Habster:
From what I’ve read about Trunev’s game, he has top end speed with a beautiful skating stride and can handle the puck at high speed. He also has a very good, quick wrist shot. The only aspects of his game which need improvement are his defensive awareness and his tendency to hold onto the puck too long, things which can definitely be improved or eliminated from his game.
As Trevor Timmins described Trunev to Hockey’s Future: “Our Euro scouts describe him as a combination of the two Kostitsyn brothers,” Timmins explained. “He was the MVP of the Mac’s midget tournament earlier this year in Calgary and he’s one of the youngest players in the draft.”
Here’s an excerpt from Dobberhockey.com:
Montreal – They did okay with Danny Kristo, considering their first pick was late in the second round, however the wait will be long for the potential second-liner. Where the Habs really shone was the selection of Maxim Trunev 138th. One of, if not the, youngest players in the draft, the Russian winger can dazzle. Dobber’s Prospects Report indicates that this guy could possibly be a first rounder in 2009 had he been born just a few days later. Watch him.
I hope he gets drafted by a CHL team and comes to North America to play, where he can acclimatize to the smaller rinks, learn a new language and the Habs could monitor his progress.