Danila Klimovich | C

[Sophomore Jinx]

Canucks' Prospect Danila Klimovich Is Taking Strides After 'Best Summer'

Canucks' Prospect Danila Klimovich Is Taking Strides After 'Best Summer' (msn.com)

 

One year after leaving his native Belarus for Canada's west coast, Vancouver Canucks prospect Danila Klimovich just had his "best summer" ever. And now, he's hoping that translates into on-ice success.

Steven Ellis/The Hockey News© Provided by The Hockey News

PENTICTON, B.C. - One year after leaving his native Belarus for Canada's west coast, Vancouver Canucks prospect Danila Klimovich just had his "best summer" ever.

 

"I love Vancouver," the 19-year-old told reporters Saturday in Penticton, following the Canucks' prospects practice at the Young Stars Classic. "I drove around Vancouver, and I went to Tofino. It's a pretty good summer."

Offseason activities included surfing and hiking, including the infamous Grouse Grind. "It's not so easy," he chuckled, saying he completed the popular 1.5-mile mountainside climb in a solid "43 or 44 minutes."

A power forward who's now listed at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Klimovich exploded into the consciousness of NHL scouts at the 2021 World U-18 Championship in Texas, where he put up six goals in five games for his native Belarus.

Ahead of the 2021 draft, he was ranked 19th among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting. The Canucks made him their top pick when they selected him in the second round, 41st overall.

After arriving in North America last fall, Klimovich settled in with the first-year Abbotsford Canucks, 90 minutes east of Vancouver in the Fraser Valley. 

It wasn't an easy season. As the Abbotsford brain trust worked to build a foundation for the new club after Vancouver relocated its AHL affiliation from Utica, N.Y., the inaugural campaign was disrupted by devastating flooding in the Abbotsford region in mid-November. 

Games were postponed and players stepped up to help with community relief efforts. Then, in late December, a widespread outbreak of COVID-19 resulted in additional postponements.

Amidst all that, Klimovich was being challenged by his adjustment to Canadian culture, thousands of miles from family and friends back home.

 

"I tried to not be sad and just be positive, then sometimes it was stress," he said. "It was very, very tough (but) I think I'm done with it."

As the youngest player in the AHL last season, Klimovich posted 8-18-18 in 63 games with Abbotsford. Head coach Trent Cull scratched him in the playoffs, electing to go with a more experienced lineup as the Canucks were swept in their first-round best-of-three series against the Bakersfield Condors. 

But Klimovich still considers the year to have been a success.

"Of course I am happy, because I played with pro guys," he said. "Last year, before Canada? I played junior in Belarus. Yeah. It's a big step for me."

He refused to use his youth as an excuse.

"Doesn't matter when you're born," he said. "You need to play hockey."

Jeremy Colliton moves behind the bench as Abbotsford's new head coach this fall, as Cull takes on an assistant coach role in Vancouver. But Klimovich is grateful for Cull's support during his rookie year.

"I very (much) appreciate him," he said. "He helped me (very) much. I'm very glad my first year was (with) that coach."

Off the ice, life was also a whirlwind. In April, he married his partner Nastassia Bartsevich in an outdoor ceremony at Cultus Lake, B.C., with many of his teammates in attendance. Vasily Podkolzin of the NHL Canucks served as his best man at the ceremony, while the girlfriend of Abbotsford forward Karel Plasek was Nastassia's maid of honor.

During on-ice training this summer, "I tried to improve my shot," he said. "Almost every day, I'm going to the shooting zone. And coach sent me D-zone play. I tried to watch video."

On Friday night, the Canucks opened their Young Stars tournament with a 3-0 shutout win over the Calgary Flames prospects. Klimovich was a physical force early on, and picked up a third-period assist when he set up linemate Tristen Nielsen for the 2-0 insurance marker with 2:06 left to play.

To play as aggressively as he wants, he'll need to work himself into game shape.

"The first period was good forechecking," he said, "but in the third period I lost my energy a little bit — because we don't play. It's my first game."

Off the ice this summer, Klimovich and his wife took English lessons three times a week, and the work has paid off. On Saturday, he handled himself well in his first-ever media session without assistance from an interpreter — yet another achievement as his adjustment to life in North America and pro hockey continues.

Klimovich and the rest of the Canucks prospects return to the ice at the South Okanagan Events Centre at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, facing the Winnipeg Jets. They'll wrap up their Young Stars schedule Monday against the Edmonton Oilers (5:30 p.m. ET).

Both games will be livestreamed at canucks.com.

 

 

 

[VegasCanuck]

Give him a solid season in Abbotsford, working on his defensive game and refining his offensive, and he'll be ready to challenge for a regular spot in Vancouver.

 

Kid has skills that you can't teach, we just need to keep teaching him the stuff that we can, round out the deficiencies in his game and I think we'll have a really good top 6 player in a couple of years.

 

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

Kid has all the raw skills, you saw that in today's game.

 

When he can put it together all in one basket, he is a force to be reckoned with. He plays such a heavy game and has the hands to pull off some elite offensive ability. But he has to bring it every single shift, thats where the trouble is, is not that he lacks ability or the smarts, but he lacks the drive to bring that forceful energy from shift to shift. If he can do it consistently, I have no qualms he can be an impactful top six forward, his game reminds me a lot of Adrian Kempe, when he is on, he is a heavy physical specimen. But when he is off, he goes quietly into the night without a sound.

 

I liked what I saw today from Klimovich, he just needs to bring that work ethic along with his skill. Some nights he looks like a top six contributor, but in other instances he looks like the next Nikolay Goldobin.

[BarnBurner]

15 minutes ago, CRAZY_4_NAZZY said:

Kid has all the raw skills, you saw that in today's game.

 

When he can put it together all in one basket, he is a force to be reckoned with. He plays such a heavy game and has the hands to pull off some elite offensive ability. But he has to bring it every single shift, thats where the trouble is, is not that he lacks ability or the smarts, but he lacks the drive to bring that forceful energy from shift to shift. If he can do it consistently, I have no qualms he can be an impactful top six forward, his game reminds me a lot of Adrian Kempe, when he is on, he is a heavy physical specimen. But when he is off, he goes quietly into the night without a sound.

 

I liked what I saw today from Klimovich, he just needs to bring that work ethic along with his skill. Some nights he looks like a top six contributor, but in other instances he looks like the next Nikolay Goldobin.

If Klim can put it all together, that's 2 younger guys who play a heavy, skilled game - him and Podkolzin. 

 

Let's hope. 

[Locke Lamora]

Thank you Jim.

[Eddie]

How strong he is on his skates really stood out against the Jets, Great shot, Great vision, always angry - KlimOvie... could be . Didn't really notice any of the bad things in his own end, but the NHL.com feed was so bad it was hard to pick out skaters up off the puck. 

[Hogs & Podz]

Should get Miller mentoring him.  As he can relate to KlimOvie's emotional outbursts.  He'd be perfect... Helping him gain the tools to redirect his frustration... Telling how he's learned over the years.  

[Hogs & Podz]

Though Podz is my favorite canuck... I can see KlimOvie, if developed properly, becoming even more of a sniper and more punishing as a hitter than Podz... But not his overall 200 ft game or elite character.

[-Vintage Canuck-]

 

[Hogs & Podz]

2 hours ago, -Vintage Canuck- said:

 

From this clip, it appears that his skating is average, no break away speed.  However he has the size, intensity, and is showing the ability to make a high end passes.  So he sees the ice well and also shows that he's learning the ability to find the soft areas.  His development is coming along very well so far!

[SilentSam]

 

 

love his confidence,.   Wonder if we see him get a preseason game ?

[Sophomore Jinx]

1 minute ago, SilentSam said:

 

 

love his confidence,.   Wonder if we see him get a preseason game ?

We better see him get one. Apart from his obvious skills, this kid looks so poised and full of composure, he will be great for us.

[flat land fish]

2 hours ago, Sophomore Jinx said:

We better see him get one. Apart from his obvious skills, this kid looks so poised and full of composure, he will be great for us.

Next step is to become a difference maker in the AHL.  After that sky is the as all the physical tools are there.

[dpn1]

After watching him last season and then watching him in the Young Stars games it is like seeing two different people.  Sometimes I forgot last year that he was the youngest player in the AHL last season.  He could give anyone on the forth line a run for their money and I wouldn't be surprised to see him be the first call up when a forward is needed.  His strength and speed has sure improved and made him a very different player this year. 

[-Vintage Canuck-]

 

[-Vintage Canuck-]

 

[RayCathode]

On 9/21/2022 at 2:02 PM, dpn1 said:

After watching him last season and then watching him in the Young Stars games it is like seeing two different people.  Sometimes I forgot last year that he was the youngest player in the AHL last season.  He could give anyone on the forth line a run for their money and I wouldn't be surprised to see him be the first call up when a forward is needed.  His strength and speed has sure improved and made him a very different player this year. 

Based on limited observations, this kid"s mobility and stickhandling is top drawer.

[-Vintage Canuck-]

Picks up an assist on this goal:

 

 

[RWJC]

26 minutes ago, EddieVedder said:

Why?  Hughes cant defend to save his life.  You see it all game long.  The other team loves when hes on the ice because they can gain the zone at will and do what they want in our end.  

He can play defence, he’s just a work in progress and absolutely needs a top pairing RHD to contrast his style. 
Understand your perspective but maybe also keep in mind that’s he’s trying to do so much out there, with very little support. He is over extended to a degree and that has been problem with this team…a small certain few carrying the load for the entire crew. 

[-Vintage Canuck-]