The Chicago Blackhawks selected Russian forward Artur Kayumov with the No. 50 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft on Saturday.
Kayumov, 18, is listed as a winger at 5-foot-11, 171 pounds. The left-handed shooter scored 12 goals with 19 assists in 39 games with Lokomitv Yaroslavl of the Maritime Hockey League this past season. He posted two goals and four assists in five games for Russia’s under-18 team at this year’s Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.
Here’s a breakdown on Kayumov from HockeysFuture.com:
A small, technically sound player, Artur Kayumov is a gifted player with a good nose for the net and excellent skating ability. He is not big, but he can overcome this problem with his soft hands and fast skating. Kayumov can both score and help other players to score and is a constant threat in the offensive zone. He is very smart and is doing very well with the U18 national team in the MHL, and he was one of the best players for Team Russia this summer at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. His lack of size may cause Kayumov to be considered a long shot to make it to the NHL, but he has all the tools to succeed.
Chicago takes Artur Kayumov. Went under radar on the Russia u18 team not playing at Worlds but very skilled winger.
— Corey Pronman (@coreypronman) June 25, 2016