F Dmitri Ovchinnikov - Metallurg Novokuznetsk, VHL (2020, 137th, TOR; traded to MIN released)

[SoundAndFury]

Hopefully gets a call up soon

Extremely unlikely. Unless it's to sit on the bench as a 13th forward which is worse than playing in the MHL.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Scored early in OT this morning. Also registered an assist.

 

[Caser]

 

[Minty Cowboy]

Extremely unlikely. Unless it's to sit on the bench as a 13th forward which is worse than playing in the MHL.

Even on a VHL team?

 

[SoundAndFury]

Even on a VHL team?

As you may know, VHL isn't purely a development league. Only the rich teams own/have direct input on their VHL affiliates and move players around more willingly. Small teams like Sibir are only sending players to the VHL if they have nothing else to do with them, basically. I think at this time, only 3 players belonging to Sibir play for Orsk, their VHL affiliate. At the same time, while MHL and KHL teams almost always play in the same city, the distance between Novosibirsk and Orsk is over 2000 km. To Ovchinnikov, it would be an exile rather than a promotion.

Long story short, he is probably never going to play in the VHL as long as he belongs to Sibir.

 

[Minty Cowboy]

As you may know, VHL isn't purely a development league. Only the rich teams own/have direct input on their VHL affiliates and move players around more willingly. Small teams like Sibir are only sending players to the VHL if they have nothing else to do with them, basically. I think at this time, only 3 players belonging to Sibir play for Orsk, their VHL affiliate. At the same time, while MHL and KHL teams almost always play in the same city, the distance between Novosibirsk and Orsk is over 2000 km. To Ovchinnikov, it would be an exile rather than a promotion.

Long story short, he is probably never going to play in the VHL as long as he belongs to Sibir.

Interesting thanks! Didn’t know that. What would be a reasonable projection based on a guy his age, with his production?

 

[LeafChief]

It's super early but his stat-line is trending similarly (if not better) that Marat Khusnutdinov who was selected 37th overall in the same draft.

Nice to see for a 5th rounder.

 

[SoundAndFury]

What would be a reasonable projection based on a guy his age, with his production?

MHL production is largely irrelevant because it depends on so many factors...

MHL went through many iterations, especially at the beginning there were teams you could walk over and pile up a bunch of points. Then your linemates matter, like Kucherov and Gusev played in the MHL together in those early days and you can see their ridiculous point totals. At the other end of the specter, you have a guy like Denisenko, who was a first-round pick and is all about offense but he played much later, for a big, deep team which would spread out the ice time and was generally low-scoring, and he could never even reach PPG in the MHL. Even in his D+1 season, he was below PPG.

So I don't think any real estimations could be based on MHL production, at least not without some proper system. Maybe some super stats guys who would calculate ice times, percentage share of team goals, etc. could come up with some sort of conclusion but it would be a hell of a lot of work nobody is paid to do, I guess. That's why international tournaments are so important, generally, because it helps to put these guys into perspective. Until then, it's all about the eye test until he starts scoring at the KHL level.

It's super early but his stat-line is trending similarly (if not better) that Marat Khusnutdinov who was selected 37th overall in the same draft.

His pace is marginally better than Chinakhov's last year so if he went undrafted all signs point he would be roughly pick #15 in next year's draft

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Another 2 points today, up to 20 in 13 games.

Hopefully an opportunity opens up soon for him to jump up a level.

 

[MMC]

I don't think I'll ever be able to not pronounce his name "Ovechnikov". That's just the first thing that comes to mind when I read it.

 

[Jrtu]

I don't think I'll ever be able to not pronounce his name "Ovechnikov". That's just the first thing that comes to mind when I read it.

If you didn't actually point it out, I would have still thought that his name is indeed Ovechnikov...

 

[A55P2]

Really have to wonder why teams weren't more interested in him. I know he's short but he's played well everywhere. When he was in the habs development camp he was clearly one of the standout guy.

 

[Mitch nylander]

Really have to wonder why teams weren't more interested in him. I know he's short but he's played well everywhere. When he was in the habs development camp he was clearly one of the standout guy.

I think you are mixing Ovchinnikov with Oksentyuk the speedy 5'7 belarussian winger who was at montreal's camp. He was drafted in the 6th by Dallas, and is currently playing in belarus with a statline of 2 points in 12 games after two season in Saginaw.
Ovchinnikov couldn't have been at any training camps since he's an 02, a late one.

But with that being said Ovchinnikov's looking like a very special talent.

 

[A55P2]

I think you are mixing Ovchinnikov with Oksentyuk the speedy 5'7 belarussian winger who was at montreal's camp. Ovchinnikov couldn't have been at any training camps since he's an 02, a late one.

But with that being said Ovchinnikov's looking like a very special talent.

Ah whoops, you're right. My bad.

 

[Caser]

 

[Morgs]

1 goal, 4 assists today in a 5-1 win.

Way too good for the MHL, apparently not good enough to play more than a minute a game in the KHL.

 

[Leafs1991]

A lot of posters in the draft thread wanted Pashin at the time and yet he isn't doing nearly as good as Ovchinnikov. So far it's been a great choice!

 

[LeafChief]

I don't know what to think about this kid. Obviously, you love to see the offensive output but he did it already last year in this league.

Would love to see if he can create offense in the KHL with some actual ice time. I believe he's played under 1-2 minutes in each of his KHL games this season (one game he got 45 seconds).

 

[Kshahdoo]

I don't know what to think about this kid. Obviously, you love to see the offensive output but he did it already last year in this league.

Would love to see if he can create offense in the KHL with some actual ice time. I believe he's played under 1-2 minutes in each of his KHL games this season (one game he got 45 seconds).

He's 18, and Sibir is in the tough situation, they won't risk and play a kid.

 

[LeafChief]

He's 18, and Sibir is in the tough situation, they won't risk and play a kid.

I'll take your word for it as I don't know the inner workings of the KHL.

What are your thoughts on Ovchinnikov? What should his development plan look like?

 

[hockeeyyy]

I'll take your word for it as I don't know the inner workings of the KHL.

What are your thoughts on Ovchinnikov? What should his development plan look like?

Putting on weight would be a good start. It’s hard to tell if he’s grown since he last update because he does seem like he’s smaller than what he’s listed at.

On the other hand, he doesn’t lack willingness to play physical, so if he’s able to put on some weight, it would go a long way to opening up more opportunities to showcase his high end skill level in different ways.

Other than that, I can’t say much about his IQ; it’s hard to tell with limited viewings of him.

 

[Lainehasaweirdface]

Could Sibirskie loan him to another clubs VHL team? He's clearly too good for the MHL.

 

[Llamamoto]

Could Sibirskie loan him to another clubs VHL team? He's clearly too good for the NHL.

Slight typo there I imagine

 

[Morgs]

Could Sibirskie loan him to another clubs VHL team? He's clearly too good for the NHL.

Earlier on this page someone talked about his VHL option:

VHL isn't purely a development league. Only the rich teams own/have direct input on their VHL affiliates and move players around more willingly. Small teams like Sibir are only sending players to the VHL if they have nothing else to do with them, basically. I think at this time, only 3 players belonging to Sibir play for Orsk, their VHL affiliate. At the same time, while MHL and KHL teams almost always play in the same city, the distance between Novosibirsk and Orsk is over 2000 km. To Ovchinnikov, it would be an exile rather than a promotion.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Could Sibirskie loan him to another clubs VHL team? He's clearly too good for the NHL.

Theoretically - yes, realistically - no. It's hard to believe any of the sides (Sibir, the VHL team, Ovchinnikov himself) would be interested in that.

A lot of posters in the draft thread wanted Pashin at the time and yet he isn't doing nearly as good as Ovchinnikov. So far it's been a great choice!

Actually, before today's game, their PPG was almost identical (1.39 vs. 1.37) and a couple of weeks ago Pashin's was way higher so.... Hard to see where this conclusion is coming from.