NHL Draft Profile 1.0 features a prospect who fits the NY Islanders identity

What is Igor Chernyshov’s best attribute?

Igor Chernyshov possesses strong skating and a decent shot, but they’re not his top attributes. Instead, Chernyshov’s ability to scan the ice, process what he’s seeing, and make the appropriate passes stand out. Hockey IQ, in other words, is what makes him such a great player. 

Chernyshov is also patient, knowing he doesn’t need to make a quick pass and allowing his teammates to get open before he launches the puck their way. Once again, it comes down to his ability to process the game, and knowing just how much he needs to put on each pass. You won’t see him firing pucks and over-leading linemates if the situation calls for a touch pass, even if there’s some traffic in front of him. 

Chernyshov is also good at anticipating where his linemates will end up, meaning he will pass the puck into a specific area, knowing someone will get a stick on it and either continue the sequence or finish it with a goal. 

What areas of Chernyshov’s game must he improve?

Despite a willingness to score dirty and make a living playing a north-south game, you may get the vibe that Igor Chernyshov brings a high compete level. But this is an inconsistent part of his game, at best. Not that he won’t engage in puck battles along the boards and either win them, or if he can’t get to the puck in time, chase down and backcheck an opponent in an effort to regain control. 

He’ll also engage with an opponent in one-on-one races to the puck toward the back corner, and when he wins those races, Chernyshov will process the situation, attack the net, or dish the puck to a linemate. Once again, it’s a simple albeit high IQ game that won’t entertain most hockey fans, but it’s players like Chernyshov who help win those close contests with that style of play. 

But the consistency isn’t there, so until he’s constantly chasing down opponents, winning puck battles, and refusing to get caught puck-watching, he will boast a complete yet unspectacular game. When he’s puck-watching, Chernyshov can also get lazy, half-heartedly holding out his stick to try and make a play, but that doesn’t often end well. Those avenues of his game must improve, and if they do, he will be a very good hockey player for someone. 

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