Photo: The Draft Analyst
Player Overview
Team: Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk
Position: C/W
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 161 lbs.
Introduction
As one of the youngest players eligible for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Dmitri Ovchinnikov is constantly featured amongst this year’s draft “sleepers”. A small, highly skilled forward that lead the MHL in points for first time draft eligible, Ovchinnikov is very popular amongst the general public. However, his rankings by the larger scouting services don’t appear nearly as high on Ovchinnikov. He went unranked on NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings, didn’t appear on Bob McKenzie’s rankings (which are based off of NHL scouts he polled) and is only ranked 160th by McKeen’s.
Ovchinnikov has been one of the most exciting players for me to watch this season with his package of speed, skill and smarts (bonus points for the sweet uniforms his team wears). Time to find out what’s so enticing about this player as well as why some have their reserves on him.
Skating
Ovchinnikov’s entire game is built around is skating ability. His straight-line speed is excellent, and he has very good agility to go along with it. His team frequently relied on him to carry the puck through the neutral zone, and he’s excellent with it. Here, we see him pick up the puck in his own zone, quickly get to top speed and enter the zone cleanly.
His acceleration and power in his stride are also much better than would be expected from a player his size. The strong first steps are evident in this clip here. Notice how he’s able to explode towards the loose puck after losing his momentum along the boards to then dive and chip the puck to a springing teammate for the goal.
As a smaller player, it is nearly impossible to make it in the NHL if you’re not an above average skater. Ovchinnikov certainly has that going for him, and there’s plenty of room to grow in that area. Since he’s listed at only 161 pounds, he should physically mature more over the next couple of years. Adding more lower body strength will only improve all areas of his skating.
However, this is still an issue for him right now. It’s very often that Ovchinnikov will get knocked off the puck and effectively be out of the play, as evident here.
The physical game will never be Ovchinnikov’s calling card in the NHL. In fact, I don’t think he’ll even be an average physical player at the next level. But if he’s able to improve his strength and physical game enough to where an opponent can’t completely neutralize him by being physical, he’ll still be able to do what he does best.
Playmaking and Hockey IQ
Ovchinnikov’s playmaking is what will make him his money in the NHL one day. He has all the necessary tools to be an excellent playmaker at the next level: the vision, hockey IQ, stickhandling, passing, and skating. His ability to get the puck to a teammate in dangerous areas is quite fun to watch and leads to a lot of scoring chances for his team.
The quick thinking displayed in the clip above shows how he’s one of those players able to think a step ahead of his competition. He knew exactly where he wanted to go with the puck before it touched his stick, and then used his hands and creativity to execute. Notice in this next clip how he gets to the loose puck and sends a perfect pass to his linemate to set up the goal.
Ovchinnikov is able to use his superb skating ability to open up more passing lanes in the offensive zone. Here he wheels around the tops of the circles and hits a teammate back door for the easy goal.
He’s an electrifying player to watch in transition as well, as he’s able to execute high-level plays at top speed. See how quickly he’s able to wind up in the neutral zone, dangle a defender upon entry and make a smart pass to a teammate for a shot attempt.
While it didn’t result in anything for his team, this was a scenario where most players will dump the puck into the zone and chase after it, typically resulting in a turnover. But Ovchinnikov was able to single handedly create a shot attempt for his team due to his playmaking skillset.
Here’s another example of his work in transition. What’s especially impressive about this play is how quickly he makes the pass after he stops up in the neutral zone. Just another example that Ovchinnikov is a high-level thinker of the game paired with excellent vision.
It’s very easy to see why Ovchinnikov was able to lead the MHL in points for first time draft eligible players this season. The dynamic playmaking ability that he has is incredibly exciting to watch and could make him a very valuable player to a team.
Shot
Ovchinnikov’s shot isn’t a standout trait of his, but by no means is it a liability. His release isn’t tremendously quick and he doesn’t have a ton of power behind his shot, so he won’t often be beating goaltenders from long distance. However, his accuracy is what is getting him his goals.
He’s able to beat goalies clean with his accuracy, even when they’re set and in position. The clip below is an excellent example of that.
His quickness of both his feet and hands allow him to change the angle on the shot right before releasing, as evident here.
His hands also allow him to redirect pucks and send them upstairs. I found it interesting that he was often used in the bumper spot on the power play, but it quickly became evident as to why.
Ovchinnikov was able to place this puck exactly where he wanted it to after receiving a pass so hard that it looked like his teammate shot it at his stick. This is a very nice skill to have and one that I was surprised to see out of a player with his size and skillset.
He’s also able to use his skating ability to generate breakaway chances for himself. His speed and acceleration allow him to pull away from defenders quickly to then utilize his accurate shot to bury it.
While his shot isn’t going to be his main weapon at the next level, he should have no hesitations using it when he gets the puck in a dangerous area. As he gets stronger, his power should improve enough that he’s able to score from a little bit further out.
200-Foot Game
Due to his stature, Ovchinnikov isn’t going to be a dominant two-way presence on the ice. He won’t be pinning opposing players against the boards to shut down cycles or throw the big hit to blow up a play, but he uses his hockey IQ effectively to get into passing lanes and start counter attacks for his team.
Along the boards, he’s much more likely to try and reach in to cut off the play rather than pin the player to the boards. While it’s not ideal, it’s to be expected of a player his size and he isn’t putting himself out of position when he uses his stick.
He’s more of a support player in transition as opposed to hounding the puck carrier. While ideally he’d be hustling more to get back and put more pressure on the puck carrier, he does time his moves well to force a turnover.
In the clip below, Ovchinnikov is just drifting back into the defensive zone, but as soon as he forces the turnover and can start a transition the other way, he explodes and gets going through the neutral zone. If he were able to take the motor he has offensively and apply it to his 200-foot game, there’d be a really nice defensive player here.
His lack of effort defensively doesn’t usually end up costing his team, but his game would ascend to another level if he would put more work in on the other side of the puck. He’s not a particularly good forechecker either, so the defensive game definitely could stand to improve a bit. He also has a tendency to float around in the defensive zone, especially when he’s playing wing, but this is me being nitpicky.
Ovchinnikov is clearly an offensive minded player who always jumps at the chance to advance the puck up the ice. Whenever he breaks up a pass or forces a turnover, he immediately pushes towards the offensive zone. It all ties into his smarts and his skating that allow for him to play this style of defensive game, and I haven’t seen it really hurt his team.
Rankings
#66- RecruitScouting
#160- McKeen’s Hockey
#121- Eliteprospects
Conclusion
The all-around offensive package that Ovchinnikov brings to the table is very enticing. The high-end skating and playmaking ability alone show a player with a lot of potential at higher levels. He’ll certainly need to get stronger, but as one of the youngest players in this draft class he has a lot of time to grow and fill out his frame. His two-way game is a work in progress, but it fits his style of play and gives him a few more opportunities to create in transition.
Give Ovchinnikov another three years to further develop his game and physically mature in Russia and there could be a player ready to challenge for top-nine offensive role in the NHL. He has the skillset to play at that level, it’s just a matter of not letting his weaknesses be detrimental to his game.
In terms of the draft, I personally wouldn’t mind spending a third round pick on Ovchinnikov. There’s a lot of upside with him due to his raw skillset, but he’s obviously a project of a player. If a team is willing to be patient with him, there’s a chance he can develop into a dynamic top-six forward. A third liner isn’t out of the question for him either, and getting any sort of offensive contributions from a mid to late round draft pick has to be considered a win.
Ovchinnikov looks like one of the higher upside picks available later on in the draft. It’s clear as to why there’s a lot of variance in his rankings, but there’s still a lot of upside with him. Certainly a worthwhile bet in the third round and beyond.