On the basis of their NHL scouting presence in the region, the Flyers have had a stronghold in the country since the selection of Matvei Michkov. They are one of the few organizations with a heavy presence in the nation, and that might give them a competitive advantage in projections, negotiations to bring players overseas, etc.
In a draft like this one, there isn’t a “strong” set of Russian skaters filling out the first two rounds of the draft. There’s even a possibility that not a single Russian makes it into the first round, although the draft stocks of wingers Alexander Zharovsky and Daniil Prokhorov, as well as goalie Semyon Frolov, have been floated into “potential first rounder” territory.