It’s that time of the year for The Win Column’s NHL Draft Rankings and Draft Profiles! Earlier on, we released the TWC consolidated 2026 NHL Draft rankings. The 2026 NHL Draft will take place on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo.
Ranked 21st on our consolidated rankings, Ilia Morozov is a left-shot forward from Miami University in the NCAA. His size and two-way ability make him an intriguing option in the draft.
Who is Ilia Morozov?
| Player | Position | Shoots | Height | Weight | Born | Nationality | 2026 Draft Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ilia Morozov | C/F | Left | 6’3″ | 205 lbs | Aug 3, 2008 | Russia | TWC rank #21 | CS rank #8 NA |
Morozov is from Russia, but started off his North American hockey career with the Windy City Storm. He dominated at 15 years old with 74 points in 49 games, with 33 of those points being goals. He then played for the Tri-City Storm in the USHL and moved on to the NCAA.
Morozov’s on-ice production
| Year | Draft Rel. | League | Team | GP | G | A | P | P/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | D-1 | 15U AAA | Windy City Storm 15U AAA | 49 | 33 | 41 | 74 | 1.51 |
| 2024-25 | D+0 | USHL | Tri-City Storm | 59 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 0.37 |
| 2025-26 | Draft yr | NCAA | Miami University | 36 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 0.55 |
Morozov was the youngest player in the NCAA Division one men’s hockey and was one of only five 17-year-olds in the league. Morozov’s early graduation allowed him to become one of the youngest players in NCAA history. Despite this, Morozov still put up a very respectable 20 points in 36 games, playing against opponents who would be several years older.
Morozov’s strengths
Two-way play
Morozov plays a very responsible 200-foot game, providing support in the defensive zone and has a relentless backcheck. His defensive ability allows Morozov to make safe plays. This is music to many NHL GMs ‘ ears. A defensively responsible player in the draft likely leads to a very safe floor in the NHL. To be effective on the ice, Morozov does not just need to rely on the offensive side of the ice, as even if the puck isn’t going in, he can do what he does best defensively and be a positive factor on the ice.
Work ethic and compete
Morozov is known to have great compete and maturity on the ice. He has risen up the draft ranks due to scouts noticing this quality about him. Miami noted this in his game early, as even as one of the youngest players in the NCAA, he was still averaging over 20 minutes per game, and he was getting power-play minutes.
For a player who has strong two-way play and relies on his defensive ability and backchecking, a high level of compete is vital. It seems like Morozov knows this. Morozov isn’t a player who has elite offensive traits, but he makes up for it with this trait.
Morozov’s areas of improvement
Offensive upside
Morozov had an impressive season as a young freshman in the NCAA, but his production isn’t high enough to give the impression that he has high offensive upside. He has the ability to contribute offensively, but it is still a question if he possesses the high-end tools that will allow him to drive his own line and be a top-six fixture in the lineup. Morozov has more of a balanced offensive profile rather than explosive, and it appears his defensive side of the game is further along than the offensive side.
Face-offs
Morozov is an option at centre. However, his face-offs need some work for a team to rely on him to perform as a centre. Morozov went 46.7% from the face-off dot, which is not awful considering his age; it is still below 50%. For a player whose profile is tied to being a responsible two-way centre, it will be essential for Morozov to be effective in the face-off dot, especially in the defensive zone.
The good news is Morozov took over 600 draws in Miami; they rely on him purely as a centre. With that many draws, he will have lots of opportunities to develop this part of his game and hopefully improve.
Morozov’s comparables
| Scenario | NHL Comparable | Position | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best case | Phillip Danault | Center | A two-way centre who can contribute offensively |
| Likely outcome | Adam Lowry | Center | Big middle-six centre with defensive traits |
Morozov’s projections really rely on how much he can develop his offensive game. If he develops into an offensive threat, Morozov could be a top-six centre. He would be known for his defensive game as well, but has enough offensive traits to contribute in a top-six role. A player who generates his offence from his defence.
A likely scenario is that he ends up being able to chip in offensively now and then, but not enough to be high in the lineup, and is really in the lineup to provide some defensive stability and maturity. This would be where the Adam Lowry comparison comes in.
Fit with the Flames
| Organizational need addressed | Big centre |
| Realistic pick range | Late first round/early second round |
| NHL timeline | 3 seasons |
| Flames fit verdict | Unlikely Fit |
Morozov doesn’t quite fit a pressing need for the Flames franchise. Morozov is a big forward, and after prioritizing dynamic smaller players in past drafts, the Flames do need to add some size, but at the centre position, what the Flames really need is a dynamic centre who can drive play. I would argue that players like Samuel Honzek, Cullen Potter, Ethan Wyttenbach, Andrew Basha, and even Aydar Suniev likely have higher upside for the team, but his defensive traits would be a quality no franchise would complain about.
If Morozov doesn’t develop as much offence as is hoped, it is likely that he spends a year or two in the AHL to refine this side of his game as well. Morozov seems like he could be more of a long-term project if the Flames decide to draft him.
Summary
Morozov is a defence-first centre. He was relied on quite heavily for a young freshman in the NCAA. He plays a mature and responsible game and has a strong work ethic. The risk with Morozov is that he doesn’t develop strong enough offensive traits to be relied on in a top-six role, but his defensive abilities will be useful in the NHL. He likely projects as a middle-six defensive centre who will be a valuable piece on a team’s penalty kill.