Mikhail Gulyayev stands out as one of the better high upside bets amongst defencemen for the 2023 NHL Draft. 

Heading into his draft year, Gulyayev was already among MHL's top offensive forces from the backend. The year prior he set a new record for most points by a 16-year-old defenceman in the league history.

This season, Gulyayev was the highest-scoring defenceman on points-per-game basis in the same circuit. In addition, he played his best hockey of the season against men in the VHL and also suited for a chunk of KHL games with Avangard Omsk, earning his first point at that level, too. 

Wherever Gulyayev goes, offence seems to follow. He's managed to produce at a high rate at every level, building upon the previous season's accomplishments. 

The base of Gulyayev's game is skating. Very few