Who is Ilya Morozov?
Born in Russia on August 3, 2008, Ilya Morozov (or Ilia depending upon which outlet you’re consulting) came up through the Orbita Zelenograd youth team in his home country. He would shift over to North America for 15U AAA in 2023-24, where he would play for the Windy City Storm before moving up to play one season for the Tri-City Storm of the USHL. He would shift leagues against this past season to play in the NCAA for Miami University.
Morozov would become a big part of Miami’s team this season,
as in 36 games, he put up eight goals and 12 assists, good for a 20 point freshman/rookie campaign. He was originally the youngest player in college hockey this season (although by season’s end he would be second youngest) making those stats even more impressive. At 6’3” and 201 Lbs., he’s already bigger than some of the other centers on the New Jersey Devils and adding both size and skill down the middle could be an intriguing strategy come draft day.
Rankings
Here are some ratings as compiled by TheHockeyWriters:
- NHL Central Scouting (Mid-Term): 8th (among NA skaters)
- Baracchini’s March Top 96 (THW): 21st
- Dobber Prospects: 22nd
- Forbes’ Top 64 February Rankings (THW): 26th
- Orth’s Top 32 February Rankings (THW): 22nd
- Craig Button (TSN): 24th
- Daily Faceoff: 23rd
- Sam Cosentino (Sportsnet): 18th
- Jason Bukala (Sportsnet): 20th
- SMAHT Scouting: 30th
Most projections here have Morozov being taken in the early-mid 20s, which means he’s probably going to be taken off the board late in the first round. Drafts are never entirely predictable and rankings also don’t necessarily take account of what positions each team is weak at/wants to select. If a team in need of a center, perhaps the Devils, likes what they see from the developmental surge Morozov has been said to have this year (more on this in a moment) he might go earlier than these projections are estimating.
What Others Have to Say About Morozov
From Matthew Buhrmann at The Hockey Writers:
Morozov is a 200-foot prospect I would take inside the top 20. His mix of size, two-way reliability, and the responsibility he handled as a 17-year-old freshman in the NCHC is hard to ignore. Miami’s coaching staff did not ease him in this season — he was trusted with top-six minutes and essentially all situations, so I am putting him in the 15-25 range.
From Sam Cosentino’s February rankings at Sportsnet:
NHL Central Scouting boosted this player significantly in its January release, moving him up to the No. 8 spot among North American skaters after having been a ‘B’ ranked player back in October. Either he was under viewed at the start, or he has experienced steady growth throughout the season. I think it’s the latter. Oftentimes this is the case when young players enter the college ranks. While he has seen plenty of opportunity all season long, his confidence has grown and he is now a go-to in the Miami offensive scheme. Morozov gets after it most every shift and if he fails to produce, the tight and aggressive forechecking will no doubt create opportunities if not for himself than for his teammates.
From Jason Bukala’s February rankings at Sportsnet:
Morozov is one of the youngest players in college hockey and a big part of the reason Miami of Ohio is on the rise as a program. He’s averaging over 20 minutes per game with all of his ice time coming at even strength and the power play. He’s a bit streaky offensively and has some work to do in the face-off circle, but his overall foundation of skill and size is attractive in this area of the first round.
From Thomas Gagné at Smaht Scouting:
Ilia Morozov being that good at the college level after posting up rather pedestrian numbers as a draft year minus one player in the USHL last year is one of the biggest surprise of this draft season. He has cooled off from his really hot start in terms of offensive production lately, but his play in the defensive zone was always the most eye-catching aspect of his game. He frequently breaks up plays in the defensive zone and is very involved in defensive transitions, displaying pro-habits and a good sense of timing on his passes. Morozov’s play in the offensive zone is a bit timid and basic. He keeps it very simple in this area of the game, which draws questions to what his offensive upside really is, but again, Morozov is really young for his level and was never seen as a top prospect before this season started, so the fact that he’s doing more than simply staying afloat is very impressive. If he can improve his offensive game, he could project as a second line center, but right now, a third line, penalty killing center seems like the most likely scenario.
Morozov’s Video
My Thoughts on Morozov
Morozov is an interesting player for sure, as he’s flown up the rankings since last season started. That being said, he’s still not exactly projecting in the range where the Devils will be picking, as his highest rank (outside of North American skaters which does not combine all positions into a full draft aggregate) in mocks discussed here is 18th. The Devils have decent center depth, but a lot of that hinges upon whether or not Nico Hischier extends this summer. If he does so, then the Devils may want to look for a position of greater need than center, but if he doesn’t extend than maybe a player like Morozov becomes more interesting to GM Sunny Mehta.
After 12, the Devils won’t pick again until 44, so unless they trade down in the first round, find a way to trade up and get another first, or select him earlier than projected, Morozov probably won’t be a Devil. Again, if Mehta determines center is becoming a need, maybe he reaches based on potential. Morozov, however, isn’t the only center in the draft, and there are others more highly touted, so in the end it really depends on who is best player available and what position the Devils are trying to improve the most with their first. If they do decide that “already NHL sized center who has been developing at an accelerated rate and has more to unlock” is the route they want to go at 12, that’s fine, but let’s hope Mehta has a comprehensive plan to make some strong selections throughout the draft and not just with that first choice.
Final Thoughts and Your Take
Ilya Morozov is absolutely a first round level talent, and could wind up being a steal from the 2026 NHL Draft if his development track continues the way that it has gone so far. Prospect development isn’t linear though, and selecting him higher than projected would only look good if he continues to improve and pans out as a legit NHL talent. With where the Devils are and with how many picks they’ve whiffed on in the last half decade, they may need a more sure-fire pick than Morozov.
What do you think of Ilya Morozov as a prospect? Where do you see him being selected come the draft? Do you think Mehta could go off the board and call his name earlier than anticipated, or is he more than likely going to another team later in the first round? Leave any and all thoughts in the comments below, and thanks as always for reading!
