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FN Draft Profiles: Could the Flames select 17-year-old Russian centre Ilia Morozov?
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Ryan Pike
May 31, 2026, 10:00 EDTUpdated: May 30, 2026, 22:59 EDT
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With the NCAA’s change in their eligibility rules just over a year ago, the options for up-and-coming hockey players changed considerably. Previously it was pretty uncommon to have a player head to college hockey as a 17-year-old to play their draft year. Now, the numbers of players seeing an opportunity in the unusual approach is rising considerably.
Case in point: Russian centre Ilia Morozov, one of the youngest players in the 2026 NHL Draft class and someone who spent an entire year in college hockey before he even celebrated his 18th birthday. Could Morozov be a fit for the Calgary Flames?

What do scouts think of Ilia Morozov?

Originally from Moskva, Russia, Morozov is a left shot forward – primarily a centre – listed at 6’3″ and 205 pounds. He’s an August 2008 birthday, meaning he won’t turn 18 until roughly six weeks after the 2026 NHL Draft. He was 17 for the entire 2025-26 playing season.
After working his way through Russian youth hockey, Morozov opted to head to North America in 2023 – as a 15-year-old – and played U15 AAA hockey with the Windy City Storm. He moved to the United States Hockey League the following season, suiting up with the Tri-City Storm. (Tri-City liked Morozov enough that they tendered him well before the 2024 USHL Draft, surrendering their first-round Phase 1 pick to make sure they got him.)
He committed to college following the 2023-24 season and joined Miami (Ohio) University for the 2025-26 season, as an underaged freshman. He spent the season playing a mix of first and second line centre, and was first over the boards in most offensive situations for the Red Hawks.
Here’s what Sportsnet and Pro Hockey Group’s Jason Bukala recently wrote about Morozov:
Morozov is the youngest NCAA draft eligible prospect in this class. His Aug. 3 birthday is just over a month away from being eligible for next year’s draft instead of the one. Morozov played heavy minutes for the Red Hawks and contributed 8G-12A in 36 games. I’m not sure Morozov has elite high-end offensive upside, but his combination of size and generally consistent detail in all three zones provides me with confidence that he will defend with purpose when he isn’t producing offence. It’s impossible to teach size. Morozov is a big body in the middle of the ice and fully capable of landing on a power play unit at the NHL level.
Meanwhile, our pal Steven Ellis had this assessment in his May rankings:
Despite being the youngest player in college hockey, Morozov played with a maturity that made him very valuable to Miami this season. Standing tall at 6-foot-3 and over 200 pounds, he is an imposing pivot who commands the center of the ice. He managed to post highly respectable numbers while operating on a roster lacking high-end offensive firepower. He frequently threads confident passes through heavy traffic. While his ultimate offensive ceiling may not get you out of your seat, Morozov’s mature off-puck habits and projectable power-center profile make him a compelling prospect.

How did Ilia Morozov perform as a college freshman?

Morozov had a rock-solid season offensively with Miami, scoring eight goals and 20 points through 36 games. He also won 46.7% of his face-offs and was leaned on heavily by the Red Hawks to take key draws. As a 17-year-old, he managed to earn the trust of his teammates and coaches and played a big role for his team.
Morozov was one of three August 2008-born players in the NCAA this past season. The other two were Boston University’s Tynan Lawrence (seven points in 18 games) and Boston College’s Oscar Hemming (eight points in 19 games). It’s worth noting that Morozov played a full collegiate season, while Lawrence and Hemming both joined their teams at the semester break.

Would Ilia Morozov be a fit for the Calgary Flames?

We’ve said it before and we’ve said it again: until the NHL roster is bursting at the seams with good centres, the Flames are probably going to be looking to add to their prospect depth at that position. Considering Morozov’s skill set and size – and his determination to improve, given that he moved to the United States at such a young age – there’s a lot to like about the player.
It’s unclear if Morozov would be available when the Flames hit the draft podium, though. He’s consistently seen as a first-round talent by public draft rankings, but he usually appears somewhere between 20th and 25th on those rankings. With the Vegas pick from the Noah Hanifin trade sitting at 30th or 31st overall, it feels unlikely that Morozov would slide to the Flames’ second pick. If he did, though, they would have a lot to consider given his qualities.

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