An excerpt from Hockey’s Future (Eugene Belashchenko):
Trunev’s selection was a bit of a surprise, considering his relatively quiet 2007-08 campaign. He hasn’t been a member of U18 (1990 born) Team Russia for quite some time and only spent a handful of games in HC Severstal’s main lineup. Clearly, Montreal’s scouts must have loved him elsewhere, which was likely the junior tournament where his HC Severstal 2 participated in Canada and this young forward shined. The young forward delivered an all star performance at the tournament and even scored a hattrick in the finals, showcasing his high-tempo game and smooth hands. Similar things have happened in the past, when Mikhail Tulyapkin, for example, was selected by the Wild despite a disappointing season because of his previous success in a similar tournament.
Additionally, Trunev is likely willing to come over and play in the juniors, something that is an increasing trend with the Russians. A dynamic offensive forward, Trunev is an interesting package of skill and speed. What he does however unfortunately lack is size, so it remains to be seen whether he can adjust to a more physical brand of hockey. While the quality of this selection can be questioned, Trunev has a significant offensive upside and he is definitely a project selection.