The National Hockey League Draft will take place on October 6 and 7.

Initially, the procedure was supposed to take place on June 26 and 27 in Montreal at the Bell Center arena, but due to the coronavirus pandemic and the postponement of the playoffs, it was shifted to autumn and will be carried out in video conference mode.

Clubs will take turns drafting young players born between January 1, 2000 and September 15, 2002 to be eligible to sign with them in the future.

In total, 217 players will have the opportunity to join the NHL system, and those who will be selected in the first round will most likely be lucky to start a career in the league right away.

According to the results of the lottery, which took place in June and August, the first choice went to the New York Rangers - a playoff participant had not had such an opportunity since 1983.

Canadian striker Alexi Lafreniere is considered the undisputed favorite of the draft this year.

At the last youth world championship, he won gold and was recognized as the most valuable player, and with Rimuski Oceanic he had an outstanding season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, gaining 112 points in 52 matches.

The 18-year-old Canadian plays for himself on the left edge of the attack, and the New Yorkers already have enough hockey players of this role.

Including the main star of the team, Artemy Panarin, plays just in this position.

Thus, if Lafrenier is chosen by the team, there will be intense competition.

However, the Rangers are unlikely to give up the opportunity to take the young hockey player for themselves - it is customary to take such talented players right away.

The goalkeeper may become the most popular Russian player this year for the first time in 14 years.

18-year-old SKA goalkeeper Yaroslav Askarov has been highly regarded by hockey scouts before, and in September he played excellently in three matches, becoming the best player and rookie of the week in the Continental Hockey League.

Askarov reflected 76 shots and missed only two goals, forcing once again to draw attention to himself overseas.

The 191 cm tall goalkeeper who plays with adults will be useful primarily to those NHL clubs that have problems with the gatekeepers.

First of all, this is the Ottawa Senators, which recently refused to renew their contract with Craig Anderson, who gave the team ten years.

The Canadian club has two choices in the top 5 at once (as well as 28th place in the queue) and may well spend one of them on a goalkeeper who can become the main one for many years.

If that happens, Askarov will be the first goalkeeper in 15 years since Carrie Price was chosen so early.

If Ottawa continues to recruit outfield players, then the Carolina Hurricanes are unlikely to refuse Askarov.

She has had no luck with goalkeepers for a long time, and she could have spent her choice at number 13 on a promising Russian hockey player.

But the Nashville Predators, which have the 11th choice, may cross the road.

Nashville veteran Pekka Rinne may soon end his career, and Askarov can become the main candidate for his place, gaining experience in the farm club or continuing to play for SKA.

Among the outfield players from Russia, left-handed striker Rodion Amirov is predicting a place in the first round of the NHL draft.

The pupil of "Salavat Yulaev" made his debut for the main team last season, and this year he is already in the first link and is consistently gaining points in the KHL.

In ten matches Amirov scored five points, scoring three goals.

Unlike most competitors, Amirov is already 19 years old.

He is a fast and technical hockey player with excellent puck control.

Such a player may be of interest to a number of clubs, and it is quite possible to expect that someone will like him already in the first round.

According to Sportnet TV channel, Amirov deserves the 19th right of choice, which belongs to Calgary Flames.

In the same rating, defender Shakir Mukhamadullin, another pupil of Ufa hockey, takes a place in the top 31.

The Russian stands out for his impressive size, plays stably this season for Salavat Yulaev in tandem with Alexei Semyonov, who is 21 years older than him, which does not prevent them from understanding each other well.

Mukhamadullin has already played 14 matches in the KHL this year and scored his debut goal.