Daniil Misyul
2018-19 Team: Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Date of Birth: October 20, 2000
Place of Birth: Minsk, Belarus
Ht: 6-foot-3 Wt: 176 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Defense
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2019 first-year eligible
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting: 8th (among EU skaters)
- DobberProspects: 57th
- The Hockey Writers: 52nd
- TSN Craig’s List: 54th
- The Draft Analyst: 79th
A bit of a lesser-known prospect in this year’s NHL Entry Draft, Daniil Misyul is ranked very high amongst Europeans and there’s lots of reasons why NHL Central Scouting has this young defender so high on their lists.
Related: NHL Draft Guide | 2019 Edition
In the 2018-19 season, Misyul put in time in Russia’s MHL and KHL, including the playoffs for both. He started with Loko Yaroslavl of the MHL, playing in 46 games, recording four goals and 10 points and then being held pointless in 10 playoff games en route to the becoming an MHL champion. With the KHL’s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, he played three games with one assist but made an impression and stuck with the club for the playoffs, scoring one goal in six games.
In the KHL, they not only kept him in the lineup, but trusted the rookie more and more, increasing his time on ice and giving a chance on the penalty kill.
He’s not going to dazzle on the scoresheet, but he’s a smooth skater who makes good decisions on the ice. He’ll likely be a shut-down defender in the NHL, seeing time on the penalty kill. He has an active stick that can take away the passing lanes as he cuts off opposing attackers.
Other THW Draft Profiles:
Daniil Misyul – NHL Draft Projection
Misyul has seen his rankings drop this season with many other defenders climbing up the ranks. He did see his name rise near the end of the season, where he showed he can play at the next level. He’ll likely be a second-round pick at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and could go near the top of it.
Quotables
“We did have him in our pre-season Top 30, but after a good start he didn’t impress enough to move up through our rankings in the fall. That changed with the new year, where he managed to play some games at the KHL level and unexpectedly was able to earn a spot on Lokomotiv KHL team during the playoffs. His performances against that kind of competition have been overall a pleasant surprise.” – EPRinkside
“He is a smooth skater, especially for his size. He can show some speed and quickness, but he is also quite agile. His fluid pivots help him keep up with opposing attackers and break their plays while defending off the rush. He also uses his stick effectively in those situations to cut off passing lanes, angle attackers to the boards, and take the puck away. What he currently lacks in defensive awareness — something that should improve through his career — he makes up for with strong man-to-man defence. He closes in on his coverage, takes away attempts in front of the net by neutralizing opposing sticks, and is generally quite physical despite his relatively slight build. He competes hard and doesn’t let other players walk over him, even when he was defending against much older players in his stint in the KHL.” – David St-Louis, SBNation
“Misyul missed out on the U18s but wasn’t missing in action as he made his presence felt throughout the KHL playoffs. The poise he showed as a teenager in those big games suggested to me that Misyul might be closer to NHL ready than the majority of his draft peers. Misyul had been flying under the radar for me, but I really keyed in on him over the last month and I’ve liked what I was able to see… it wouldn’t surprise me if a couple teams had Misyul in their first round, especially if they are looking for a player to perhaps contribute sooner than later.” – Patrick Luse, The Hockey Writers
Strengths
- Skating
- Puck handling
- Patience
Under Construction (Improvements to Make)
- Defensive awareness
- Offensive production
NHL Potential
Misyul needs to improve his defensive awareness, but that should come as he develops further. He’ll be a few years away from making an impact at the NHL level, but should be a top-four defender with the potential to be a team main shut-down defenseman and lead the penalty kill.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk – 4/5, Reward – 3/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offence – 7/10, Defence – 7/10
Awards/Achievements
In 2016-17, Misyul won a bronze medal in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. Since then, he has two MHL Championship titles and played in the MHL All-Star Game in 2018-19. In his call up to the KHL, he was the KHL Rookie of the Month for March 2019 and Rookie of the Week in the Gagarin Cup Quarterfinals.