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Mika_Kandinsky · 04-16-2019, 05:15 PM

(Draft Related)

Strong Showing in Prospect Showcase Could Lead to First Round for Mika Kandinsky

Mika Kandinsky has been strong in the Prospect Showcase. He has helped the Vipers move on to the finals in the tournament, picking up a couple of assists in the playoffs so far. On top of that, his defensive game has been excellent as well. He continues to show that he can play both sides of the puck. He finds his way to the scoresheet while also keeping start players on the other teams off of it.

Will this kind of performance lead to Mika getting selected in the first round of the upcoming SMJHL draft? It is hard to say for certain, but there has been some rumblings and interest among the GMs of the minor league about him. There have been several teams that have reached out to gauge his character and interest. He has spoken with every team via their interested prospect surveys and a few have reached out directly to the prospect.

There is no doubt that his stock has continued to rise ever since coming over from Russia. He is remaining committed to making his professional career a fruitful one. He continues to do his weekly workouts with the best trainers North America has to offer up. He was also recently seen at the local pro shop buying the most top of the line stick that the store had in stock. You cannot doubt his dedication to the sport and dedication to getting better as an athlete. He competes and does whatever he can to get an edge on the competition.

Recently, he has been invited to be a part of the Russian National Team’s development program as a backup skater. He’s being groomed by the national team in hopes that one day he will be able to compete in the international tournaments. Representing his home country would be a great honor to Mika and he looks forward to the opportunity.

Alas, that is all in the potentially bright future for the budding star. Now, he needs to set his sights on the draft. He will wait anxiously as the picks are being made, hoping to hear his name be called out like so many greats before him. Will he make Russia proud and go in the first round? How early in the round could he be drafted? It’s unexpected if he went in the top 10, but wouldn’t be a surprise. With his talents and dedication, he will be a steal no matter what position he goes in the draft. The sky is the limit for Mika. Being a center certainly raises his value in a draft where centers are hard to come by. The fact that he has so much potential to be elite means teams picking early are going to have to take a good luck at Mika and decide if he’s the type of player they can see growing and helping the team win.

No matter what happens tonight, Mika will continue to play his best hockey on whatever team he ends up on and no matter what position he is drafted in. He will be able to enjoy this moment, the start of the next step in his young career knowing he’s doing everything that he can to set himself up for future success.

Update: Right after this article was completed, Mika went off in game 1 of the finals of the prospect showcase! He had a huge night for the Vipers getting 2G and 1A and a +4 in a 6-0 blowout against the Wranglers. This kid is going places. He shows up for the big games.