Nazarov plays fast, he plays hard, and he shows flashes of high-end skill every now and again. He’s a huge teen but also really athletic and a powerful skater, which gives him a fantastic range to be involved in the play. All it takes is a couple of strides and a reach with an arm and he can have a stick on the puck. Plays with a lot of jump and has a great motor, which allows him to go in hard on the forecheck but still come back hard on the backcheck immediately after. Accelerates quickly and can hit an impressive top speed in very little time thanks to his long, clean strides. He should be able to fit into any offensive system because he is very good both in the cycle and on the rush. Hockey sense, vision, puck skill, shot and playmaking are all above average. Owns a pretty nice pair of hands and can take a wide stance with his skating to protect pucks. His wrist shot is hard, and he can get it away quickly and after making a move or two to deceive an opponent. Likes to play with a physical edge, throwing hits or going into the dirty areas to dig for pucks or jostle for space. He’s not heavy or thick right now, and you can easily see where he can put on some muscle as he develops. Looks good as the net-front guy on the power play. He has tons of upside as a penalty killer because of his physical tools and his determination to make an impact every shift, and can be a real threat to score while shorthanded. Can be a little too upright in his skating though, needing more flex in his ankles. He can also skate himself into trouble at times, suggesting vision issues. Nazarov has a really high floor, but there’s also real potential here for him to become a dangerous Top 6 winger who contributes in all three zones.

– FCHockey’s 2021 NHL Draft Guide