2018 NHL Draft: Devils Picked Yegor Sharangovich at 141st Overall in the Fifth Round

At 141st overall, the New Jersey Devils selected Dynamo Minsk center Yegor Sharangovich. He hails from Belarus, he’s a double-overaged prospect as he was first draft eligible two drafts ago, and he could be out of contract soon. Let’s learn a little bit more about him.

Who is Yegor Sharangovich?

According to Elite Prospects, Sharangovich was born in Minsk on June 20, 1998. He just turned 20. He is listed as a left-shooting center at 6’2” and 196 pounds, which is a pretty sizeable frame. Sharangovich jumped to the Kontinental Hockey League after spending 2016-17 with Team Belarus’ under-20 squad. In 2017-18 with Dynamo Minsk, Sharangovich played in 47 games, scored four goals, and picked up eight assists. According to the KHL website, Sharangovich finished ninth among Dynamo Minsk forwards; he averaged 12:38 per game and 15.7 shifts per game. He did have one shootout-deciding goal to go with two even strength goals and two power play goals. In other words, he was used in a depth role but at least he was a regular player in the KHL. The EP profile notes that he was named the league’s rookie of the week for October 16.

The profile also states that he has represented Belarus many times at the international level. In this past season, he was an assistant captain for Belarus at the 2018 World Junior Championships and finished second on the team in scoring with two goals and three assists in six games. According to the player statistics by team files (PDFs) at 2018 WJC website, Sharangovich played a lot. He averaged 22:59 (second only to Maxim Sushko), took 19 shots (led the team), and his three goals consisted of two power play goals and a shorty. He showed up. Unfortunately, Belarus was relegated. Sharangovich played on an even larger stage in seven games with Belarus at the 2018 World Championships; he only registered one assist. According to the Player Stats by Team PDF files at the IIHF website for the 2018 World Championships, Sharangovich averaged 15:49 per game at the WCs, put up eleven shots, and took three minors. Not a great stat line, but it is still an achievement for a then-19 year old to make it to the World Championships.

The most curious thing about his profile is his contract. According to EP, it ends in 2017-18. This could mean that he could come over to America soon and perhaps step right into minor league hockey.

What Others Have Said About Yegor Sharangovich

There is not a ton out there initially about Sharangovich. However, Steve Kournianos noted that he was Belarus’ best player at the recent World Junior Championships. This is what he wrote back in January at The Draft Analyst:

The top player for the now-relegated Belorussians who teamed up with Flyers’ prospect Maxim Sushko to form one of the tournament’s top duos. A big, rangy center with very good speed and an excellent shot, Sharangovich logged the most ice time among forwards and played in every conceivable situation, to include the penalty kill. He plays with his head up, and his quick feet, specifically pivoting and edges, are obvious during lengthy cycles.

This is only based on just a handful of games. However, Sharangovich is a veteran of the WJCs as he played in three of them. Plus, this reads pretty well. He can move, he was productive at the WJCs on a team that did just get relegated, and he played in all situations in a big tournament. It’s not a lot, but this little bit is nice to read.

My Initial Reaction of the Pick

I do not mind this pick either. Partially because he is not a goalie; I’m not a fan of the Schmid selection at 136th overall. Partially because at this point in the draft, I think it is worth taking a chance on a “lesser known” prospect. He already has some pro hockey experience. He has plenty of international experience as he represented a smaller hockey nation in Belarus, so he is familiar with some of the best players in his peer group. He is a double-overager, but he’s on the younger side of that as he just turned 20 this month. Assuming he does not have another contract with Minsk or another team in the works, the Devils may be able to get him here pretty soon. For a team’s second fifth round pick in a draft, I think that’s pretty good value.

Your Take

As we update this post with more information later today, please have your say about Yegor Sharangovich in the comments. Do you think it was a good pick or not and why? What do you expect this player will become for the Devils? Of course, don’t forget to vote in our quick poll on the selection, which will end tonight at right before midnight. Thank you for reading.