Detroit Hockey Now’s audit of the Red Wings’ prospect system continues this morning with something of a real wild card in 5’10,” 163-pound center Dmitri Buchelnikov of SKA St. Petersburg.
With the situation in Russia complicated to say the least, the Red Wings leaned upon their European scouts to make a recommendation on the 52nd overall pick in last month’s NHL Draft. He impressed, posting 41 goals and 34 assists for 75 points in 56 games played in the MHL, the Russian version of Major Junior hockey.
Detroit Hockey Now’s Nate Brown took note of Red Wings director of amateur scouting Kris Draper’s comments regarding Buchelnikov:
“Wasn’t allowed over there,” Draper said about scouting in person. “(European Scout) Nikolai (Vakourov) saw him quite a bit. As the second half of the season came on, really started to talk to Nikolai and Dimitri started producing, scoring, putting up good numbers.”
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“We think we got a very skilled, very smart hockey player,” Draper said.
Playing in the MHL indicates that Buchelnikov hasn’t faced the push back he’ll get in other leagues as his career ascends, but just a glance at what he’s capable of in the short clips or highlight reels shows why Detroit drafted him.
Where he fits, then, in the arrival timeline depends on where Detroit lets him play. Russia will be his likely course for at least another year, and a crack at a KHL lineup would begin giving some indication of where he’s at. On the other hand, if he tears it up in the MHL again, it’s evident that he absolutely needs a greater challenge.
Continued; with Buchelnikov currently playing in the MHL system of SKA St. Petersburg, it’s hard to say whether the team will want him to eventually join SKA’s VHL team (the equivalent of the Russian AHL) and KHL team before coming over, mostly because the Russians might make a fuss of a blossoming KHL-contracted player breaking a valid contract (and KHL players are now considered property of their teams until they’re 26).
Long story long, the Wings will want Buchenlinkov to do well, but not too well, as he rises in the Russian hockey ranks.
