Daniil Ustinkov

February 2024 – Ustinkov is a toolsy defenseman who is at his best with the puck on his stick in transition. He’s a strong skater with good lateral mobility, and he uses those tools well to drive dangerous rushes through the neutral zone. He has a tendency to hold himself back when it comes to aggressive offensive actions, but when he does commit to them, he flashes high levels of creativity and skill. That lack of offensive aggression has held him back in our viewings, but if he learns to trust his instincts a bit more and is afforded more freedom to activate from his coaching staff, he could develop into a dynamic blue-liner. While he’s significantly more raw than the next player on our board – a fellow Swiss defenseman – his convincing selection of tools and flashes of brilliance allowed him to edge out Muggli and, if fostered over the remainder of the season, could see him climb our board significantly. Sebastian High