– Artem Guryev –
Toronto Marlboros (GTHL) | Left Defence | 2019 OHL Draft Eligible
Russia | 6-foot-2, 186-pounds | May 17th, 2003
Artem Guryev is a strong and talented two-way defenceman who makes an impact at either end of the ice on any given shift. He is an eye-catching prospect with offensive upside, and has added three goals and 11 points over 14 games at this year’s Titans Early Bird and Wendy Dufton Memorial Tournaments.
Related: Check out our 2019 OHL Draft Ranking: October Top-20
Guryev plays a physical game and and is a threat all over the ice, either with his booming body checks or his offensive rushes and cannon from the blue line. He remains one of the most promising defensive prospects for the 2019 OHL Draft, as a result of his offensive instincts and top notch physicality.
Strengths:
- Physicality
- Offensive Instincts
- Shot
A beast on the blue line, Guryev is one of the hardest hitters among the ’03-born draft class. He isn’t afraid to break up offensive rushes with his body, often jumping into the neutral zone to throw an explosive open-ice, clean hit. He is a menace to go up against along the boards as well, as Guryev maintains tight gaps and can easily erase an opponents along the wall in the defensive zone.
Related: Check out the Top 20 Performers of the Toronto Titans Early Bird Tournament
As well, Guryev often showcases excellent offensive instincts as he will calculate opportune moments to join the rush and create odd-man rushes. From the blue line, Guryev is tremendous. He walks the line with poise and authority, and has a cannon of a shot that gets through traffic more often than not. He can also quarterback his team’s powerplay and moves the puck as well as anyone.
Area of Improvement:
- Defensive Responsibility
As a result of his offensive mindset, Guryev can get caught pinching into the rush at times. While his judgement to jump into the play definitely provides more of a benefit than a liability, it still remains an aspect that could be improved upon as he prepares for the major junior level.
Related: Check out Toronto Marlboros’ Prospect Profile: Danil Zhilkin as well!
Further to the point, Guryev’s overall game would certainly improve bounds if he become a smoother skater with greater agility. He isn’t one of the defenceman who can skate back into position with his speed if he’s caught pinching, so it will be imperative for Guryev to perfect his decision making at both ends of the rink.
Future Potential:
Artem Guryev is likely one of the most prepared players to transition into the OHL given his size, strength, and skating ability. What makes him such an intriguing prospect is his combination of booming open-ice checks on the back end, as well as his ability to create offensive chances and score goals from the blue line.
With some fine-tuning, Guryev could cement himself among the top tier of defencemen for this year’s draft. As for now, he projects as late first to early second round pick for the 2019 OHL Draft.
Prospect Pipeline 