feed from the big man.
Skating: 55
Shot
Shuravin’s shot does have its limitations, particularly in terms of its velocity and power. Compared to some of the other defenders in this draft, his shot lacks the sheer force necessary to beat goaltenders cleanly from long distances or through heavy traffic. As a result, he often relies on deflections, screens, and secondary opportunities to contribute to the scoresheet.
Shuravin’s shot selection can sometimes be predictable, especially when he's under pressure or facing aggressive forechecking. Opposing teams may anticipate his shot from the point and adjust their defensive strategies, accordingly, limiting his effectiveness as a scoring threat from the blue line. To maximize his offensive impact, Shuravin may need to diversify his shooting repertoire and incorporate elements of deception and unpredictability into his game.
Improving the speed of his release can catch goaltenders off guard and create scoring opportunities in tight spaces. Shuravin can work on shortening his wind-up and getting the puck off his stick more quickly, allowing him to capitalize on scoring chances before defenders have a chance to react.
While he has a long way to go before calling his shot a strength of his, Shuravin’s physical profile gives me hope that over time, his shot is something that could be added to his repertoire and help him become more of an offensive presence.
This really encapsulates Shuravin as a shooter, he isn’t precise with his shots, he doesn’t think ahead and just throws the puck at the net, in the hope he’s able to find a deflection or a rebound. It’s a “Screw it” mentality for a lot of his shooting attempts - even if there are defenders blocking the shooting lanes.
Another play where Shuravin just shoots the puck on net without much else going on. He completely misses the net wide, and the defender is able to pick up the speed along the boards with speed as a result and go the other way. Again, I would like to see him think his shots out a bit more.
This is the play where Shuravin thought he got his first career KHL goal, only for it to be credited to one of his forwards who deflected the puck. This is a good showcase of Shuravin’s shooting ability - he takes his time with the shot and as a result, it’s able to get through the defense, make it to the goalie and a goal is scored as a result.
This is another play that showcases Shuravin’s shooting in a positive light. He picks up the puck and acts as if he is going to walk the blueline with the puck, only for him to do a quick sidestep and throw a shot on goal. I love seeing defenders doing this, if he had more traffic in front of the net he could have gotten the goalie going right to left and could have gotten a great chance. Being deceptive like this at the blueline is an important trait of a defender that maybe hasn’t had the offensive totals, yet but has the potential to get there.
In this clip, it shows Shuravin stepping into the puck with speed for a slap shot, but he doesn’t get all of the puck and what could have been a great opportunity isn’t because Shuravin whiffs on the puck. Would really like to see him improve on getting accurate shots off quicker, so things like this don’t happen as much.
With this play, Shuravin sees a gap in the defense and jumps up and is able to get a good shot off because of it. Would like to see him get it off quicker so the goalie doesn’t have time to set but it shows he isn't afraid to jump into a play to create more offense for his teams.
Shot: 50
Skills
One of Shuravin’s most remarkable attributes is his capacity to make a first pass out of the defensive zone with remarkable efficiency and accuracy. As the linchpin of his team's breakout strategy, he has served as a catalyst for transition play, igniting offensive rushes and orchestrating controlled exits from the defensive zone. Shuravin’s ability to thread pinpoint passes through traffic and connect with forwards in stride facilitating smooth and fluid transitions from defense to offense, enabling his team to maintain possession and apply pressure in the attacking zone.
Shuravin’s passing ability extended beyond the defensive zone, encompassing his contributions in the offensive zone as well. Despite primarily being recognized for his defensive acumen, he possesses keen vision and playmaking instincts that allowed him to generate scoring opportunities and facilitate puck movement in the offensive zone. Whether quarterbacking the power play or orchestrating cycling plays along the boards, Shuravin has exhibited a rare blend of creativity and precision in his passing, setting up teammates with prime scoring chances and keeping opposing defenses on their heels. To do what he does with the puck at his size is rare.
Not only does Shuravin showcase his skills in the offensive zone, but really it’s in the defensive zone where his skills are showcased the best. Shuravin possesses a keen understanding of opponent tendencies and offensive strategies, he anticipates plays with uncanny precision, often thwarting scoring chances before they materialized and disrupting opposing attacks with surgical precision. Shuravin’s ability to anticipate developing plays and position himself accordingly allow him to maintain tight coverage on opposing forwards, neutralizing threats and limiting their time and space in the offensive zone.
Shuravin’s defensive game can be highlighted by his impeccable positioning and disciplined play without the puck. Shuravin has excelled at maintaining optimal gap control, angling attackers toward the boards, and forcing turnovers with his stick work and body positioning. Shuravin’s ability to maintain a strong defensive posture while denying passing lanes and blocking shooting lanes made him a nightmare for opposing forwards attempting to penetrate the slot or generate scoring opportunities in high-danger areas.
With this play, it shows Shuravin’s ability to use his stick to great effect to break up opposing forwards in transition. He forces one forward to the middle once Shuravin takes away the outside lane, and then Shuravin is able to use his long stick to disrupt the forward cutting down the middle of the ice. Really impressive defensive plays here for Shuravin.
Shuravin is really good at transitioning from defense to offense. More specifically, he has a great first pass out of the defensive zone. This is a long stretch pass to one of his teammates behind the defense and he pulls it off with ease and his team is able to get a dangerous offensive chance because of it.
Simple play but I thought it was important to highlight anyway, Shuravin does an excellent job at putting his stick in the shooting lane and what was once a great chance, is now a puck in the corner. Great defensive play.
Shuravin on this play sort of showcases some good, and some bad. He is retrieving the puck and wants to carry the puck up the ice - unfortunately for him, he has both a forechecker and a backchecker on him with no support. The backchecker is able to lift his stick from behind and he gets caught in no man's land, so he quickly pokes the puck past the forechecker to get the puck to a part of the ice where he can get support. The play results in a turnover but it could have been much worse if Shuravin wasn’t so quick on his feet.
Just a beautiful outlet pass to jumpstart the offence. Shuravin is able to thread the puck through multiple defenders to get it up to his forwards. Really impressive play and not one you often see from a rookie blueliner in the KHL.
Skills: 55
Smarts
Shuravin embodies the essence of Hockey IQ and smarts with his understanding of the game, impeccable decision-making, and ability to anticipate plays before they unfold. Shuravin’s Hockey IQ is the cornerstone of his game, serving as the foundation upon which he builds his defensive prowess and contributes to his team's success on the ice.
At the heart of Shuravin’s Hockey IQ is his exceptional ability to read the game and anticipate opponents' moves with accuracy. Possessing a keen hockey sense and intuitive understanding of game flow, he is adept at recognizing patterns, anticipating passing lanes, and positioning himself strategically to disrupt opposing plays and neutralize scoring threats. Shuravin’s ability to anticipate plays before they develop not only enables him to excel defensively but also allows him to transition seamlessly from defense to offense, initiating controlled breakouts and generating scoring opportunities for his team.
Shuravin’s decision-making and ability to make split-second judgments under pressure is another element to his game I’m very impressed with. Whether it's choosing the optimal outlet pass out of the defensive zone, pinching in at the right moment to keep plays alive in the offensive zone, or sacrificing his body to block shots and thwart scoring chances, he consistently demonstrates a level of poise, composure, and awareness beyond his years. Shuravin’s ability to remain calm and composed in critical situations instills confidence in his teammates and serves as a stabilizing force for his team in moments of adversity.
This play demonstrates Shuravin’s ability to get himself in a good position to get in front of the puck and disrupt the scoring lane. Great stick and impressive positioning on this play.
This is a great play, it’s something that happens so many times a game but is often overlooked. Shuravin correctly anticipates the defense is going to try to throw the puck up the boards so he pinches from the blueline to cut off the lane and pressures the player along the wall to stop the outlet pass. His team ends up continuing the offensive zone pressure because of it.
Shuravin in this play showcases a really good pinch from the blueline. He fakes going around the net with his head and feet only to throw the puck out in front of the net for a good scoring chance if his teammate wasn’t tied up in front.
Great pinch here from Shuravin who slips in the middle of the defense and gets a high-quality shot off as a result. Great anticipation by Shuravin who doesn’t always jump into the offense like this.
Rather than getting the puck and shooting it where he was, Shuravin makes an excellent play by getting up close to the goalie, dragging the puck around the defender for a great scoring opportunity. Really want to see more of this from Shuravin in the offensive zone.
Smarts:60
Physicality/Compete
While he stands at an impressive 6 feet 4 inches, Matvei Shauavin’s approach to the game emphasizes his strengths in puck handling, skating, and defensive positioning rather than relying heavily on physicality. His lack of physicality is not necessarily a weakness but rather a strategic choice that reflects his focus on maximizing his effectiveness as a defenseman through other means. Although physicality isn’t a defining trait of Shuravin’s game - it’s an element of his game I’m sure he’ll be able to develop as he gets older, adding muscle mass and getting more accustomed to his size. A defender at his size will need to learn to be effective at both utilizing his great defensive instincts and physicality, so he can be dominant in his own zone one day.
Shuravin displays occasional glimpses of physicality despite being relatively raw in his development. He excels at tying up forwards in front of the net, effectively limiting their ability to find advantageous positions for deflections. Additionally, his adept use of the stick allows him to lift opponents' sticks and disrupt passing lanes, contributing to his ability to break up plays effectively.
He has the potential as he grows to really become a dominant physical presence in the NHL. If he starts to use his size to his advantage more, he could become a player who is not only a feared defensive presence - but a feared physical presence also. If his height also can reach his fathers at 6’6” I do see a world in which Shuravin becomes a defender in the mold of Victor Hedman. Unfortunately for Shuravin, that’s a lot of ifs, and a lot will need to go right in his development to reach those heights.
Here is a play in which Shuravin steps up to lay a hit on his opponent, however just before the contact he lets up and the player is able to make a play up the ice as a result. Would like to see him assert himself more and really step into this player with speed. He has the size to level this guy but doesn’t.
This is a play I really love to see out of Shuravin. He does a fantastic job at closing out on the forward coming up the ice with speed and has his teammate to support him and dig the puck out from under them. If he can do this more often I love his potential as an NHL defender.
This is a blocked shot that shows Shuravin's positioning and willingness to put his body on the line. He does this a lot and is something I really admire about him.
Shuravin does a really great job in this play of stepping up on the forward and leveling him onto the ice. If Shuravin does this more often he can strike fear into the opposition and have them doubt their plays which would give Shuravin’s team an advantage at certain points in the game.
Another play where Shuravin is able to step up and take a player out of the play. Really nice hit that shows his potential as a physical player.
Last play, I’m a sucker for a really nice hit. This is the best of the bunch where his presence causes the player with the puck to throw it away just before the contact and Shuravin levels him. He has really good potential as a physical player.
Physicality/Compete: 60
OFP: 56.25
A note on the 20-80 scale used above. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity.