Top 20 Canadiens Prospects: Zharovsky Overflowing With Elite Talent
The Montreal Canadiens went out of their way to ensure they could select Alexander Zharovsky early in the second round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
It’s become the team’s calling card: using mediocre draft assets to secure their ideal prospect. They also moved up to select Michael Hage, Hayden Paupanekis, Gleb Pugachyov, and others in recent drafts.
The Canadiens have entered most draft weekends with an abundance of draft capital, and nothing is more satisfying than rewarding the scouting team for its hard work throughout the year. Moving up early in the draft and then moving down in later rounds makes a lot of sense from a logistics standpoint.
It’s also important to remember that the Habs traded a pair of first-round picks before the start of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, which left them at risk of leaving the weekend without a single prospect with elite potential, as those players are generally found in the first round.
The decision to move up appears to be paying off, as Zharovsky has already established himself as one of the most exciting young players in the organization.
He’s a dynamic forward who put together the best 18-year-old season in KHL history, scoring 16 goals and 26 assists in 59 games for Salavat Yulaev Ufa.
Canadiens fans ranked Zharovsky as the No. 3 overall prospect in the system, one spot higher than his ranking in 2025.
Previously published Montreal Canadiens prospect rankings
No. 3 – Alexander Zharovsky – 19 – Right Wing – Shoots Left – 6’2″ – 176lb – Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL) – Drafted 34th Overall 2025
Elite speed of execution is the name of the game for Zharovsky, a high-flying winger who loves to display his silky-smooth hands whenever the opportunity arises.
He’s the type of player who ends up on a bevy of highlight videos every week thanks to his offensive prowess, nose for the net, and high-level playmaking. You’ll notice he never hesitates to challenge a single defender (or even a pair of them), betting on his elevated skill set to carry him through and to the net.
These plays don’t always work out, and some coaches will suggest he needs to pick his spots a little better. But the fact remains that Zharovsky is the kind of offensive weapon you need to nurture rather than hold back, much like a thoroughbred racehorse.
His ability to control the pace of the game at such a young age is incredibly encouraging, as it’s a skill usually reserved for much older players.
Simply put, he does not lack confidence, and that’s fine, because he’s also overflowing with talent.
His first goal in the KHL was a good example of his offensive instincts. It wasn’t a highlight-reel play per se, but it showcased his offensive IQ as he quickly made his way to the net and finished a nice passing play with a tap-in.
First KHL career goal for 18-year-old Alexander Zharovsky! pic.twitter.com/uZXTQbNYsO
— KHL (@khl_eng) September 27, 2025
This will date me, but he’s the type of player we used to say could “stickhandle in a phone booth”, a nod to his ability to carve out precious ice while under pressure.
Regardless of the situation, Zharovsky will attack the net, making him a constant offensive threat that opposing defenders must watch closely.
🚨Great goal by Zharovsky!! pic.twitter.com/aLF3fBwYsP
— HabsEnthusiast (@HabsEnthusiast_) August 26, 2025
Seeing as he attracts attention in the offensive zone, he also creates a lot of time and space for his teammates, yet another important strength for a player who is hoping to one day make his way into the Canadiens lineup.
Alexander Zharovsky added sweet assist 🍏
1G, 1A in first game of the season for the 18-year-old! pic.twitter.com/op4fOqdK7R
— KHL (@khl_eng) September 27, 2025
Work In Progress
As for his defensive play, like many offensively inclined prospects, it’s far from elite. You could even describe it as a weakness, one that led to a few minor demotions throughout the year.
He tends to get lost whenever he doesn’t have the puck, resulting in poor defensive positioning and questionable coverage of opposing forwards.
However, at the risk of sounding like a homer, I’m not overly worried about his lack of defensive acumen. After all, he was playing in the KHL as an 18-year-old, which is quite the feat to begin with. Gap control, defensive positioning, and stick work can be taught, whereas innate offensive instincts cannot.
There’s also the matter of his power-play production, which accounted for a fair amount of his overall points. While it’s true that six of his 16 goals came on the man advantage, the mere fact that head coach Viktor Kozlov was comfortable using him on the power play at such a young age is extremely encouraging.
We can acknowledge his usage while also recognizing that he possessed the talent necessary to thrive in that advantageous situation.
In that vein, it’s also important to note that he played more games than most during his 18-year-old season. When we even the playing field by looking at points per game, he finishes third in KHL history. The goal is not to denigrate his production, but rather to put it in the proper context.
With the help of healthy usage on the power play, Zharovsky managed to put together one of the most efficient 18-year-old seasons in KHL history.
He was rewarded by being named Rookie of the Year in the KHL, the second consecutive season in which a Habs prospect took home the award (Ivan Demidov, 2024-25).
Projecting Zharovsky’s Potential
Even though he’s one of the most exciting prospects in the organization, Zharovsky is not quite ready to make his NHL debut. He needs to work on his defensive play, not to mention his work ethic, specifically, maintaining the same effort level every shift.
This is perfectly normal for a young player facing much older, stronger opponents. As it stands, his contract with Salavat will run until the end of the 2026-27 season, at which point the best strategy will be to re-evaluate his progress and, in all likelihood, sign him to an entry-level contract.
But there’s no doubt that Zharovsky is currently tracking as one of the steals of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Some teams may have shied away due to his lack of physicality, or perhaps his birthplace, allowing the Canadiens to select one of the most talented players in the draft in the second round, the type of situation that is no longer commonplace in the NHL.
He will need help acclimatizing to North American hockey, though having a countryman in Demidov, who already went through the wringer, should help in that regard.
All things considered, given his draft position, elite skill set, and impressive production at such a young age, Zharovsky projects as an incredibly talented winger who can one day make an impact in the Canadiens’ top six.
All Montreal Canadiens prospect and Alexander Zharovsky statistics via Elite Prospects.
