As the second day got started, the Blue Jackets took a USHL defender in Andrew Peeke, much to the surprise of many, as people had him ranked as a third round grade. The Jackets then had a player with a first round grade fall right into their lap in the third round. Vitaly Abramov, a Russian born winger was the selection in the third round. A great, shifty player, the Jackets have to be happy about a player with such skill falling right into their laps.
Steve Kournianos of “The Draft Analyst” has a glowing scouting report on Abramov:
“Everything Vitaly Abramov does is electrifying. The diminutive Russian wing is not a one-trick pony – he can beat you with speed, deception, passing and/or a deadly accurate shot. Each asset is a cog in a wheel, relying on other skills to combine for an explosive on-ice tour-de-force. The style of play in the Quebec League (among others) is conducive to undersized finesse forwards, and Abramov is one of its best at exploiting it.
You can argue that no draft eligible combines escapability and instincts as well as Abramov, who knows how to evade defenses and slip into a scoring area all on the same play. He has an innate feel for plays as they develop, and what we love about him is the way he shows no mercy – Abramov is a quick-strike playmaker with acute decisiveness. More slippery and shifty than blurring and blistering, Abramov is a very good skater with exceptional balance and lower-body strength. He’s an elite stickhandler who can dipsy-doodle the puck through tire spikes without it breaking into a million pieces. This kid may look small and can cherrypick with the best of them, but his enthusiasm, skill and athleticism make him one heck of a workload to defend against.”
Cape Breton coach Marc-Andre Dumont says #CBJ pick Vitaly Abramov (Gatineau) is a "spectacular player." Surprised he lasted til 3rd round
— Tom Reed (@treed1919) June 25, 2016
Although small in stature at 5’9, if you can fill the back of the net, everything else can be forgotten. The upside on Abramov was something they couldn’t pass up and I don’t blame them one bit. A bit of an odd fact surrounds Abramov, as he survived a meteor shower back in Russia. With only five selections in the draft this year, the Jackets have to hit on every pick, Abramov is a slam dunk on a day not filled with them.
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