The confidence Savikov has on the offensive side of the game is sky-high and will be his best ticket to making it to the next level. He just loves to be engaged offensively, whether he is jumping into the play to help out on the rush or whether he pinches at the blue line to keep possession alive for his team. Oozes confidence when the puck is on his stick, both when exiting his own zone and from the offensive blueline inward. On the power play he has a shooter’s mentality, really applying himself to get his shots through. He loves to use a quick release when shooting the puck, not always take the long wind-up to get off a heavy slap shot, displaying a high level of intelligence with his shot selection. His skating is a strong asset, as he has a smooth, powerful stride that makes it appear that he’s gliding when in reality he is moving at a high speed. Defensively he is solid at defending the rush. His aggressive mindset allows him to close the gap quickly between him and the attacking player. There is a chippy competitiveness to how he plays. Was the captain of his team as an MHL rookie, which is a great sign for his off-ice contributions, and he also led his club in scoring. In the defensive zone he knows where to place himself at first, but his aggressive mentality takes him out of position on occasion. He’s quite small for a blueliner, which always creates limitations for winning board battles and boxing opponents away from the crease. As good as his skating is, it’s not quite high-end enough to comfortably overcome the disadvantages of his stature, making him a bit of a risky project. Needs to add more strength behind his passes to prevent them from getting picked off too easily. Savikov could carve out an NHL spot one day if he continues to maximize his strengths and commits to being a limited offensive specialist.

– FCHockey’s 2021 NHL Draft Guide