Prospect Info: Dimitry Zhukenov, 2015 4th Round Pick (114th Overall)

[Pip]

is that really the "standard" for a 4th rounder?

The vast majority of fourth round picks flop so I don't think we want Zhukenov to be like most fourth rounders. Obviously most of our mid round picks won't progress well enough to become NHL contributors but that seems like a reasonable expectation of Zhukenov given his skillset for him to be on track for the NHL.

 

[me2]

is that really the "standard" for a 4th rounder?

DD+1, as small skilled guy he will probably need something like that in a draft+1 to build on it he is going to go on.gy

 

[Bougieman]

Yeah, I was fairly impressed with him in the prospect games. Great 4th round gamble! One of our better ones in a long while.

 

[MS]

He isn't a blazer but he is far from a weak skater. He needs to grow and adjust to life over here but he looks like a good prospect from what I've seen so far.

He skates kind of hunched over and doesn't seem to generate very good leg drive or have much of a burst. He won't be 'weak' at the QMJHL level but average CHL skaters become below-average pro skaters.

is that really the "standard" for a 4th rounder?

A successful one, yes.

If he comes in at his size and isn't a top-line QMJHL player at this age, he's almost certainly not going to make it.

 

[Jyrki21]

I'm still trying to figure out the capital J reference.

*berth

 

[Trelane]

He skates kind of hunched over and doesn't seem to generate very good leg drive or have much of a burst. He won't be 'weak' at the QMJHL level but average CHL skaters become below-average pro skaters.


A successful one, yes.

If he comes in at his size and isn't a top-line QMJHL player at this age, he's almost certainly not going to make it.

PPG in the Q, or there about, will be enough for a smallish player getting accustomed to the North American game in his draft+1 to keep the NHL dream alive. It was enough for Krejci.

I must say, the production expectations for our 4th rounders have sure shot up recently. Almost as if someone is held to a higher standard...

 

[MS]

PPG in the Q, or there about, will be enough for a smallish player getting accustomed to the North American game in his draft+1 to keep the NHL dream alive. It was enough for Krejci.

I must say, the production expectations for our 4th rounders have sure shot up recently. Almost as if someone is held to a higher standard...

Er ... 70-80 points is a 'point-per-game' in the Q. Obviously if he gets hurt and scores 53 points in 50 games or something, that's still good.

My expectations have always been the same. You'll see me repeatedly in 13-14 saying the Cassels point increase was just what should have been expected from a good pick rather than some sort of unexpected breakthrough.

 

[Trelane]

Er ... 70-80 points is a 'point-per-game' in the Q. Obviously if he gets hurt and scores 53 points in 50 games or something, that's still good.

My expectations have always been the same. You'll see me repeatedly in 13-14 saying the Cassels point increase was just what should have been expected from a good pick rather than some sort of unexpected breakthrough.

Then I guess we're not so far apart.

But it follows if you can get, even if just once in an eon, a #1 NHL centre out of PPG draft +1 player, the production can be somewhat less for a secondary or lesser player.

The other thing about Zhukenov is that he's in that first draft class that were evaluated and selected according to the much publicized Benning criteria hammered into the scouting staff. So the odds are better that he's high in "playing the right way," intangibles, "bite" and all that good stuff. Point production at the lower levels may be less of a priority for our GM.

#positives

 

[biturbo19]

He skates kind of hunched over and doesn't seem to generate very good leg drive or have much of a burst. He won't be 'weak' at the QMJHL level but average CHL skaters become below-average pro skaters.



A successful one, yes.

If he comes in at his size and isn't a top-line QMJHL player at this age, he's almost certainly not going to make it.

He definitely has a kind of awkward looking way of getting around the ice.

It will be interesting to see if his skating is something he can improve upon/refine now that he's over here and part of an NHL organization. Not always easy to make changes....but with the awkwardness, you'd have to think there are some inefficiencies there which could be improved upon to bring him up from something like "awkward looking average CHL skater" to "slightly less awkward looking average Pro skater". Hopefully at least.


As far as the benchmark for his production, that's certainly fair. The type of player he projects as, PPG really should be achievable if you expect him to go on to do much of anything as an NHLer one day.

 

[MS]

He definitely has a kind of awkward looking way of getting around the ice.

It will be interesting to see if his skating is something he can improve upon/refine now that he's over here and part of an NHL organization. Not always easy to make changes....but with the awkwardness, you'd have to think there are some inefficiencies there which could be improved upon to bring him up from something like "awkward looking average CHL skater" to "slightly less awkward looking average Pro skater". Hopefully at least.


As far as the benchmark for his production, that's certainly fair. The type of player he projects as, PPG really should be achievable if you expect him to go on to do much of anything as an NHLer one day.

Oh, agreed.

This is what you should be doing with mid-round picks. Looking for guys with skill but a size/skating deficiency and hoping their skill wins out or they can improve their strength/skating. Needing to fix BOTH size and skating isn't great, but he definitely looks like a player with potential.

 

[ahmon]

Oh, agreed.

This is what you should be doing with mid-round picks. Looking for guys with skill but a size/skating deficiency and hoping their skill wins out or they can improve their strength/skating. Needing to fix BOTH size and skating isn't great, but he definitely looks like a player with potential.

The thing is he is not even that short, 5'11 is tall enough. Its the weight which usually corrects itself as players get heavier and stronger as they age.

The skating is definitely something he needs to work on.

Excited about this pick. Just keep drafting these types of players in later rounds.

 

[VanillaCoke]

Scored a nice goal today.

 

[canuckking1]

1 goal in 2 games is decent hopefully he can nicely transition to NA style of play

 

[JA]

4 goals, 13 assists, 17 points in 19 games so far for Chicoutimi, good for fifth on the team in scoring.

 

[mathonwy]

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

Just published a translated interview with Dmitry Zhukenov:

http://thehockeywriters.com/dmitry-zhukenov-progressing-in-the-qmjhl/

Have a good read!

 

[Hansen]

Seems like a good kid, I like his honesty. Very driven to achieve the goals that he has set for himself.

 

[Zombotron]

Pedan, Tryamkin, Zhukenov - I welcome the reintroduction of Russians to our prospect pipeline

 

[ChilliBilly]

Just published a translated interview with Dmitry Zhukenov:

http://thehockeywriters.com/dmitry-zhukenov-progressing-in-the-qmjhl/

Have a good read!

excellent - thanks for that ....

 

[M2Beezy]

Pedan, Tryamkin, Zhukenov - I welcome the reintroduction of Russians to our prospect pipeline

Now lets work out a trade of hamhuis to dallas for nich. (obv other peices involved).

 

[DL44]

47gms 11g 32a 43pts
0.91 PPG..

So he's in the neighborhood of pre-season PPG expectations...
Are people watching him happy with his game? His style?

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

excellent - thanks for that ....

Thank you for reading.

 

[skyo]

Just published a translated interview with Dmitry Zhukenov:

http://thehockeywriters.com/dmitry-zhukenov-progressing-in-the-qmjhl/

Have a good read!

Thanks!

Pedan, Tryamkin, Zhukenov - I welcome the reintroduction of Russians to our prospect pipeline

Agreed, thanks Benning for allowing the canucks to draft Russkies again.

 

[Jimson Hogarth*]

Thanks!


Agreed, thanks Benning for allowing the canucks to draft Russkies again.

Yup- completely ignoring hockey factories like Russia or the WHL is plain stupid. Glad to see Zhukenov at close to PPg and thriving in his first year in North America.

 

[IComeInPeace]

"Here in Canada, no one celebrates their birthday."

Nice interview. He seems like a very hard working, and dedicated kid.
I can't help but think some of his teammates are a little miffed that he keeps ignoring their birthdays.