Ilona Markova is the first Russian to declare for the PWHL Draft and the skilled 22-year-old could make an impact on the league next season, and open the door for other Russians to join the league.
Ilona Markova is the first Russian to declare for the PWHL Draft and the skilled 22-year-old could make an impact on the league next season, and open the door for other Russians to join the league.
Ilona Markova is an intriguing PWHL Draft prospect for a number of reasons. First, she's only 22. Next, before Russia invaded Ukraine, Markova was a star on the rise for Russia.
She appeared in three straight U-18 World Championships for Russia, earning a pair of tournament All-Star nods, and captaining Russia to a bronze in her third go round.
The next year the teenager made her senior national team debut at the 2021 World Championships and was set to play for Russia at the 2022 Olympics before she tested positive for COVID days before the competition.
Playing for Agidel Ufa in Russia's ZhHL, Markova notched a career high 40 points in 42 games this season before stepping up her game in the postseason where she recorded 10 points in seven games.
Markova is a dangerous shooter who loves to weave through the offensive zone finding openings, and when the puck ends up on her stick, she doesn't need long for her release. She's played primarily against much weaker competition in Russia, but thrived this season on a line with former Czechia national team captain Alena Mills.
Markova sees the ice well and is a strong skater.
The portion of her game that has yet to be tested is how she'll match up physically against the top players in the world. In terms of skill, she will not look out of place, but there will certainly be a development period playing not only on smaller ice but against bigger, faster, and stronger players. She's shown in both international competition and come playoffs an ability to rise against stronger competition.
Some scouts see Markova as a top 20 pick, while others have discussed her as a wildcard to potentially throw a pick at in the late rounds and hope. She's got elite skill, but is a few years removed from elite competition.
Markova could be paving the way for other Russian players to make the jump to North America, a pathway that's been occurring in men's hockey for 30 years, but has yet to happen extensively in women's hockey save an exception like Yale defender Vita Ponyatovskaya. If Markova works out however, there's a long list of Russian players who could attempt the jump including Olga Sosina, Anna Shibanova, Anna Shokhina, Oxana Bratishcheva, Nina Pirogova, Valeria Pavlova, Oxana Mitrofanova, Veronika Korzhakova, Yelizaveta Shkalyova, Liana Ganeyeva, Angelina Goncharenko, and Valeria Tarakanova.