Maxim Trunev Steal of the NHL Draft · 27 June, 19:31

The Montreal Canadian’s have nothing but positive comments about their 5th round pick Maxim Trunev.

“It was a very good day for us and we tried to hit a few homeruns,” said Canadiens Director of Player Recruitment and Development, Trevor Timmins, who has swung a hot bat for the Habs in recent years, to say the least. “We drafted some excellent young hockey players today.”

Known for his sleeper picks and late-draft gems, Timmins already has a hunch about which of his latest picks could end up surprising people.

“I think Maxim Trunev will prove to be the steal of this draft,” predicted Timmins about his fifth-round pick. “I see him taking the same route as Sergei Kostitsyn. Even though no Canadian Junior team has acquired Maxim’s rights yet, it won’t be long before teams starting fighting over him.”

Trunev was the only non-North American player chosen by the Canadiens, who followed the league-wide trend that saw only 29 total Europeans picked out of the 211 players selected over the weekend.

The WHL Portland Winter Hawks are not fighting over him, but have acquired him with their 1st pick (3rd) in the CHL Import draft. There are some limited stats that show a proclivity for goal scoring. But more important here are some comments from people who have seen him play:

Rich Kromm (Coach)

Has worked with Trunev the past two summers at the Okanagan Hockey School in Penticton, British Columbia.

“He is very dynamic and gifted offensively. Like many of the top Russian players, he has great skill, but his creative abilities, offensively, set him apart,” Kromm says. “His maturity will allow him to be an immediate impact player by adding a scoring punch to our lineup.”

Matt Bardsley (Director of Player Development)

A “high skill player and a very good skater,”

Ken Hodge (General Manager)

“Trunev was the best available player who would commit to playing for Portland.

“I’m pretty excited. I think we got a quality player. He’s the kind of player we need,” Hodge said.

Step two… get him in a Hawk uniform.

— S. Blanchard

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US Divisional News · 18 January, 16:48

— S. Blanchard

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