E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Albert Yarullin #76

By Eldon MacDonald

76. Albert Yarullin - “Mr. Real” - D - Russia

Vitals: Size - 6’0”, 194 lb.; Shoots right; born 3-May-93 - Kazan, RUS
Team: Bars Kazan, MHL
2010-11 Stats: 44-3-5-8-73-(+5) + U18 - 7-0-11-11-4-(+12)

Rankings:
37 - Cory Pronman's Top 100
74 - The Scouting Report's Top 100 Skaters
76 - E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120
81 - Christopher Ralph's Top 210
412 - NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings (67th European skater)
Draft result:
Undrafted

Get real!!! How can Russia’s best defenseman from the 5 Nations tournament and the U18’s not be rated as a draftable defenseman especially since he led all players at the U18’s in plus-minus with a plus 12 and was second overall in points for a defenseman with 11 in 7 games. Not only that he also can play with NHL type physicality and can put on a show with his shooting and passing capabilities. Yet NHL Central Scouting has him at 67th rated European skater which means he will go undrafted.

Being rated is one question, where he gets drafted is a completely different question. North American playing Russian-born skaters usually do not take much of a hit for being Russian. Star Russian players playing in Russia usually take a hit - about half a round or more. Lesser known players take a big hit and some are not even drafted such as Dvurechensky and Zaitsyev. Albert is more of a second round type of guy in terms of ratings so I have him taken in the third round with the Russian factor - is that right? If you know, you are probably the guy drafting him come June.