RW Kirill Nizhnikov - Knoxville Ice Bears, SPHL (2018 undrafted)

[enj92]

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Not much info about this talented kid, but from what i've heard he's very promising young player, who will likely be selected in top-5 of the 2016 OHL Draft. Your thoughts about him, guys? Not so long ago it became known that he apparently will join to russian u-16 team at jr. winter olympic tourney, which will be held in Lillehammer, Norway in February, 12.

Some videos:

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[kyle44]

Interesting. The Youth Winter Olympics is an IIHF sanctioned event. If so, I believe he will claim Russian citizenship for his hockey career and will most likely have to go through the CHL Import Draft rather than through the OHL Entry Draft. Someone correct me if I'm wrong on this.

 

[Dabest]

He's good

 

[kp61c]

Interesting. The Youth Winter Olympics is an IIHF sanctioned event. If so, I believe he will claim Russian citizenship for his hockey career and will most likely have to go through the CHL Import Draft rather than through the OHL Entry Draft. Someone correct me if I'm wrong on this.

claim? did he became canadian recently?

 

[kyle44]

claim? did he became canadian recently?

I have no idea. The original poster implied that he will go top 5 in the OHL draft. For him to be eligible for this draft he would have to have Canadian or American citizenship.

 

[Zaddy]

I have no idea. The original poster implied that he will go top 5 in the OHL draft. For him to be eligible for this draft he would have to have Canadian or American citizenship.

That's not true I'm pretty sure. To go in the OHL draft you only have to have played minor hockey in Canada no? David Levin does not have canadian citizienship and he was drafted 1st overall in the OHL draft.

 

[kyle44]

That's not true I'm pretty sure. To go in the OHL draft you only have to have played minor hockey in Canada no? David Levin does not have canadian citizienship and he was drafted 1st overall in the OHL draft.

He would have to, otherwise Sudbury could not have Sokolov and Aagaard on their roster. If he only had Israeli citizenship, then he would have to go through the import draft wouldn't he not? If not players from European countries could move to Canada to play, only retain their european citizenship, and get picked in midget drafts, thus circumventing the CHL import draft.

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

You have to play like 2 years here before you're eligible.

 

[Zaddy]

You have to play like 2 years here before you're eligible.

And it seems like this is the case with Nizhnikov. According to EP he played with Mississauga Rebels minor midget team last year.

 

[enj92]

What about his game guys? Any scouting reports?

 

[kyle44]

And it seems like this is the case with Nizhnikov. According to EP he played with Mississauga Rebels minor midget team last year.

Fair enough, but others that have gone this route (Korostolev, Levin) have not played in an IIHF event prior to the draft. Im sure this will add another element for the OHL to consider.

 

[Juan]

Eligibility for the OHL draft has nothing to do with citizenship or where the player previously played. It is determined by the residency of at least one parent prior to the draft. So a player from Russia who moves with a parent who establishes residency in the OHL's jurisdictional area in Ontario or the U.S. (which is a question of fact) a couple of months prior to the OHL draft is undoubtedly eligible.

 

[Fantomas]

He has represented Russia in the past, correct?

 

[wings5]

He has represented Russia in the past, correct?

If the National u16 team competes during the season then he would have missed the competitions due to playing in Canada. Regardless I don't believe any of these games are IIHF sanctioned however I'm not sure if the Youth Olympics games are.

 

[Zaddy]

Selected 7th overall in the OHL draft by the Mississauga Steelheads.

Just judging from some youtube videos he seems very promising. The Steelheads gets another talanted forward to work with.

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Steelheads are going to be a fun team to watch next season.

 

[Jamesbay]

Will he report? It says here he's likely going back to Russia.

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/j...ntering-ohl-priority-selection-175036127.html

 

[Fantomas]

Good boy.

 

[wings5]

Will he report? It says here he's likely going back to Russia.

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/j...ntering-ohl-priority-selection-175036127.html

Weird, it's like he's suddenly proud to be Russian again after the YOG experience.

 

[kp61c]

Good boy.

don't know. looked like at first he wanted to play for canada, than russia. sounds like some sort of mercenary.

 

[93LEAFS]

Is he serious about going back or was it a slight variation of the typical NCAA bluff to go to a more preferred OHL team?

 

[wings5]

Is he serious about going back or was it a slight variation of the typical NCAA bluff to go to a more preferred OHL team?

Well he knew he was likely going top 3 and Flint had 3rd overall at the time. He was in range and it could just be a strategy to avoid going there. He could have just said he wouldn't report but I feel he might have been hoping it scared more teams and he falls to a team like London.

 

[ValeriKamensky]

Saw him in YOG in Norway. He made many useful things as though he is 18 years old. Nice work ethic, that is not peculiar to 16 years old player. Need more productive in offensive zone

 

[wings5]

Update : still has not signed with Mississauga and reported to training camp.

 

[DonskoiDonscored]

Based on this, it's safe to assume that they are at least talking to a VHL team, right?

Ferris says the 6-foot-1, 181-pound forward s likely headed back to his native Russia for next season.

“We're talking to a team that's a men's league team, so it's at a higher level (than major junior),” said Ferris. “It's not (the) KHL, but it's right below the KHL.”

When was the last time a 16-year-old played in the VHL? Has it ever happened?