Prospect Info: Grigori Denisenko (2018, #15 overall), Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL), signed ELC 5/5/20

[MintyFresh88]

Targeting small, skilled, fast guys. Malgin, McCann, Vatrano, Tippett, Trocheck, Hoffman, Heponiemi, Dadonov, maybe Greco....

Yet exposes Marchessault. Lol

McCann, Tippett and Hoffman are all at least 6 ft and around 185-200 lbs. I wouldn’t consider them small by any means.

 

[Brokin]

Maybe he'll be over sooner than people think?

I think it would be a mistake to come to the CHL. North America has too many distractions for an 18 year who is a charmer. Let him play for a team and coach that will be hard on him in the KHL. Discipline and maturity are the two most important qualities to learn a proper work eithic.

He can get a tutor to teach him English.

 

[RainingRats]

Great pick.

 

[Asheville]

Kid doesn't look Russian.

 

[Brokin]

So we take a Russian when there were plenty of good Ontario/Canadian kids up for grabs. I hope Tallon knows what he is doing.

Not much difference between him and the Borgstrom selection. They are both a work in progress but will pay great dividends at the NHL level if they reach their potential.

No question in my mind this was a committee and not a pure Tallon selection (although I think Tallon gave a thumbs up). Tallon has admitted he was all about drafting NA players and he's changed in that he's beginning to listen to the European Scouts. When you say things like you enjoyed the interview at the combine, it defers to our Russian scout as the catalyst. Like Borgstrom, the kid has all the tools and is right on the cusp of realizing it's there for the taking. His release on his shot is off the charts, skating and puck handling are 1st class. Has to realize he can become a great player if he listens to his coaches and puts in the work.

 

[Brokin]

Kid doesn't look Russian.

Depends what part of Russia you're from. Definitely has some blood from the former USSR southern region (maybe one of the stans).

 

[Dread Clawz]

Craig Button said he received a perfect score in his skating from nhl central scouting, and that's a rarity.

 

[Gentle Man]

 

[Ghoste]

Is it worth it to go to Springfield though?

-ghoste

 

[Brokin]

Is it worth it to go to Springfield though?

-ghoste

That would truly shock me. Kids' just gonna be 18 in a few days and speaks no English (culture shock with high expectations is a recipe for disaster). I think they were referring to him playing Major Juniors in the CHL. As I mentioned above, I think that would be a mistake also. At best, let him spend a year in the KHL, put on some weight and tutor in English. If he's had success in the KHL, has matured and can speak some English.........then think about bringing him to the AHL as a 19 year old.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

So we take a Russian when there were plenty of good Ontario/Canadian kids up for grabs. I hope Tallon knows what he is doing.

Bolded hasn't been a factor for teams for a few years now, and you mean you hope the scouts know what they're doing. GMs go by what the scouts advise (typically).

Here's a good article on the 2012 draft where the Oilers scouts overwhelmingly wanted Ryan Murray (not great either in hindsight) but the GM took Yak. The article highlights the dysfunction of that organization, but any typical GM goes by the word of the people who watched the kids play.

How the Oilers got it wrong from the start with Yakupov - Sportsnet.ca

 

[Kshahdoo]

That would truly shock me. Kids' just gonna be 18 in a few days and speaks no English (culture shock with high expectations is a recipe for disaster). I think they were referring to him playing Major Juniors in the CHL. As I mentioned above, I think that would be a mistake also. At best, let him spend a year in the KHL, put on some weight and tutor in English. If he's had success in the KHL, has matured and can speak some English.........then think about bringing him to the AHL as a 19 year old.

The problem is he has to make the KHL first. With his MHL statistics he doesn't look like KHL ready...

I think, he means, if he makes the KHL, he will stay in Russia. If he doesn't make big Loko's roster, he'll come to NA... or at least he wants to come, because a contract is still a contract. But he definitely doesn't wanna play in the MHL anymore.

 

[IceKitties]

actually ended up with the guy i wanted, im proud of them, espeically with such an open ended draft who knows who we couldve possibly have picked otherwise but they came through.

barkov - huberdeau - trocheck - hoffman - dadonov as the mainstays

borgstrom coming in

tippett and denisenko developing.
___________________________

Huberdeau-Barkov-Dadonov
Hoffman-Trocheck-Tippett
Denisenko-Borgstrom-???

depth chart when deni and tip make it. not to mention hepo developing still.

That's a depth chart I can get behind!

 

[Brokin]

The problem is he has to make the KHL first. With his MHL statistics he doesn't look like KHL ready...

I think, he means, if he makes the KHL, he will stay in Russia. If he doesn't make big Loko's roster, he'll come to NA... or at least he wants to come, because a contract is still a contract. But he definitely doesn't wanna play in the MHL anymore.

Seems reasonable. I know there are a few Russians that have come over to the CHL as 16 year olds and settled in. I would think those that can't speak English would need an advocate/tutor to accompany them just to make the adjustment much easier. Not sure how that works and who would pay for it.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Seems reasonable. I know there are a few Russians that have come over to the CHL as 16 year olds and settled in. I would think those that can't speak English would need an advocate/tutor to accompany them just to make the adjustment much easier. Not sure how that works and who would pay for it.

I think, a right future big player mentality is, you gotta prove first, you can destroy a league, you don't look like even close to be the best player of right now. With numbers like 9+13 in 31 games played, he's far from proving anything even on MHL level. Kucherov had 24 +19 in 23 gp in the MHL, before he moved to NA. And 27 + 31 in 41 in his draft year. That's how a future top player looks like.

 

[letsgrowcactus]

I think, a right future big player mentality is, you gotta prove first, you can destroy a league, you don't look like even close to be the best player of right now. With numbers like 9+13 in 31 games played, he's far from proving anything even on MHL level. Kucherov had 24 +19 in 23 gp in the MHL, before he moved to NA. And 27 + 31 in 41 in his draft year. That's how a future top player looks like.

Does anyone know what role he played and how much TOI he got?

Like, Kaut spent the first half of the season playing 7 minutes a night as a 4th line winger, so obviously his production was extremely meh. Then after a great U20 they moved him to line 2, gave him 20 minutes a night and surprise surprise, the points came (he was 2nd in points in his team's playoffs).

 

[Kshahdoo]

Does anyone know what role he played and how much TOI he got?

Like, Kaut spent the first half of the season playing 7 minutes a night as a 4th line winger, so obviously his production was extremely meh. Then after a great U20 they moved him to line 2, gave him 20 minutes a night and surprise surprise, the points came (he was 2nd in points in his team's playoffs).

Role and TOI depend on how good a player is. Right now you can say, he hasn't improved his stats comparing to a previous season. He had the same 9+13 being 1 year younger, and he played even less games back to then, 28 vs 31. So technically he's regressed in his draft season, which should make people cautious about him. At least, it makes cautious me. Of course, I hope, it was just a fluke, and he will prove he's an elite prospect in a season coming.

 

[Skeletorrr]

Depends what part of Russia you're from. Definitely has some blood from the former USSR southern region (maybe one of the stans).

This. It's quite a surprise to see how ethnically diverse the population in Russia is, especially when you go further east.

I visited Krasnoyarsk region a month ago and the diversity of the population is something you notice right away. I was working on a sawmill in a remote town and they got a mix of caucasian, samoyedic (kinda like inuit), asian, kazakh and even middle eastern looking people there.

I guess we have a certain Mr. Stalin to thank for a lot of this. People from all corners of the Soviet Union were deported to gulags in Siberia.

 

[letsgrowcactus]

Role and TOI depend on how good a player is. Right now you can say, he hasn't improved his stats comparing to a previous season. He had the same 9+13 being 1 year younger, and he played even less games back to then, 28 vs 31. So technically he's regressed in his draft season, which should make people cautious about him. At least, it makes cautious me. Of course, I hope, it was just a fluke, and he will prove he's an elite prospect in a season coming.

Not necessarily in European leagues - some European couches and GMs just won't take the risk with the kids.
Extraliga is a prime example of this - so few young guys get a chance to play any reasonable minutes because the clubs won't take a chance on them. People were laughing hard at the Rangers for drafting Chytil at 21 since he had 8 points in 38 games - they failed to consider that he spent the whole year on lines 3 and 4 with no PP time.

Now maybe that's not Denisenko's case, but I was wondering if somebody here had more information about his usage and such.

Not improving on his points from draft-1 year is a red flag though - especially since he was 3rd in points last year and 12th this year. Does anyone have any context? His international play looks good and scouts are apparently raving about his potential.

 

[Brokin]

I think, a right future big player mentality is, you gotta prove first, you can destroy a league, you don't look like even close to be the best player of right now. With numbers like 9+13 in 31 games played, he's far from proving anything even on MHL level. Kucherov had 24 +19 in 23 gp in the MHL, before he moved to NA. And 27 + 31 in 41 in his draft year. That's how a future top player looks like.

I can't really comment on his MHL play as I have no idea what kind of talent he played with or if he had injuries. I think he caught the scouts eye in February at the 5 Nations Tournament where he was on the same line as Khovanov and Svechnikov. In 4 games his 3G's were 2nd behind Svechnikov and Morosov who both had 4. He was tied with Jack Hughes (likely the overall #1 next year) who also had 3. He was ahead of Kotkaniemi, Wahlstrom and Farabee who all had 2.

Of course International Tournaments are a small sample but it gives you a better view of how players do with and against better talent than just league play. IMO, he held his own with the best in that tournament.

 

[Brokin]

This. It's quite a surprise to see how ethnically diverse the population in Russia is, especially when you go further east.

I visited Krasnoyarsk region a month ago and the diversity of the population is something you notice right away. I was working on a sawmill in a remote town and they got a mix of caucasian, samoyedic (kinda like inuit), asian, kazakh and even middle eastern looking people there.

I guess we have a certain Mr. Stalin to thank for a lot of this. People from all corners of the Soviet Union were deported to gulags in Siberia.

I was looking Kazakh's and sure looks like many with Chinese and Afghanistan mixed bloodlines. Not unusual over the years with the tribes killing each other and taking the women.

 

[BB88]

Well I did say either D-prospect or a high risk forward with high potential and seems like they went there.

Florida has built some serious depth on their u30 forward group that they can for for the risk with a 15th.

 

[batting1k]

I guess this is a Kekäläinen pick?

Yes, he was a part of this.

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

Almost a year ago wished for Farabee but I think him and Denisenko is pretty much interchangeable. I think Dalé wants to get some size (now that #character is out of the winder with the introduction of Hoff) by picking Wilde. That'll leave a bottom6ers and a goalie prospect left in the PostIt-note to be crossed over in the very late rounds.

 

[letsgrowcactus]

Yes, he was a part of this.

Good to know.

FWIW Pronman and Button both love him and ranked him at 13 - Button called him an "elite offensive player" and compared him to Kucherov.
"I love Denisenko's creativity, he can make plays and finish plays. ... Denisenko can score in multiple ways, off the rush, in tight, off the cycle, and he's incredibly imaginative and hungry to score. [He] has a multiplatform game."

Pronman also had some intriquing quotes:
"Denisenko is one of the more interesting players in this draft class because what I see with my eyes doesn’t line up with the stats. ... [He] is one of the most skilled players in his draft class. On a pure talent level, he’s one of, it not the top Russian in this draft class (and no I didn’t forget about Andrei Svechnikov). Denisenko manipulates the puck so well and does so at high speeds.”

Other comparisons: Panarin, Alex Nylander.

He was apparently injured early in the season, which might partially explain why his production wasn't better.
Barkov, Borgstrom, Mamin, Malgin... makes it easier to trust our Euro guys on this one. Let's hope they're right about Denisenko