Florida Panthers select Matvei Shuravin No. 97 overall in 2024 NHL Draft
A blueliner’s path to the National Hockey League is a little clearer.
On Saturday at The Sphere in Las Vegas, the Stanley Cup champions Florida Panthers took Russian defenseman Matvei Shuravin in the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft, No. 97 overall.
The 18-year-old entered the draft as the 15th-ranked prospect among international skaters, according to NHL Central Scouting. Daily Faceoff draft expert Steven Ellis has Shuravin as his 53rd-best prospect.
Shuravin’s ability had some scouts pushing for him to be a first-round pick. However, his indecisiveness with the puck is leaving more to be desired. However, at 6-foot-4, he has plenty of time to be a late bloomer with some extended time overseas and become a solid two-way defenseman that any NHL team would love to have.
“He’s got the size scouts are looking for, ” Ellis said. “He does play with an edge, but there are some questions about his decision-making. I liked him in his spot on KHL duty, perhaps a bit more than some of his games in the MHL.”
The Moscow native has spent just about all of his life playing for hometown teams. Whether it be winning District Cups with Team Moscow at the U-14, U-15 and U-16 levels, or making a name for himself playing CSKA Moscow’s junior-level teams, Shuravin has been playing close to home for most of his career.
He has spent most of the last two seasons with Kransnaya Armiya of the MHL in Moscow, registering a plus/minus of +13 in 27 games during the 2022-23 season. That year, Shuravin scored three goals and five points. He bounced around this past season, playing 22 games with Kransnaya, registering seven assists, and playing another five games in the VHL with Zvevzda Moscow in the VHL. Shuravin did make the jump to the KHL, playing in 11 games with the senior CSKA Moscow team, picking up two assists with a +5 rating.
With Russia being banned from major competition by the IIHF, Shuravin hasn’t had the chance to showcase his talents on the international stage. That said, he has represented his country on a couple of occasions, playing for the Under-16 and Under-17 national teams in previous seasons.
Do not expect him to come to North America anytime soon, as Shuravin has two years remaining on his contract with CSKA Moscow. Then again, two more years of development and maturing is what the young blueliner needs.