Averochkin is an easy player to spot on the ice as he is an absolutely towering individual. While his size is the first thing that stands out, his skill level is also apparent. His reach and his ability to read the play allow him to get a ton of puck touches, which obviously helps defensively, as he’s able to disrupt what his opponents are doing and make steals. And when he has to make a play with the puck he’s also quite proficient. His ability to change the point of attack with his long reach makes it difficult for defenders to lock him down as he’s always a threat to create a passing lane. He also shows flashes of vision and has a soft touch when feathering passes into space. He can receive passes smoothly, as well as protect the puck and skate with it until he’s in a better position, whether that’s entering the zone or opening up a bit of space to start a cycle. His cycle game is excellent, using his size, reach and hand-eye coordination to play keep-away. He can also make a few fancy moves with the puck to dust it off before taking a shot. Plays with a good motor for a big guy, often applying pressure on the play from the start of his shift to the end of it, even if he has to go end to end. Comes back low into his own zone to help defend. Spends much of his ice time at center, which is always a bonus. He needs to improve his ability to handle the puck closer to his body when necessary. His skating stride doesn’t have any glaring issues, however, his movement as a whole feels laggy and slightly in slow motion. Acceleration is a problem, but luckily he can protect the puck when defenders are on his back. He gets caught watching the play in his own zone too much. Gets beaten physically and still needs to add a lot of strength, and to unlock his full potential he needs to use his frame far better.

– FCHockey’s 2021 NHL Draft Guide