Swedish prospect breaks out of slump
Mike Raptis tallies up the recent efforts of some of the team's best young hopefuls.
By the time his name was called at the 2020 NHL draft, Canucks fans would be forgiven for nodding off.
Just don't sleep on this sixth-rounder.
Zlodeyev, a five-foot-11, 183pound left-shooting centre, has opened some eyes around the hockey world with his play so far this season. The 18-year-old, who started the campaign with Dynamo Moscow in Russia's junior-level MHL, was promoted to the AHL-level Supreme Hockey League ( VHL) after 10 games (four goals, four assists) and hasn't looked back.
In Sunday's 3-2 overtime win against Rostov, Zlodeyev didn't generate any points, but the teen did assert himself in other ways, making his mark defensively while showing flashes of an offensive game that has big-league upside.
For a player chosen so late in the draft, there was some buzz around Zlodeyev.
TSN's Craig Button broke his game down to “four exceptional attributes: skating, puck skills, processing speed and imagination work in seamless co-ordination to make a big impact on the game.”
“Zlodeyev had a stellar 2019-20 season for both club and country. He is a very strong two-way player who is quick on his feet, but lacks some aggression,” said Dylan Griffing of Dobber Prospects. “Despite playing a soft game for the most part, he uses that speed to terrorize the opposition in the defensive zone.
“He tends to shy away from board battles and stands in positions that allow the opponents to easily get the puck when it moves away from the boards.”
Draft guru Steve Kournianos is bullish on Zlodeyev, describing him “as complete a two-way centre as you'll find.”
After the draft, Mark Seider from North American Central Scouting called Zlodeyev his “favourite pick” by the Canucks. “A bonus in the sixth round,” he described the pick.
While Zlodeyev needs to toughen up physically, he's a menace with the puck on his stick.
He's scored four goals in seven VHL games, including a beauty earlier this month in which the Voronezh native picked up the puck along the sideboards and dipsy-doodled around a defender at the side of the net before deking past the goalie.
Zlodeyev already has national team experience, having won gold at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (5 GP, 1G, 2A) and could make Russia's world junior team this December. He was just selected, alongside fellow Canucks prospect Vasili Podkolzin, to represent his country at the Karjala Cup (Nov. 5 to 8).
Zlodeyev has four goals and an even rating in seven VHL games this season.
NILS HOGLANDER
That's how you bump a slump. Pointless in six games, the Canucks' 2019 second-rounder stepped up in crunch time on Thursday against Frolunda, notching a primary assist on the late game-winner in a 5-4 win for Rogle BK.
On the play, Hoglander cleverly spun out of a check along the wall before slipping a fine feed to an open teammate at the top of the crease.
Hoglander put four shots on net in the game, including on an impressive rush down the right side, where he made a toe-drag move past a defender and got a quality shot on net, which was stopped.
Hoglander finished the game with a plus-1 rating in 15:22 of ice time.
The five-foot-nine, 192-pound winger wasn't as effective a couple nights later, going a minus-1 with one hit and no shots on net in a 5-4 win at Skelleftea on Sunday.
Hoglander, 19, has five assists and a plus-4 rating in 10 games this Swedish Hockey League season.
NIKITA TRYAMKIN
Look at me — I am the captain now.
With hockey legend Pavel Datsyuk out of the Avtomobilist lineup, Tryamkin was rewarded for his stellar play by being named team captain this past week.
The big guy responded by taking his usual cut from the stats sheet, notching one assist, one shot, one hit, two blocked shots and a plus-2 rating in 18:53 of ice time in a 5-2 win at Neftekhimik.
Tryamkin's assist came after a faceoff win in the offensive zone, with the defender taking a pass off his skate at the blue-line before whipping a pass across the zone to start the scoring sequence.
The six-foot-eight, 254-pound D-man also had an injury scare later in the game when he sprawled out in front of his own goal and made a nice kick save in the third period. He had a tough time getting back on his skates and didn't return.
Tryamkin was back for a 6-3 loss to Avangard on Saturday, though he wasn't at his best defensively. The 2014 third-rounder was on the ice for two goals against, though he did register four shots on net, two hits and one block in 21:45 of ice time.
Not deterred by his injury in the last game, Tryamkin again hit the ice to stop a shot on goal in this one — sprawling face-first toward the shooter on a dangerous-looking play.
It wasn't pretty, but it's another example of his willingness to sell out on every shift.
Perhaps he can share trade secrets with resident shot-stopper Alex Edler should he sign with the Canucks when the KHL season ends in April.
Tryamkin, 26, has one goal, seven assists and a plus-3 rating in 20 KHL games this season.
Compared to other KHL defencemen, Tryamkin is ninth-overall in average ice time (23:00), 14th in hits (35) and first in blocked shots (50).
JONI JURMO
There's lots to like about Jurmo's game.
Just don't expect to see much of it at the moment.
Jurmo, the Canucks' first pick in this past draft (82nd overall), played in both of JYP's games in the Finnish Liiga this week, though he didn't get much ice time as the team's seventh defenceman.
The fleet-footed six-foot-four, 198-pounder skated for 3:45 in Friday's 4-0 win versus Sport, putting two shots on net and played a role in JYP's 2-0 goal, making a foray toward the goal and helping sustain pressure in the offensive zone.
He was given five minutes of ice time in Saturday's 2-1 loss at TPS, but didn't impress upon the stat sheet. Jurmo has big offensive upside, but still has work to do in the defensive end.
“I need to be tougher and close my gaps better,” he said on draft day, though he believes he's handling the transition to men's hockey well. “It's much more physical, when you make a small mistake, it shows on the scoreboard immediately.”
Jurmo, 18, has no points and is a minus-2 in five Liiga games this season. He had five goals, 23 assists and a plus-13 rating in 43 games for Jokerit's U20 team in the junior A SM-Liiga last season.