When the 2017 CHL Import Draft was conducted, the only player chosen ahead of Alexander Khovanov was Andrei Svechnikov, the high-scoring Russian projected to go No. 2 overall in the NHL Draft. Khovanov even went ahead of Filip Zadina.
The smallish Russian centre came to North America this season for his draft year after scoring 22 points in 29 games last season for Irbis Kazan of the MHL, Russia’s equivalent to the CHL. Khovanov was limited to just 29 games with the Moncton Wildcats, but he registered 28 points to finish with one of the best per game averages on the team.
Once believed to be a surefire first-round pick, Khovanov is now on the fringe of that round and could slip into Round 2. Here’s what you need to know about the player.
Team: Moncton (QMJHL)
Position: C
Shoots: Left
Age: 18
From: Saratov, Russia
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 198 pounds
HIS SEASON DIDN’T BEGIN UNTIL DECEMBER
While vacationing in the Dominican Republic last summer, Khovanov contracted hepatitis A, which delayed his Wildcats debut until Dec. 28. Because of this late start, it’s unlikely that Khovanov was in peak condition through the rest of the year, though his production did pick up as it went along.
“It was hard not to play and not to train and very difficult to watch the game being played and not participate,” Khovanov said.
In his final 15 regular season games, Khovanov scored 18 points and then picked up seven more points in 12 playoff games.
In some ways he’s reminiscent of Timothy Liljegren. The current Maple Leafs prospect was at one point in the running to go first or second overall in his draft year, but a bout with mono kept him on the sidelines for a considerable portion of that season and he ended up slipping to the middle of the first-round.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSyw8MPW4Lc
Khovanov’s 2016-17 season was cut short due to an ankle injury too, so while his natural skill had him on track to be a first-round pick, some health issues have hindered that outlook in the past year.
A TREMENDOUS PERFORMER AGAINST HIS OWN AGE GROUP
When he has been healthy, Khovanov has been a star in his age group. At the 2016 Youth Olympic Games, Khovanov served as the Team Russia captain and tied good friend and top prospect Svechnikov for the tournament scoring lead. At the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, he tied Svechnikov for the lead in goals.
He’s smaller than Svechnikov and players centre, which adds value to his potential, and although he’s put up impressive goal totals in some of these international events, Khovanov is more of a playmaker. In the QMJHL this season 23 of his 35 total points (regular season and playoffs) were assists.
NOTABLE COMBINE PERFORMANCE
Although Khovanov’s conditioning was fairly questioned this season as he rebounded from illness, he excelled at one of the most demanding drills at the NHL’s Scouting Combine. Khovanov was top four in the extremely demanding Wingate bike test.
All of this makes Khovanov one of the more intriguing talents in this year’s draft, and a potential steal for some team. While it’s looking more and more unlikely his name will be called in the first round, he could end up providing some huge value to a team in the back half of the second or, even possibly, the third.
If he’s able to come back healthy in 2018-19, Khovanov could be a big and important player for the Wildcats and a key piece for Russia at the WJC.
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