With 42 points across 59 games, Zharovsky broke the U-19 KHL points record in his rookie year. Concerns about his strength and defensive ability quickly vanished early in the season, as he has been able to handle himself against men in the KHL and tied for third on his team with a plus-7 goal differential. Zharovsky did slow down in the second half of the season and has started the KHL playoffs with only two points in five games to go with a negative 3 goal differential, showing signs that he is after all just a human being. With a focus on strong conditioning during the off-season, he will most likely become a point per game player or more in the KHL next season. It will not be long until Montreal finds a way to bring him to North America. Expect to see Zharovsky in a Habs uniform seeing regular top six minutes within two years.

Zharovsky is very quickly starting to look like a ridiculous steal in the 2025 NHL draft class. He started the 2025-26 KHL season at a point-per-game pace through the first 15 games, but has cooled off a bit with 15 points in 20 games. However, any doubts about his playing style and his strength against men in the KHL are now distant memories. Betting on Zharovsky’s skill level was the right call for Montreal, and their scouts must have huge grins on their faces thinking they might have a one-two offensive punch in Demidov and Zharovsky within a few years. Zharovsky is on track to fill a top-six forward position and very likely a PP1 spot when he gets settled in the NHL.

The Canadiens traded picks 41 and 49 to the Hurricanes for pick 34. Montreal then selected Zharovsky, one of the, if not the best puck-handler in this draft. There’s no surprise that the Habs traded up because he has first-round talent written all over him. Zharovsky has very soft hands in tight, the kind that can turn a defender inside out and then beat a goalie one-on-one. He also sees the ice extremely well, and it’s clear that he loves to have the puck on his stick. His ability to weave through traffic, attract defenders towards him, and find an open teammate is surreal – you would think he has eyes in the back of his head.

Selected at thirty-fourth, Alexander Zharovsky is now a member of the Montreal Canadiens.

Zharovsky spent last season in Russia in the MHL and has two years left under his contract. He got called up to the KHL for their playoff run and played well. There’s no indication yet as to where he will play next season, whether that’s the MHL, VHL, or KHL, but fans and Habs management should be excited to track his progress. He will need to fill into his body as he’s currently listed at 6-1, 165 lbs, but two years of development in Russia gives him that time. I could see Zharovsky playing in a top-six role at the NHL level.

Final Rankings – The 17-year-old Alexander Zharovsky has solidified himself as one of the draft’s most intriguing prospects, thanks to a strong season in the MHL that culminated in a KHL playoff promotion. While he managed just one point in limited minutes, the mere fact that he was trusted to play against men in the playoffs (and without looking out of place) speaks volumes about his maturity and upside.

Zharovsky is a magician in tight spaces, blending dynamic puck handling ability with high end playmaking vision to generate offense. Though his skating lacks an explosive first step, his edgework and top-speed separation are better than he is given credit for. While he occasionally overhandles the puck, his handling and offensive instincts offers the type of projectable, high-end talent rarely found outside the first round. For teams picking in the 40-60 range, Zharovsky represents a home-run swing on a player whose ceiling outweighs many of his peers.—