Maxim Anisimov - Prospect Scouting Report

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Maxim Anisimov - Prospect Scouting Report

 

 

Age: 23, Height: 6'1 Weight: 186 lbs

Nationality: Ukrainian

Position: Right Wing, VHLM Team: Las Vegas Aces 

S90 VHL Draft Eligible

 

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VHLM Career:

Maxim's career in the VHLM has been brief thus far, but he has shown wonderful glimpses of potential in that time. In the 18 games he played in S88 with the Las Vegas Aces, he scored 3 goals and registered 9 assists for a total of 12 points. While the point totals look good, a deeper look into the stats of this last season paint a rather impressive picture for Anisimov. 48 shots in 18 games averages out to a little over two and a half shots per game. For a player that prioritizes passing over shooting, that's an impressive number, though with 48 shots and three goals only grants him a shooting percentage of 6.25%. Not the most impressive number, but as it's not his strong suit, it will only improve with his rapid growth. He had 25 hits additionally during the regular season, and this is really impressive as Anisimov is not known at all for his physicality game. The S88 playoffs unfortunately were a sweep for the Aces, but Maxim did show up a bit with a goal and an assist in those four games. He was a -4, however, which shows that defensively, his game requires a little bit more work. With all that being said, let's move onto pros, cons, and draft notes for this rising star.

 

Strengths:

Maxim Anisimov is a playmaker through and through. He's stylized his game into a pass first, shoot second mentality and is the perfect accessory piece to a sniping winger or center. His offensive vision is above average for his draft group and will carry his line to offensive production in any situations. Powerplay or even strength, Maxim's got his head up looking to make a play and get his team some wins. He's also started to work heavily on his skating and deking abilities, which will just further enhance his offensive capabilities. Overall, he's on pace to be an incredibly strong offensively minded player, but with that in mind, let's take a look at some weaknesses.

 

Weaknesses:

His major glaring flaw over the course of S88 in the VHLM and the Junior Showcase has absolutely been his defensive game. He doesn't create space as much as he should, rarely gets down to block shots and only just found his physical game. Despite these shortcomings, Anisimov makes up for it in offensive production, and with his rapid development over the last few weeks, strides have been made in the Aces offseason to enhance his defensive side more. Whether this translates properly into next season however is still up in the air, so we'll see if he can be a solid two-way forward on top of his growing playmaking game.

 

Draft Notes:

Overall, Maxim Anisimov is a dark horse candidate for an elite playmaker in the making, and should be treated as such in the upcoming drafts. His game excels being placed with a sniper and/or strong two-way forward on the same line, and the chemistry can hopefully bring success to any franchise he ends up on. With how rapidly he's growing his skills and experience in the league, he's expected to have a long and successful career, and should definitely be a priority for teams that need a playmaking forward to pick up in the future. He's already been projected 8th overall in the S90 VHL draft, with his draft stock likely rising after the JST and VHLM draft, so GM's should keep an eye on this players career and see if he can bring something to the table for them.

 

Thank you for the read!

 

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