Maxim Agafonov is an 18-year-old defenseman from Moscow, Russia. Agafonov was captain of the U16 team in Moscow during the 2022-23 season and tallied three goals with six assists in 26 games before moving on to the U17 team for five games and the U18 club for two contests. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound blueliner was a plus-13 in the U18 finals. The next season, Agafonov joined Krasnaya Armiya Moskva in the MHL and collected one goal and seven assists in 36 games. During the 2024-25 season, Agafonov played for Tolpar Ufa in the MHL and tallied six goals and eight assists in 35 games. The plan is for Agafonov to play with Tolpa Ufa again next season.
Maxim Agafonov is ranked by some hockey evaluators in the top 80 in the upcoming draft as a defenseman. The following list will show the scouting rankings for Maxim Agafonov:
Ranked #43 by Inside The Rink
Ranked #33 by NHL Central Scouting (European skaters)
Ranked #38 by Recruit Scouting
Ranked #99 by Elite Prospects
Ranked #78 by TSN/Craig Button
Ranked #79 by TSN/Bob McKenzie
Scouting Report
Agafonov is a physically mature defenseman who can be relied upon to transport the puck up the ice and fill any role capably. He prevents access to the middle in the neutral zone, using his stature and stick work to force attackers wide, and picks up threats in his zone, taking away sticks, disrupting runs, and shielding the front of the net. When retrieving pucks, Agafonov is capable of manipulating forecheckers, using the net to create some separation from them, and even launching the puck under sticks to teammates in space, according to Eliteprospects.com. Agafonov is a project for sur,e as his offensive skill set is raw. However, his size and smart hockey sense could make him a sleeper pick as a solid defenseman in the pros.
Projection:
Third Round – #72 Anaheim
Season 4. Episode 39. The Off Season – Bruins Benders Podcast
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