Let’s Show the Ukraine Scholar Athletes that play hockey that there may be a future at Brown.
(NOTE: We can be pro-active with the Ukraine. We can mobilize some of our Advisors from our team to approach some of these prospects, ED.)
Ukraine is actually an interesting recruiting market for NCAA and US prep-school hockey, because many talented players want educational opportunities abroad. The best prospects typically come from:
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Ukraine U18 National Team
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Kryzhynka Capitals Kyiv academy
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Sokil Kyiv youth system
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HK Kremenchuk youth teams
These programs feed players to European junior leagues and sometimes to North American junior leagues (USHL, NAHL, NCDC).
Below are some notable Ukrainian teenage prospects (U17–U20 range) who are considered among the better young players and could realistically be interested in U.S. university pathways.
Top Ukrainian High-School / U18 Hockey Prospects
(Potential recruits for U.S. prep schools, juniors, or NCAA path)
1. Alexander Levshin – Goaltender
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Position: Goalie
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Age: ~18
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Ukraine U18 National Team
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Outstanding performance in international play with best goals-against average and save percentage at an IIHF event.
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Already playing some junior hockey in Canada (pathway to NCAA).
Recruiting value:
Large athletic goalie with international experience.
2. Nikita Kulikov – Forward
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Forward
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Member of Ukraine U18 national program.
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Plays in Ukrainian junior development leagues.
Recruiting value:
Fast winger with strong offensive instincts.
3. Mark Myronov – Defenseman
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Defenseman
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Appeared in Ukrainian international youth tournaments.
Recruiting value:
Mobile puck-moving defenseman.
4. Danyil Denysenko – Forward
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Forward
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Played internationally with Ukraine youth teams.
Recruiting value:
Two-way forward with strong skating.
5. Maksym Vysotenko – Forward
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Forward
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One of the top scorers in Ukraine U18 competition.
Recruiting value:
Goal-scoring winger.
Ukrainian Youth Teams Producing Recruitable Players
If you are scouting for players interested in studying in the U.S., these clubs are the best starting points:
| Program | City | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kryzhynka Capitals | Kyiv | Top youth academy |
| Sokil Kyiv | Kyiv | Historic club with strong junior pipeline |
| HK Kremenchuk | Kremenchuk | Strong development program |
| Shershni Boguslav | Boguslav | Produces skilled forwards |
| Titani Donetsk youth | Donetsk region | Competitive junior teams |
These teams supply the Ukraine U18 national team that competes in the IIHF U18 World Championship divisions.
Why Ukrainian Players Are Often Interested in U.S. Colleges
Many Ukrainian players actively seek U.S. opportunities because:
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NCAA hockey offers education + development
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The war has disrupted domestic leagues
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North American junior leagues (USHL, NAHL, NCDC) are stepping stones to college hockey
This means Ukrainian prospects are often very motivated recruits.
✅ If you want, I can also give you:
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20–30 Ukrainian U16–U18 prospects with EliteProspects profiles
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The best Ukrainian players already playing in North American junior leagues (USHL/NAHL)
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Contacts for Ukrainian hockey academies recruiting to U.S. colleges
This could be very useful for your BrownHockey.tv global recruiting project. 🏒