Vladimir Tarasenko: 2010 NHL Draft Profile and Scouting Report

Vladimir Tarasenko, Novosibirsk Siber (KHL)

Position: Right Wing | Height: 5-foot-10 | Weight 165 lbs
FanHouse Ranking: No. 17 | Age: 18 | Hometown: Novosibirsk, Russia

More: Top 35 Prospects | Full 2010 NHL Draft Coverage

Vladimir Tarasenko 2009-10 Stats
	GP	Goals	Assists	Points
Regular Season	42	13	11	24

If NHL scouts sometimes struggle to get a good evaluation on Russian players for fear they'll go to the KHL instead of turning pro in North America, imagine how hard it is to figure out a kid who is already playing in the KHL.

Tarasenko has been playing with older and bigger players, and he held his own quite well in the KHL.

However, there are bound to be some teams wary of spending a first-round pick on a player whose commitment to the NHL is possibly questionable.

On the ice, Tarasenko can play. He's not small, already listed at 200 pounds. He can go in the corners, is tough around the net, and he's good around the net. Anyone who watched him play in the 2010 World Junior Championships knows he can score goals, and he matches up well with his age group.

The concerns about his allegiance will drive him down some boards. Legitimately, Tarasenko is close to a top-10 product. I probably haven't dropped him far enough to show how leery teams will be of drafting him. Any team who drafts him outside the top 15 or so is going to get a great value pick, assuming they feel he will play in North America.

Tarasenko is No. 10 in this video, which highlights some of his skill.