Limatov is a physical defenseman with a deceptive offensive game. Limatov’s defensive play is highlighted by his ability to anticipate breakouts and step into them. He closes gaps early and establishes good body positioning, then uses either his long reach or strength to smother opponents and strip possession. He employs a similar tactic when defending rushes, initiating early contact with his stick before stepping in. Offensively, Limatov boasts smooth hands and good vision. He’s an average skater, but his ability to control his body in motion allows him to deceive pressure with feints and weight shifts, making him more elusive than he appears. He works best along the blue line but will join rushes if the opportunity arises, though this sometimes leads him to get caught too deep without the speed to recover. Limatov can occasionally get a bit lost in his own zone, usually when opponents are cycling faster than he can keep up. Under pressure in his own zone, Limatov’s decision-making becomes questionable; he has missed clearly open passes that would alleviate pressure and sometimes tries to get too fancy. These shortcomings make Limatov’s projectability harder to gauge. There are clear pros to his style, and I can envision him as a bottom-four, second-powerplay defenseman, but it will take some work. He should generate interest in the middle rounds of the 2025 draft, perhaps as early as the second.