Some 2023 NHL draft prospects get discussed far more than others, but Timur Mukhanov has flown under the radar as a potential steal, writes Tony Ferrari.

When NHL squads are looking to find value in the NHL draft, they often look for players who have a number of skills and traits they value despite a flaw or two in their game. Those include speed, effort, center-lane tendencies, puck skill, playmaking ability, puck possession, or controlling scoring chances.

What if I told you there was a player with all those traits and not just one or two? 

Admittedly, he is undersized at just 5-foot-7 and comes with the 'Russian Factor,' but Timur Mukhanov could be the value pick of the 2023 draft class. He just turned 18 a few days ago, which makes him one of the younger players in the draft class, giving him a bit more runway for development as well.

Mukhanov spent most of his season in the VHL, Russia’s second-level men’s league, with Omsk. This allowed him to showcase his speed and puck pursuit ability against players bigger, faster, and stronger than he was. 

Mukhanov didn’t look out of place and found a niche as the pestering and annoying forechecker who knocked down errant passes and forced errors from his opponents.

The young Russian winger has the intelligence and work ethic to play a middle-six role with his penchant for getting in on the forecheck, disrupting puck carriers with his speed, and forcing mistakes from opponents. His defensive game is built on his desire to eliminate space and force his opponent's hand.

Mukhanov is an interesting player in that he blends his high effort and do-what-it-takes attitude on the ice with some of the rawest skill and most intriguing offensive upside available outside of the top half of Round 1. When he is on the ice, offensive chances are consistently created through his speed and vision, funneling the puck to high-danger areas.

There aren't many players who stand at 5-foot-7 who make the NHL and play meaningful games, but with the game becoming more driven by speed and skill, the opportunity for Mukhanov to buck the trend is evident. He does everything a coach would want to see out of his middle-six forwards, aside from having the 6-foot-2 frame that coaches covet.

Mukhanov has the skill to play with high-octane forwards higher in the lineup and the processing ability to make plays that advance their offense. He shows patience with the puck and has excellent vision. Mukhanov reads the play and makes effective use of spacing and timing to attack where defenders vacate to exploit misreads from opposing players.

His shot is still a work in progress, but he has a quick release and places his shots well, which should at least keep opposing netminders honest. With added strength, he should be able to become a more dangerous shooter because his shots come from medium and high-danger areas with regularity. 

Mukahnov understands the game is won in the middle of the ice, and whether he’s making passes there or finding a pocket of space away from the puck, he finds a way to take advantage of the center lane.

Omsk finished fourth last in the 26-team league, and Mukhanov’s supporting cast wasn’t great by any means. There were a number of games in which Mukhanov would make a slick pass to the slot or to a teammate with a wide-open net, just for it to be bobbled for a squandered scoring chance. Mukhanov wasn’t shy about showing frustration, shaking his head or throwing his arms in the air when making a line change.

His eight points through 31 games are good but not great at the VHL level for a draft-eligible player. However, it’s not often a draft-eligible player is 17 years old from start to finish in the VHL. 

If Mukhanov's teammates could have converted on a few of the chances he set up with his speed and skill, the point total could have been among some of the best in the league. Alas, his production kept him under the radar.

The environment he was in this season wasn’t fantastic while in the VHL, and his lone KHL game featured a grand total of 31 seconds of playing time. For next season, Mukhanov's been moved to Cherepovets, which finished seventh out of 11 teams in the KHL's Western Conference this past year. He could get the chance for more playing time at the KHL level this way. It’s no certainty, but it could be an excellent opportunity for him developmentally.

Public draft lists have ranked Mukhanov anywhere from in the 20s to outside the top 100 on various lists, and every time, the question is “Who is this guy?” from readers. It may not happen immediately, but we could be looking back on the young Russian playing for Cherepovets as one of the steals of the draft.

From pro-level tendencies at both ends of the ice to an untapped offensive potential that could make him a lethal threat with a bit more talent around him, Mukhanov could find a way to prove doubters wrong and work his way onto an NHL roster.

The raw talent is undeniable. It’s going to be on him to overcome obstacles and put it all together.