Center
6’3/196
Left
Miami Univ. (Ohio)/NCAA
Related: Adam Novotny
Ilia Morozov was born in Moscow, but moved to the U.S. to play for the Tri-City Storm of the USHL, where he had 22 points in 59 games as just a 16 year old in the 2024-25 season. Prior to that, Morozov first played for the 15U Windy City Storm Triple-A team after arriving in the United States. He made an immediate impact scoring 33 goals and tallying 41 assists in 49 games. Windy City has the same ownership group as Tri-City, which gave current Miami bench boss Anthony Noreen knowledge of Morozov from the outset. Morozov showed up to Tri-City’s futures camp as an underage player and scored five of the team’s six goals in the camp’s scrimmage, prompting the USHL club under Noreen to tender him before he got the job with the RedHawks. When Noreen was hired by the RedHawks, he brought Morozov for an unofficial visit in one of his first few weeks. Morozov is playing for the Miami Red Hawks in the 2025-26 season as the youngest player in college hockey at just 17. His coaches have high praise for him, comparing him to the likes of Florida Panthers’ captain Aleksander Barkov; Morozov’s game revolves around his 200-foot play and ability to find and protect the puck in hard areas. His frame allows him to keep play moving along the walls, and when he’s able to find teammates on the rush or in the zone, he moves well off the puck, finding pockets of space to let loose a quick shot or slam home a puck in front. Morozov has an elite level mindset, work ethic and all he wants to do is get stronger, get in better shape, get better at hockey and improve in every area of his game. Ilya Morozov has very high potential and although many have him projected as a 2nd or even third round pick, he is getting more confident at the college level and his stock is rising rapidly, to a point were he could be a 1st round pick.
Size/Strength Execllent
Skating Good
Shot/Scoring Good
Puckhandling Good
Physical Play Great
Offensive Play Good
Defensive Great
Hockey Sense Excellent
Competitiveness Excellent
Strengths
1 At 6’3″ and ~205 lbs, Morozov already has NHL-level frame and strength, giving him an edge in board battles and plays with intensity. His effort level is consistently praised.
2 Scouts rate his decision-making and awareness as elite. He reads plays well, anticipates puck movement, and positions himself effectively in both zones.
3 Strong in the defensive zone, with good stick positioning and backchecking effort. Coaches trust him in penalty-kill situations.
Areas of Improvement
1 While he has shown flashes of scoring touch (6 points in 10 recent games), he hasn’t yet proven he can sustain high-end offensive production against older competition.
2 His passing is rated lower compared to other skills (around 60% in scouting metrics), meaning he sometimes struggles to create high-danger chances for teammates.
3 Skating is solid but not elite (rated ~80%). His stride can look heavy, and acceleration needs refinement to keep pace with faster opponents.
Scouting Report
Ilia Morozov is a 17 year old Russian Center, currently playing for the Miami University (Ohio) of the NCAA and is the youngest player the play in Division I men’s hockey. Morozov graduated early from high school, returning from a post-season trip back home to Russia in the summer to take one last course and settle in at Miami. Morozov is one of only five 17-year-olds in the NCAA, and has received far less exposure than two of the others (Penn State’s Gavin McKenna and North Dakota’s Keaton Verhoeff, who might end up as the top two picks in next year’s NHL Draft). At 6’3″ and ~205 lbs, Morozov already has NHL-level frame and strength, giving him an edge in board battles and net-front presence. Scouts consistently rate his awareness and decision-making as elite; he anticipates plays and positions himself effectively. He’s reliable in his own end, trusted in penalty-kill situations, and strong at disrupting opponents. Morozov plays a heavy, physical game—recorded nine hits in a single NCAA matchup. His size allows him to win board battles and protect the puck. Morozov’s playmaking and passing is below-average, creativity under pressure, tends to make safe plays rather than dynamic setups. Skating Stride is solid, but lacks explosive acceleration, needs refinement to match NHL pace. While showing flashes of scoring touch, he hasn’t yet proven he can sustain production against older competition. Morozov profiles as a defensively reliable, two-way center with middle-six NHL potential. His high floor comes from size, IQ, and defensive play, while his ceiling depends on whether he can sharpen his skating burst and offensive creativity. Comparables include players like Joel Eriksson Ek or Jordan Staal—steady defensive pivots who grew into impactful two-way roles. Morozov has a very high floor as a defensive minded two way center, who
could with the right team and development grow into an Aleksander Barkov or Nico Hischier type player.
Skill: Two-way center with NHL Ready size, Elite Hockey IQ, and strong defensive upside
NHL Comparable: Joel Eriksson Ek
NHL Potential: Top 6 Middle six Center
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | PTS |
| 2023-24 | Windy City Storm 15U AAA | 15U AAA | 49 | 33 | 71 |
| 2024-25 | Tri-City Storm | USHL | 59 | 11 | 22 |
| 2025-26 | Miami Univ. (Ohio) | NCAA | 18 | 7 | 14 |
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