Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign Ovchinnikov to 3 year ELC || Joining Marlies

[nobody]

Definitely needs to add some weight and muscle!

Any idea on cap hit?

Probably going to be standard around 800-850K. Doubt there are any bonuses since he's such a late pick.

 

[Fogelhund]

It's good to see him signed, and coming over to NA to further his develop. Here's hoping he pans into what his potential could be.

 

[123offtheglass]

Cool, I like it; hard working two-way player from what I've read.

 

[BigBlu]

Some potential here fo sho.

 

[Leafs at Knight]

One down, one to go

 

[LaPlante94]

About damn time.

 

[aingefan]

One down, one to go

Yup, gotta think NickA is next.
then there’s a bunch of RFA and AHL deals to consider, and the college FA market.

 

[lawrence]

It’s cool that he’s willing to go to the ahl.

 

[The Iceman]

I think Dmitri will start turning heads on this forum. I'd say he is the single most slept on prospect in our system.

KEITH PETRUZZELLI for me. 6'5" goalie with a .933 with the Growlers

 

[stickty111]

So on loan next season to Sibir. They better play him then. It's going to be awful if Sibir decides to treat him the same again.

 

[Fogelhund]

 

[Fogelhund]

So on loan next season to Sibir. They better play him then. It's going to be awful if Sibir decides to treat him the same again.

I would imagine, that any such loan would contain a revocation clause no? After all, it would be the Leafs paying his salary, and maintaining his rights.

 

[4thline]

So on loan next season to Sibir. They better play him then. It's going to be awful if Sibir decides to treat him the same again.

Solid mutually beneficial arrangement. With the KHL decision to go straight to playoffs this gives him a chance to play way more meaningful hockey over the remainder of this season.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Hopefully he can get some games in. At the very least he can benefit from the Marlies amenities and acclimate to his new environment.

 

[Magic Man]

I'm not sure I like bringing him over just to loan him back for next season where he won't play again. Kind of defeats the purpose of having him actually play competitive hockey and it chips away at his ELC. Waste.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Maple Leafs walking a fine line with roster after losing Adam Brooks again on waivers | Toronto Sun

RUSHIN’ OVER

Will the Leafs have their own ‘Ovie’ one day?

At least they’ll be seeing Russian forward Dmitry Ovchinnikov up close earlier than expected, as the 19-year-old signed a three-year entry-level contract on Friday. It kicks in this season, with the 2020 fifth-round pick headed to the Marlies upon approval of his Canadian work permits.

It follows termination of his contract with KHL Sibir, where he had only four points in 35 games the past two years. However, observers of Russian hockey believe Ovchinnikov wasn’t fully utilized after strong seasons in the lower-tiered MHL where he played 156 games with Novosibirsk, amassing 142 points.

The Leafs traded up a few spots to get the 5-foot-11, 163-pound Ovchinnikov two years ago. Then-amateur scouting boss John Lilley decided that his offensive production was too impressive on paper to get too concerned that the Leafs had little background on the player, who was born in Chita on the Trans-Siberian railway line.

 

[Morgs]

I'm not sure I like bringing him over just to loan him back for next season where he won't play again. Kind of defeats the purpose of having him actually play competitive hockey. Waste.

And what is this based on?

What most of us thought was this was going to be a waste year, where he'd shuttle between the KHL and MHL only actually playing in a league he's far too good for. We knew this year was coming and we're still upset by it. The light at the end of the tunnel was that next season he'd get his shot, playing 10-13 minutes a game and be able to prove himself to be a valuable asset to Sibir. Him coming to the AHL even for the end of this season is such an insane bonus as he *should* be getting actual minutes against competition for the first time since his d-1. There's no reason that a good showing here could prove to Sibir that he's worth actually playing. If he doesn't show well, he might not even be worth us worrying about.

 

[Magic Man]

And what is this based on?

What most of us thought was this was going to be a waste year, where he'd shuttle between the KHL and MHL only actually playing in a league he's far too good for. We knew this year was coming and we're still upset by it. The light at the end of the tunnel was that next season he'd get his shot, playing 10-13 minutes a game and be able to prove himself to be a valuable asset to Sibir. Him coming to the AHL even for the end of this season is such an insane bonus as he *should* be getting actual minutes against competition for the first time since his d-1. There's no reason that a good showing here could prove to Sibir that he's worth actually playing. If he doesn't show well, he might not even be worth us worrying about.

Why is Sibir upping his ice time next season? What changes?

Could they not have ATO/PTO/loaned him this way, like so many others. So, they didn't have to burn his ELC years on less than half a season this year and to now loan him out again next year.

He's not going to get much development time this way either.

 

[Morgs]

Why is Sibir upping his ice time next season? What changes?

Could they not have ATO/PTO/loaned him this way, like so many others. So, they didn't have to burn his ELC years on less than half a season this year and to now loan him out again next year.

He's not going to get much development time this way either.

Because typically when a player plays this amount, it doesn't happen again without the player requesting out. Watch what happens with Yurov next season, or with Podkolzin the year before this one. It's fair to assume that he will get more minutes or else the Leafs wouldn't bother sending him back.

 

[nobody]

Because typically when a player plays this amount, it doesn't happen again without the player requesting out. Watch what happens with Yurov next season, or with Podkolzin the year before this one. It's fair to assume that he will get more minutes or else the Leafs wouldn't bother sending him back.

Hmm. We did that with Amirov and he's gotten healthy scratched in favor of players that are vastly inferior. Also, Podkolzin was banished for a pretty long time also. Most Canucks fans IIRC wanted him the f*** out of Russia because he was getting buried and wasn't getting his chances. It wasn't until later in his last year that he got more playing time because of injuries up the lineup and he started to produce a little bit more. I think loaning a kid back to the KHL is the equivalent of letting him play in the NCAA. I think you're sending them down because it'll allow them to physically mature while being in the comforts of their home/familiarity. But many many players have suffered in terms of playing time especially forwards in the KHL. KHL isn't a development league and they won't give their young kids a chance unless you're a Kaprizov type talent. Obviously there are exceptions to my generalization but very few IMO.

 

[Canada4Gold]

Yeah I don't love the idea of sending him back. I can see them just burying him next year as well. Amirov before his injuries was having some troubles getting ice time and was in the same situation signed by us and being loaned so that doesn't give me any faith that we'll have enough say to matter.

I like that we're getting more control and he's going to get a look in the AHL this year but I wish it was for good.

 

[BertCorbeau]

I get the feeling that if Ovchinnikov performs well the rest of the season, that this agreement will change

 

[Morgs]

Hmm. We did that with Amirov and he's gotten healthy scratched in favor of players that are vastly inferior. Also, Podkolzin was banished for a pretty long time also. Most Canucks fans IIRC wanted him the f*** out of Russia because he was getting buried and wasn't getting his chances. It wasn't until later in his last year that he got more playing time because of injuries up the lineup and he started to produce a little bit more. I think loaning a kid back to the KHL is the equivalent of letting him play in the NCAA. I think you're sending them down because it'll allow them to physically mature while being in the comforts of their home/familiarity. But many many players have suffered in terms of playing time especially forwards in the KHL. KHL isn't a development league and they won't give their young kids a chance unless you're a Kaprizov type talent. Obviously there are exceptions to my generalization but very few IMO.

I think Amirov's and Ovchinnikov's situations are different. One plays for an above average team, was on pace to actually play minutes, got injured, and then got screwed coming back before an injury ending his season.

Ovchinnikov plays for a bad team with very little talent in front of him. He *should* be able to play on that team relatively easy but they simply refuse to give him a chance to prove himself. If they didn't think anything of him he wouldn't be their 13th F in case if injury, and wouldn't want him back next season. They quite literally have no other prospects that could/should be able to handle KHL duties.

If he's getting similar treatment, it's a loan. Bring him back. We'll see if there's something to worry about when he plays for the Marlies.

 

[Stephen]

I generally feel agnostic about leaving Russian prospects in the Russian leagues, but for the higher end prospects we should probably get them to North America sooner than later if the Russian club teams aren't giving them the reps to develop quickly. Just comes down to a control and timeline issue.

For the real raw prospects, I don't mind leaving them over there since you can have them develop on someone else's time and dollar.

 

[francis246]

I'm not sure I like bringing him over just to loan him back for next season where he won't play again. Kind of defeats the purpose of having him actually play competitive hockey and it chips away at his ELC. Waste.

with him on an ELC we have more control, we can recall him from loan. He can stay with the Marlies. It really gives him more options. How he feels today could be totally different than how he feels in August