Lavr Gashilov – 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profile – The Hockey Writers – NHL Entry Draft

Lavr Gashilov

2025-26 Team: Avto Yekaterinburg (MHL)
Date of Birth: September 23, 2007
Place of Birth: Perm, Russia
Ht: 6-foot-2 Wt: 170 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Center
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2026 first-year eligible

Rankings

Lavr Gashilov is an offensive forward with lots of creativity and excellent passing abilities who makes things happen with his smooth hands and crisp passes in the offensive zone.

He’s been among the top scorers in the Russian junior league over the last two seasons, but that didn’t earn him much space in the pro leagues, with Avtomobilist being a very veteran-oriented organization, as he only played three Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) games and two games in Russia’s second-tier pro league, the VHL, in the current campaign.

This lack of exposure to men’s hockey can hurt Gashilov’s stock on the draft day, perhaps even rightfully so, even if it may not be entirely up to him. For the next season, after yet another disappointing early playoff exit, Avtomobilist will change its head coach, and maybe younger players like Gashilov or the Colorado Avalanche’s 2023 draftee Nikita Ishimnikov will have more space.

Gashilov is certainly a player of interest for the upcoming 2026 selections. His combination of offensive skills, eye for the game, and smooth hands makes him an interesting project with a proven track record in the top Russian junior league, where he has been dominating in scoring this season and was a point-per-game player in the 2024-25 campaign. He knows how to create offensive chances for his teammates as well as track the play in the offensive zone to be the right man at the right moment with his ability to anticipate where the puck will be.

With that being said, he has a long road in front of himself. He lacks speed, a trait that will most likely have him play more on the wing in pro hockey rather than in the middle, and he lacks intensity when his team doesn’t have the puck. Especially the latter, however, is something that can be coached and is usually something that players learn during their development. He should also fill his body more—he’s got some height at 6-foot-2, but needs to bulk up.

Lavr Gashilov – NHL Draft Projection

Gashilov is one of those players who are hard to evaluate in terms of an NHL pick. It’s easy to see that his offensive skills and sheer production in the MHL will grab interest within multiple franchises. However, it’s also easy to see how the lack of exposure can hurt him on draft day, considering that he had very limited time on ice in the KHL, unlike other Russian prospects for the upcoming selections.

Moreover, he’s not the hardest worker in the defensive side of the game; that’s not something that coaches are going to close an eye on if a player isn’t a sure-fire, first-line prospect. Maybe the Ottawa Senators will pay some special attention to him after drafting his linemate, Dmitri Isayev, in 2025.

Quotables

“Lavr Gashilov is first and foremost a talented center with the puck. He is not the fastest in a straight line, but I would say his agility helps him a lot to stand out. The offense runs through him when he’s on the ice, as he often carries the puck from his own blue line. He’s not necessarily the one who will play deep in his zone to neutralize opposing pressure, but his positioning is good to support his teammates.” – TSLH

“Gashilov’s hockey intelligence is on display with and without the puck. With the puck he sees passing lanes and has the ability to hold onto pucks until they open up. Without the puck he anticipates the play extremely well, whether that’s reading the forecheck and forcing a turnover or finding space in the offensive zone to receive a pass. Gashilov has soft hands and is capable of the occasional highlight reel dangle. Lavr is a true center that can play power play and penalty kill. I think Gashilov plays a projectable game.” – Luke Sweeney, Dobber Prospects

Strengths

• A great offensive talent with strong puck skills
• Can anticipate plays and create offensive chances
• Has shown excellent production across multiple seasons

Under Construction/Improvements to Make

• Not the hardest worker back in the defensive zone
• May lack speed to play in the middle in a men’s league

NHL Potential

Gashilov may lack elite potential, but he can become a good option even at the NHL level in a secondary scoring position in the middle six. He will need to work on his skating and intensity, and perhaps he will need a move to the wing, but he has all it takes to play in the NHL, especially on the offensive side of the game.

Risk- Reward Analysis

Risk: 3/5 Reward: 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense: 8/10 Defense: 4/10

Lavr Gashilov Stats

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