Why the Blue Jackets should consider drafting Ivan Miroshnichenko, a wildcard prospect
In a crop of first-round talent that includes a few wild cards, Ivan Miroschnichenko is arguably the biggest one.
Thought by most analysts to be a top-10 prospect before this season, the skilled Russian became a question mark in January after a Hodgkins Lymphoma diagnosis. Combined with his country’s invasion of Ukraine plus past issues obtaining work visas from Canada and the United States to play for junior teams, Miroshnichenko’s draft prospects are foggy.
His cancer is in full remission after undergoing treatments in Germany and he's cleared to restart training. Intense chemotherapy treatments have set him back physically, though, which could slow his full recovery. There is also a risk the cancer could return, but odds of that happening after entering full remission at his age are low.
Whichever team selects Miroshnichenko must accept a higher risk/reward factor than with most prospects, but the payoff could be immense. Will it be the Blue Jackets, who hold the sixth and 12th overall picks going into the NHL draft July 7-8 in Montreal?
Here's a closer look at Miroshnichenko, who ranks 11th on NHL Central Scouting's list of European skaters:
Position: LW
Height, weight: 6-1, 185
Shoots: Right
Birthdate: Feb. 4, 2004
Place of birth: Ussuriysk, Russia
Team (League): Omskie Krylia (VHL in Russia)
2021-22 point totals: 10 goals, six assists, 16 points in 31 games
What are Ivan Miroshnichenko's strengths?
A Russian forward who plays left wing with a right-handed shot might make some Blue Jackets fans long for the two-year stint when Artemi Panarin lit up the scoreboard in Columbus.
That’s not the best comparable fit for Miroshnichenko, though.
A better one may be Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, whose size, speed and skill make him a rarity up front in a league that gets faster, more skilled and smaller with each draft class.
Miroshnichenko might one day bull his way around the rink like Landeskog, using size and strength to win puck battles and body position, but his biggest asset in contesting for pucks is with the stick right now. He’s a skilled stick-checker with a long wingspan and uses it to cause havoc in the neutral zone.
Miroshnichenko is also a good pass and shot option, though his shooting can still improve. He’s not a liability defensively, but plays more of a passive style, and his skating shouldn’t be a concern as long as his leg strength returns.
Miroshnichenko also earned plaudits for his leadership while acting as captain of a couple Russian national teams the past two years.
What are Ivan Miroshnichenko's weaknesses?
Miroshnichenko could stand to improve in puck security, both protecting it on his stick and attempting fewer high risk/high reward passes.
He could also use work on his shooting technique to gain accuracy and height on a wrist shot that has struggled to consistently get higher than the goalie’s glove level. Beating NHL goalies often requires shots that fit into tight windows under the crossbar, especially the corner areas that are toughest to defend.
How would Ivan Miroshnichenko fit in the Blue Jackets' system?
The Blue Jackets have stocked their system with slick-skating defensemen the past couple years, so adding a forward like Miroshnichenko would add quality depth up front. Given his physical challenges to recover from cancer treatments, the young winger would likely spend next season developing in Russia.
That would give the Jackets’ front office time to carve out a roster spot once Miroshnichenko is NHL ready, which could be a quick process if his body allows it.
Columbus will have a crop of young forwards in the NHL next season, all selected in drafts the past four years, but there’s also room to add to the organizational depth chart behind Cole Sillinger (12th overall 2021), Kent Johnson (fifth overall 2021), Yegor Chinakhov (21st overall 2020), Liam Foudy (18th overall 2018) and Kirill Marchenko (second round, 49th overall 2018).
Will Ivan Miroshnichenko be available for the Blue Jackets?
Without the Hodgkins Lymphoma battle, Miroshnichenko might not have lasted to the Jackets’ first pick sixth overall.
That’s how high his ceiling was prior to this season, which included a slow start in Russia that led to a drop just outside the top 10 in some rankings. Following the Hodgkins Lymphoma diagnosis and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — which renewed tensions between Russia and the U.S./Canada — it’s anybody’s guess where Miroshnichenko is selected.
It’s unlikely he’ll go within the first 10 picks, but that’s not entirely impossible. More probable for the Blue Jackets would either be taking Miroshnichenko with their pick 12th overall or trading back from that spot to get him later in the round while adding an asset or two in the process.
How long until Ivan Miroshnichenko is ready for the NHL?
How long until Ivan Miroshnichenko is ready for the NHL?
This will largely be determined by Miroshnichenko’s recovery and how quickly he can regain the skills he had prior to the cancer. He’d already needed work in the gym to add upper-body strength before the diagnosis, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the young forward spends another year or two in Russia preparing for what could be a long and productive NHL career.
Get more Columbus Blue Jackets news by listening to our Cannon Fodder podcasts:
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Why the Columbus Blue Jackets should consider drafting Miroshnichenko
