SCOUTING REPORT GRIGORI DENISENKO

ONE OF THE FLORIDA’S top prospects is Grigori Denisenko, the 15th overall pick in 2018. The No. 8-ranked prospect in Future Watch 2020 captained Russia to a silver at the WJC and put up solid numbers in his first full KHL season with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. We talked to Panthers director of player development Bryan McCabe about the left winger’s skill set.

HOCKEY IQ

“OFFENSIVELY IT’S VERY HIGH.

Defensively he has some details he needs to improve on. He can kill penalties, I’ve seen him do it at the under-20 tournaments. He can get in lanes and has a good stick, but with the language barrier and coming over to North America for the first time, there will be a lot of new systems for him, and there will be a learning curve.”

COMPETE LEVEL

“I ACTUALLY LOVE HIS compete level and passion. He’s a skilled player, but he can play the game any which way you want him to. I’ve seen him in physical games and he’s been a catalyst, going through bodies and winning puck battles. He does not shy away from physical plays. He’s not huge by any standard (5-foot-11, 180 pounds), but he’s strong on the puck, he has a great center of gravity and I’ve seen him step up his game and punish people with open-ice hits. It’s a great attribute and something you can’t teach, that he’s willing to do the dirty work.”

SHOT

“VERY HEAVY, VERY ACCURATE.

Deadly on the power play, he can pick corners. He likes to shoot it, he likes to be the guy putting pucks to the net on the PP on the half-wall. His shot is going to be an asset moving forward.”

DEFENSE

“HE HAS TO LEARN to stop and start on pucks more often, especially on the smaller ice to take away lanes. He’s the type of guy on the big ice that likes to keep his feet going, but on the smaller ice with less time and space he’ll have to learn to stop and start on pucks more and work a little harder below his own blueline.”

PLAYMAKING

“HE’S GOT GREAT VISION. He thinks it on the offensive side very well. He’s a guy that can make those seam plays on the power play with time and space. He’s ahead of the curve with his vision and the ability to read where guys are going on the ice. I see him more as a shooter, but he does have a lot of playmaking ability and can make guys around him better.”

SKATING

“HE’S AN ELITE SKATER, very dynamic. One of the few players I’ve seen who skates faster when he has the puck on his stick. He’s very powerful, dangerous through the neutral zone. He can carry with speed.”