Danila Klimovich | C

[Stierlitz]

1 minute ago, Jimmy McGill said:

@Stierlitz is "Danila" something like "Danny" for Daniel in English? 

 

On 7/24/2021 at 5:52 PM, Stierlitz said:

Danila is an old Russian nickname for Daniel (Daniil), known for centuries. Recently this can be used as official first name.

 

[Sp3nny]

Ok I haven't been able to reply all day, but I am going to provide the videos that I am basing my assessment on. This will be like a follow up to my prior post, so you guys can see for yourselves what I am talking about. You can make your own assessments as well and let us know, but here is my take.

 

I watched the Belarus vs Sweden game at the U18 this year to specifically watch for Swedish players (Lysell in particular, but also Rosen etc). This is where Klimovich first came on my radar, and one sequence of plays in particular, which you can find starting at 18 seconds of this video, which is all highlights from this year's U18's. 

 

 

That first play had me going "who the hell is this stallion of a kid just ripping around the rink!?" This started me down the rabbit hole of researching him, which both excited but also deterred me somewhat, which I will go over. That video is the most recent play we have on him, and we can see nice top end speed, great hands, and both his wicked shot and nose for the net. One thing you will notice, is this guy has a very rinse and repeat style. Wind up with speed through the neutral zone, and shoot the puck on net. How far he can successfully survive maintaining that kind of play does concern me.

 

Skating:

 

Klimovich looks quite big, especially in his torso/thighs, similar to our former Virtanen. This gives him a very solid foundation to his skating, and you rarely see him muscled off the puck, while also providing him with adequate weight to throw his body around. We can also see that he doesn't have the nicest stride though, so his first few steps are a bit slow and lacking power/extension. If he can correct some of this technique through a power skating coach, we could see him get to a Virtanen like level, which combined with his shot would make him very deadly.

 

Shot:

 

Not much needs to be said here. This kid can flat out snipe. He likes to setup in the Ovi position, and he wants the puck badly, often calling for it and directing play to make himself an option for the pass. As great as his wrist shot is, I don't think he has the greatest power on his one-timer. The few instances where he has used it, the shot is fine, but doesn't "wow" me (see 55 second mark). More examples will be found in the following videos. Based on his wrist shot though, coupled with his size, that's likely not an accurate assessment, but its all we have to go off of at this point. While his shot is great, we see lots of goals/shots from sharp angles, which work at lower levels, but once the goalies start getting better, these angles are a lot more difficult to take advantage of. Also, all of his 6 goals were on the PP, and 5 of them came against other weaker teams in Latvia and Switzerland.

 

Hands:

 

We see him use the "between the legs" move in that first clip, but also a nice dangle at 1:01 and 2:20. He also makes a few nice handles while picking up speed through the neutral zone throughout. Just how good his hands are will be seen in the next video.

 

Playmaking/Vision:

 

This is where my concerns start to get raised. I know Belarus doesn't have the greatest team, so perhaps Klimovich feels he needs to carry the play himself. As mentioned in the shooting section, he is constantly calling for the puck, and once he gets it, as his skill and size dictate, he tries to do a lot on his own. Starting at the 1:16 mark, we see Klimovich on a 3-on-2, where the trailing #15 is wide open right in front. Instead of passing, Klimovich uses a backhand from a sharp angle.

 

All in all, we see a very skilled rushing player with a great shot. Certainly someone who looks skilled from an individual perspective, but also a player that is quite one-dimensional.

 

After watching that Belarus game, I went on YouTube and found whatever videos I could on him. While there isn't a lot, someone has actually provided a highlight video from him for the past few yrs. This is where we see just how skilled he is, but also how low-tier the Belarus leagues are, and also just how one-dimensional he is.

 

Here is the video from 3 years ago, where he would have been 15, but already 5'11 and 180lbs. This provides him with a distinct size advantage over his peers at the time.

 

 

As is very clear, this kid can go from end to end all game if he wants. We see how embedded the idea is that he can get by with his individual skills, as they have worked so well in his development.

 

Skating: We see how much he loved to wind up through the neutral zone. Right from the first clip (0:14) through to the end of the video, we see multiple end-to-end style rushes where he walks through opponents like pylons. Yes, it looks incredible, but watch the defenders and see how they play him as a bigger, faster, stronger, and more skilled opponent. Often times, they make it very easy on him, and he bends them to his will. The sequence at 0:28 in particular, we see him get through 4 defenders, who all half-heartedly lift their sticks at him, while providing no true danger to taking the puck away. This sequence also shows his shorter stride on acceleration, where he has lots of leg movement, but not enough extension to provide top end power to get him up to speed quickly. 

 

Shot: We see his shot has been been weapon since he was young. Sharp angle shots are often scored (0:15), but we also see how accurate he can be, especially in stride cutting through the slot, where he scores a lot of his goals. The majority of the goals are scored in tight, where he dekes the goalie across the crease or direct on.

 

Hands: His hands at this age are excellent, where we see toe-drag (0:30), cut back button hook (0:50), backhand windmill (1:20), fake slapper (1:30), between-the-stick (1:45), and backhand toe-drag (2:20), which show he has an array of stickhandling capabilities. He also does a lot of stick work while picking up speed through the neutral zone, which allows him to be deceptive in where he will go.

 

Playmaking/Vision: We do see some examples of passing and vision at 1:02 with the cross-crease pass. As well, we see him with his head up finding a breaking out linemate at 1:58.

 

Here is the video from 2 years ago, which I will link, but I won't comment on much as I'm sure you are starting to get the picture with this guy. High end skill on an individual level, but not a ton outside of that.

 

 

Klimovich definitely loved the between the legs move on breakaways. This is consistent with all three videos. The assist at 2:45, 3:05, 3:16, and 3:48 do show that he has some level of vision and anticipation, which is good to see beyond his dangles.

 

I know this post is long, but I hope everyone can take a couple mins and actually watch the highlights. We have a supremely talented kid on our hands, one that if developed properly could be deadly for us down the road!

 

 However, I hope this also shows why I don't think immediately jumping into the AHL or KHL is a great idea. All of Danila's success has come from his distinct playstyle, which we all know gets stifled as the competition level raises. I think the best thing for him would be the VHL at this point in Dynamo's system, where he doesn't have to learn a new culture of language, but can face a reasonably more difficult level of play, where he can either continue to dominate in the same way, but more likely, learn to make the adaptations he needs to remain successful. I also think the QMJHL would be a good option, as he would get a headstart on getting used to NA culture and language, while still facing a reasonably tougher league.

 

Sorry for the likely longest post on CDC ever, but this kid reminds me of my favorite player growing up in Ilya Kovalchuk. Not the most team friendly player, but an absolute weapon in his own right. I know not everyone loved Kovy, but he was incredibly talented in every way. Big sniper with great wheels, wicked hands, and a bit of an emotional nasty streak when needed. We can all dream lol.

 

PS. There is highlights from each of the past 3 years that you can watch, which I encourage. You can definitely see the refinement in some of his skills, and also how the competition gets better as well. I provided the 3 year old video as it was the most obvious to see his playstyle and skills, but also how low skilled the Belarus leagues are.

Edited July 27, 2021 by Sp3nny

[Stierlitz]

Some interesting info...

Danila's coach in Minskie Zubry was Denis Grot drafted by Canucks in the 2nd round in 2002 (never played in North America).

 

Despite the covid restrictions worldwide, Klimovich tried to get to Quebec in Feb 2021 to play in QMHJL. Canadian borders were closed but some junior players from Europe somehow managed to sneak to Quebec so Danila's QMHJL club suggested him to take risk and try to get into Canada, paying for his air tickets. He was given permission by Minskie Zubry to leave the club, successfully passed all covid tests and flew to Montreal with group of five Russian players also having contract with Quebec junior clubs.

One of them was somehow overlooked by Canadian customs and went through but others were stopped. The club representatives were waiting for players, all entry documents were fine, but right before that, Quebec government announced more restrictions to enter the province. Negotiations took place for two hours but players were not given permission to come to Quebec.

[Goal:thecup]

3 hours ago, Stierlitz said:

Yes, the 20-year rule applies to him since he was officially drafted from the CHL.

Thanks.

Looking forward to two years of good news from the QMJHL about this robust, raucous, and rambunctious rapscallion!

[awalk]

5 hours ago, DeNiro said:

Voynov, although a piece of crap, was an important player for the kings.

 

There it is. So need to keep going down the list, was it the team before LA? 

 

Anyway I'm glad we are potentially bringing in a couple of game changer Ruskies

[Beary Sweet]

Very excited about the potential and upside Danila has. I have no doubt he’ll be better than Jake. Jake often overthinked things every shift. Danila doesn’t. He can become say a Jaden Schwartz type of player which every team would love to have. He has an excellent shot that he utilizes well. With work and more development, his playmaking can be good. All the best for this kid!

[PositionOfPower]

5 hours ago, Sp3nny said:

Ok I haven't been able to reply all day, but I am going to provide the videos that I am basing my assessment on. This will be like a follow up to my prior post, so you guys can see for yourselves what I am talking about. You can make your own assessments as well and let us know, but here is my take.

 

I watched the Belarus vs Sweden game at the U18 this year to specifically watch for Swedish players (Lysell in particular, but also Rosen etc). This is where Klimovich first came on my radar, and one sequence of plays in particular, which you can find starting at 18 seconds of this video, which is all highlights from this year's U18's. 

 

 

That first play had me going "who the hell is this stallion of a kid just ripping around the rink!?" This started me down the rabbit hole of researching him, which both excited but also deterred me somewhat, which I will go over. That video is the most recent play we have on him, and we can see nice top end speed, great hands, and both his wicked shot and nose for the net. One thing you will notice, is this guy has a very rinse and repeat style. Wind up with speed through the neutral zone, and shoot the puck on net. How far he can successfully survive maintaining that kind of play does concern me.

 

Skating:

 

Klimovich looks quite big, especially in his torso/thighs, similar to our former Virtanen. This gives him a very solid foundation to his skating, and you rarely see him muscled off the puck, while also providing him with adequate weight to throw his body around. We can also see that he doesn't have the nicest stride though, so his first few steps are a bit slow and lacking power/extension. If he can correct some of this technique through a power skating coach, we could see him get to a Virtanen like level, which combined with his shot would make him very deadly.

 

Shot:

 

Not much needs to be said here. This kid can flat out snipe. He likes to setup in the Ovi position, and he wants the puck badly, often calling for it and directing play to make himself an option for the pass. As great as his wrist shot is, I don't think he has the greatest power on his one-timer. The few instances where he has used it, the shot is fine, but doesn't "wow" me (see 55 second mark). More examples will be found in the following videos. Based on his wrist shot though, coupled with his size, that's likely not an accurate assessment, but its all we have to go off of at this point. While his shot is great, we see lots of goals/shots from sharp angles, which work at lower levels, but once the goalies start getting better, these angles are a lot more difficult to take advantage of. Also, all of his 6 goals were on the PP, and 5 of them came against other weaker teams in Latvia and Switzerland.

 

Hands:

 

We see him use the "between the legs" move in that first clip, but also a nice dangle at 1:01 and 2:20. He also makes a few nice handles while picking up speed through the neutral zone throughout. Just how good his hands are will be seen in the next video.

 

Playmaking/Vision:

 

This is where my concerns start to get raised. I know Belarus doesn't have the greatest team, so perhaps Klimovich feels he needs to carry the play himself. As mentioned in the shooting section, he is constantly calling for the puck, and once he gets it, as his skill and size dictate, he tries to do a lot on his own. Starting at the 1:16 mark, we see Klimovich on a 3-on-2, where the trailing #15 is wide open right in front. Instead of passing, Klimovich uses a backhand from a sharp angle.

 

All in all, we see a very skilled rushing player with a great shot. Certainly someone who looks skilled from an individual perspective, but also a player that is quite one-dimensional.

 

After watching that Belarus game, I went on YouTube and found whatever videos I could on him. While there isn't a lot, someone has actually provided a highlight video from him for the past few yrs. This is where we see just how skilled he is, but also how low-tier the Belarus leagues are, and also just how one-dimensional he is.

 

Here is the video from 3 years ago, where he would have been 15, but already 5'11 and 180lbs. This provides him with a distinct size advantage over his peers at the time.

 

 

As is very clear, this kid can go from end to end all game if he wants. We see how embedded the idea is that he can get by with his individual skills, as they have worked so well in his development.

 

Skating: We see how much he loved to wind up through the neutral zone. Right from the first clip (0:14) through to the end of the video, we see multiple end-to-end style rushes where he walks through opponents like pylons. Yes, it looks incredible, but watch the defenders and see how they play him as a bigger, faster, stronger, and more skilled opponent. Often times, they make it very easy on him, and he bends them to his will. The sequence at 0:28 in particular, we see him get through 4 defenders, who all half-heartedly lift their sticks at him, while providing no true danger to taking the puck away. This sequence also shows his shorter stride on acceleration, where he has lots of leg movement, but not enough extension to provide top end power to get him up to speed quickly. 

 

Shot: We see his shot has been been weapon since he was young. Sharp angle shots are often scored (0:15), but we also see how accurate he can be, especially in stride cutting through the slot, where he scores a lot of his goals. The majority of the goals are scored in tight, where he dekes the goalie across the crease or direct on.

 

Hands: His hands at this age are excellent, where we see toe-drag (0:30), cut back button hook (0:50), backhand windmill (1:20), fake slapper (1:30), between-the-stick (1:45), and backhand toe-drag (2:20), which show he has an array of stickhandling capabilities. He also does a lot of stick work while picking up speed through the neutral zone, which allows him to be deceptive in where he will go.

 

Playmaking/Vision: We do see some examples of passing and vision at 1:02 with the cross-crease pass. As well, we see him with his head up finding a breaking out linemate at 1:58.

 

Here is the video from 2 years ago, which I will link, but I won't comment on much as I'm sure you are starting to get the picture with this guy. High end skill on an individual level, but not a ton outside of that.

 

 

Klimovich definitely loved the between the legs move on breakaways. This is consistent with all three videos. The assist at 2:45, 3:05, 3:16, and 3:48 do show that he has some level of vision and anticipation, which is good to see beyond his dangles.

 

I know this post is long, but I hope everyone can take a couple mins and actually watch the highlights. We have a supremely talented kid on our hands, one that if developed properly could be deadly for us down the road!

 

 However, I hope this also shows why I don't think immediately jumping into the AHL or KHL is a great idea. All of Danila's success has come from his distinct playstyle, which we all know gets stifled as the competition level raises. I think the best thing for him would be the VHL at this point in Dynamo's system, where he doesn't have to learn a new culture of language, but can face a reasonably more difficult level of play, where he can either continue to dominate in the same way, but more likely, learn to make the adaptations he needs to remain successful. I also think the QMJHL would be a good option, as he would get a headstart on getting used to NA culture and language, while still facing a reasonably tougher league.

 

Sorry for the likely longest post on CDC ever, but this kid reminds me of my favorite player growing up in Ilya Kovalchuk. Not the most team friendly player, but an absolute weapon in his own right. I know not everyone loved Kovy, but he was incredibly talented in every way. Big sniper with great wheels, wicked hands, and a bit of an emotional nasty streak when needed. We can all dream lol.

 

PS. There is highlights from each of the past 3 years that you can watch, which I encourage. You can definitely see the refinement in some of his skills, and also how the competition gets better as well. I provided the 3 year old video as it was the most obvious to see his playstyle and skills, but also how low skilled the Belarus leagues are.

Stylistically reminds me of Ovie

[buddhahoodlum]

13 hours ago, Fred65 said:

Much like betting, you can spend your money on a dream or put it in savings/bonds. Few people win gambling and God knows there's a lot of fools out there  who think they can

But dreaming about our prospects/players succeeding doesn't cost a penny. And in fact, I would say it increases a fan's happiness and stoke level.

[KyGuy123]

7 hours ago, Sp3nny said:

Ok I haven't been able to reply all day, but I am going to provide the videos that I am basing my assessment on. This will be like a follow up to my prior post, so you guys can see for yourselves what I am talking about. You can make your own assessments as well and let us know, but here is my take.

 

I watched the Belarus vs Sweden game at the U18 this year to specifically watch for Swedish players (Lysell in particular, but also Rosen etc). This is where Klimovich first came on my radar, and one sequence of plays in particular, which you can find starting at 18 seconds of this video, which is all highlights from this year's U18's. 

 

 

That first play had me going "who the hell is this stallion of a kid just ripping around the rink!?" This started me down the rabbit hole of researching him, which both excited but also deterred me somewhat, which I will go over. That video is the most recent play we have on him, and we can see nice top end speed, great hands, and both his wicked shot and nose for the net. One thing you will notice, is this guy has a very rinse and repeat style. Wind up with speed through the neutral zone, and shoot the puck on net. How far he can successfully survive maintaining that kind of play does concern me.

 

Skating:

 

Klimovich looks quite big, especially in his torso/thighs, similar to our former Virtanen. This gives him a very solid foundation to his skating, and you rarely see him muscled off the puck, while also providing him with adequate weight to throw his body around. We can also see that he doesn't have the nicest stride though, so his first few steps are a bit slow and lacking power/extension. If he can correct some of this technique through a power skating coach, we could see him get to a Virtanen like level, which combined with his shot would make him very deadly.

 

Shot:

 

Not much needs to be said here. This kid can flat out snipe. He likes to setup in the Ovi position, and he wants the puck badly, often calling for it and directing play to make himself an option for the pass. As great as his wrist shot is, I don't think he has the greatest power on his one-timer. The few instances where he has used it, the shot is fine, but doesn't "wow" me (see 55 second mark). More examples will be found in the following videos. Based on his wrist shot though, coupled with his size, that's likely not an accurate assessment, but its all we have to go off of at this point. While his shot is great, we see lots of goals/shots from sharp angles, which work at lower levels, but once the goalies start getting better, these angles are a lot more difficult to take advantage of. Also, all of his 6 goals were on the PP, and 5 of them came against other weaker teams in Latvia and Switzerland.

 

Hands:

 

We see him use the "between the legs" move in that first clip, but also a nice dangle at 1:01 and 2:20. He also makes a few nice handles while picking up speed through the neutral zone throughout. Just how good his hands are will be seen in the next video.

 

Playmaking/Vision:

 

This is where my concerns start to get raised. I know Belarus doesn't have the greatest team, so perhaps Klimovich feels he needs to carry the play himself. As mentioned in the shooting section, he is constantly calling for the puck, and once he gets it, as his skill and size dictate, he tries to do a lot on his own. Starting at the 1:16 mark, we see Klimovich on a 3-on-2, where the trailing #15 is wide open right in front. Instead of passing, Klimovich uses a backhand from a sharp angle.

 

All in all, we see a very skilled rushing player with a great shot. Certainly someone who looks skilled from an individual perspective, but also a player that is quite one-dimensional.

 

After watching that Belarus game, I went on YouTube and found whatever videos I could on him. While there isn't a lot, someone has actually provided a highlight video from him for the past few yrs. This is where we see just how skilled he is, but also how low-tier the Belarus leagues are, and also just how one-dimensional he is.

 

Here is the video from 3 years ago, where he would have been 15, but already 5'11 and 180lbs. This provides him with a distinct size advantage over his peers at the time.

 

 

As is very clear, this kid can go from end to end all game if he wants. We see how embedded the idea is that he can get by with his individual skills, as they have worked so well in his development.

 

Skating: We see how much he loved to wind up through the neutral zone. Right from the first clip (0:14) through to the end of the video, we see multiple end-to-end style rushes where he walks through opponents like pylons. Yes, it looks incredible, but watch the defenders and see how they play him as a bigger, faster, stronger, and more skilled opponent. Often times, they make it very easy on him, and he bends them to his will. The sequence at 0:28 in particular, we see him get through 4 defenders, who all half-heartedly lift their sticks at him, while providing no true danger to taking the puck away. This sequence also shows his shorter stride on acceleration, where he has lots of leg movement, but not enough extension to provide top end power to get him up to speed quickly. 

 

Shot: We see his shot has been been weapon since he was young. Sharp angle shots are often scored (0:15), but we also see how accurate he can be, especially in stride cutting through the slot, where he scores a lot of his goals. The majority of the goals are scored in tight, where he dekes the goalie across the crease or direct on.

 

Hands: His hands at this age are excellent, where we see toe-drag (0:30), cut back button hook (0:50), backhand windmill (1:20), fake slapper (1:30), between-the-stick (1:45), and backhand toe-drag (2:20), which show he has an array of stickhandling capabilities. He also does a lot of stick work while picking up speed through the neutral zone, which allows him to be deceptive in where he will go.

 

Playmaking/Vision: We do see some examples of passing and vision at 1:02 with the cross-crease pass. As well, we see him with his head up finding a breaking out linemate at 1:58.

 

Here is the video from 2 years ago, which I will link, but I won't comment on much as I'm sure you are starting to get the picture with this guy. High end skill on an individual level, but not a ton outside of that.

 

 

Klimovich definitely loved the between the legs move on breakaways. This is consistent with all three videos. The assist at 2:45, 3:05, 3:16, and 3:48 do show that he has some level of vision and anticipation, which is good to see beyond his dangles.

 

I know this post is long, but I hope everyone can take a couple mins and actually watch the highlights. We have a supremely talented kid on our hands, one that if developed properly could be deadly for us down the road!

 

 However, I hope this also shows why I don't think immediately jumping into the AHL or KHL is a great idea. All of Danila's success has come from his distinct playstyle, which we all know gets stifled as the competition level raises. I think the best thing for him would be the VHL at this point in Dynamo's system, where he doesn't have to learn a new culture of language, but can face a reasonably more difficult level of play, where he can either continue to dominate in the same way, but more likely, learn to make the adaptations he needs to remain successful. I also think the QMJHL would be a good option, as he would get a headstart on getting used to NA culture and language, while still facing a reasonably tougher league.

 

Sorry for the likely longest post on CDC ever, but this kid reminds me of my favorite player growing up in Ilya Kovalchuk. Not the most team friendly player, but an absolute weapon in his own right. I know not everyone loved Kovy, but he was incredibly talented in every way. Big sniper with great wheels, wicked hands, and a bit of an emotional nasty streak when needed. We can all dream lol.

 

PS. There is highlights from each of the past 3 years that you can watch, which I encourage. You can definitely see the refinement in some of his skills, and also how the competition gets better as well. I provided the 3 year old video as it was the most obvious to see his playstyle and skills, but also how low skilled the Belarus leagues are.

I absolutely loved the read and thank you for doing this. Funny thing is I watched all three videos yesterday and thought the exact same thing as you. He looks like Kovalchuck in play style and sounds like they have the same characteristics. The potential is definitely there and for us to draft a RW with our first pick in the draft he was clearly the Canucks BPA at the time. Exciting actually. 

[Fred65]

8 hours ago, buddhahoodlum said:

But dreaming about our prospects/players succeeding doesn't cost a penny. And in fact, I would say it increases a fan's happiness and stoke level.

Hey if it works for you 

[-Vintage Canuck-]

 

 

[-Vintage Canuck-]

 

[theo5789]

13 minutes ago, -Vintage Canuck- said:

Mountain training, nice. We've got some of that here for him to keep that up.

[buddhahoodlum]

1 hour ago, Fred65 said:

Hey if it works for you 

It's actually kind of sad if you can't get excited for our prospects and daydream about the goals they're going to score in the SCF. But hey, you do you. 

[Fred65]

9 minutes ago, buddhahoodlum said:

It's actually kind of sad if you can't get excited for our prospects and daydream about the goals they're going to score in the SCF. But hey, you do you. 

You see things like getting excited over some one elses kid, good but it has limitations. Excited over my kids and grandchildren now you're talking. Hockey players are really commodities, like for instance pork bellies, buy low and sell high. How do you judge a hockey player, by his accomplishment. He produces, that's good ( for the team ) plays bad. move along. Hockey is a business, not a concert  with lots of lights  and loud music LOL

[-Vintage Canuck-]

 

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

...nvm VC too quick for me 

Edited July 27, 2021 by CRAZY_4_NAZZY

[SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME]

24 minutes ago, -Vintage Canuck- said:

 

Could prove to be great option to develop him in Abbotsford, instead of the KHL or CHL.

[Alflives]

4 minutes ago, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

Could prove to be great option to develop him in Abbotsford, instead of the KHL or CHL.

Agreed.  Get this kid over here.  

[Fred65]

4 minutes ago, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

Could prove to be great option to develop him in Abbotsford, instead of the KHL or CHL.

Is he mature enough for AHL, I have no idea, I've never seen him play. Interesting pick