Matvei Babenko
2023-24 Team: Tolpar Ufa (MHL)
Date of Birth: Oct. 28, 2005
Place of Birth: Ufa, Russia
Ht: 6-foot-3, Wt: 201 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: RW
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2024 first-year eligible
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting: 68th (among EU skaters)
- Logan Horn’s April Rankings: 87th
- Andrew Forbes’ February Rankings: 93rd
Matvei Babenko thrives in two categories, which are shooting and size. His 6-foot-3, 201-pound frame is used well on the physical side of the game as he is willing to go into the tough areas along the boards and throw hits. He is a hard-working forechecker who gives every puck battle everything he has. Once there is possession in the offensive zone, he is a threat from the circles with his shot but also uses his size to be an effective net-front presence with screening, tipping shots, and gathering rebounds.
There is a lot of work to do in the other aspects of his game. While his acceleration hasn’t caught up to his size, he is a smooth skater once he is up to speed. Because of his lack of acceleration, he isn’t a massive threat in transition or turning back to play on the defensive side of the puck. His ability to make a transition pass works well for him though, as he isn’t afraid to take a hit to make the play and draw defenders in to pressure him.
Babenko is aggressive on the puck. He doesn’t have the hands or speed to make him a perfect threat when gaining possession, but he will work as hard as anybody else to make sure he wins the puck. This kind of effort helps make up for what he needs to continue to work on.
Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide
There does seem to be a lot of raw skill and could be on the right track for a lot of improvements, but his lack of stick skill and acceleration is balanced by that strong frame, making it tough to get the puck loose from him.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Matvei Babaneko – NHL Draft Projection
Babenko’s size and shot may see him get selected higher than some projections, as a team with a strong development plan could feel they may find a diamond in the rough. Despite being ranked so low, especially by NHL Central Scouting, Babenko was one of the biggest fallers on their list this season. He was ranked 24th among European skaters on their mid-term rankings and dropped 44 spots for the final rankings. The pre-draft expectation for Babenko would be a mid-round pick, likely to land in the fourth round.
Quotables
“Huge Russian winger who has a nice shot and bulls his way to the crease and has a goal scorer’s touch when he gets there. Has a wide skating base, and good balance and power in his stride. An effective forechecker who wins a lot of battles down low as he muscles defenders off the puck. He lets loose shots on the fly coming down the wing.” – Bill Placzek, Lines.com
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“Babs is a huge winger who is involved in all facets of the game, specializes in goal-scoring, and has one of the best shots amongst Russia’s crop of draft-eligibles this year. He recognizes how to open space and exploit it, and can make plays under pressure. I think he takes a bit too much flack for his skating – don’t get me wrong, he’s not fast, but he keeps up to the play, and doesn’t fall behind.” – Sandman, Upside Hockey
Strengths
- Physicality
- Shot
- Offensive positioning
- Work ethic
Under Construction – Improvements to Make
- Acceleration
- Stick skills
- Vision and creativity
NHL Potential
If all goes well for Babenko and his development, he could be a fantastic third-line scoring winger along with power play time. He is hard on the forecheck, can wear opponents down, and score some goals.