Marat Khusnutdinov is playing an even better game in the KHL
Some players make a scout's job easy. Marat Khusnutdinov is one of them.
The Elite Prospects team didn't necessarily all share the same view of the prospect in his draft year. Some valued his package of skills more than others, but there was no debate on what those skills were. It only took a few shifts to know the forward's game, what he cared about and where his strength lied.
The Minnesota Wild prospect presented himself as a quick and committed defensive center with above-average transition ability. Over and over again, he chased down opponents in the corners and in between blue lines and used his stick to cut passing lanes and steal the puck. Then, with blazing crossovers, he went around defenders and took it all the way to the offensive zone
Two years later, the forward hasn't changed. He is still playing the same type of game in the KHL, but an even better version of it.