Danny Daniil Zhilkin

Born in the Russia, but is a dual Canadien citizen as his father moved her for work when he was ten years and has been in the Toronto area youth hockey program since. 2021-22 season was his first in the OHL. . He was relied on form the beginning to be a guy who could be moved up and down the line-up due to his high hockey IQ.   and Zhilkin’s first full one in the OHL. He is a hard working center who good thickness and dangle who is very good on entires and his transition exits are a tribute to the strengths of his skill set. He is long strider who keeps his low center of gravity and his high hockey IQ help to create and use his best options. He shoots the puck very well, but his best attribute is his puck carrying that with his precision cuts/edge control allow him in all situations to feel comfortable with the biscuit on both sides of his stick blade. He has good feet, but is not really explosive, but has good short area burst, and he has the ability to drive the play, because his confidence in his hands makes him seem selfish, and the best option.  He is very difficult to get a read on when carrying, changing puck placement, and speed. Has good defensive awareness and the ability to commit to a 200 foot game. Has developed his face-off skills through hard work. Has a slick toe drag, and good timing on his passes. He is a pass and shoot threat and plays a smart.  Plays on his teams penalty-kill.mature game for a junior player. I am not sure if he has enough upside to be called a solid second ;one centre prospect, but he certainly could play up and down a team’s line-up and his team could feel he will play in a bottom six role, hoping he continues the hard work he has put in to become the prospect he has become. Needs a bit more agility and it would be great to see his great skills working with a bit more commitment. The team selects him is looking to secure an NHL player, not a projection with huge upside as much as a safe selection that looks to eventually play in the bigs. 

—Bill Płaczek—