Dmitri Buchelnikov is a shifty winger who constantly looks to push the pace of play with the puck on his stick. It’s his second go-round at the draft after going unselected in 2021. The highlight of his offensive game is his agility and high-end puck skills, which allows him to weave through traffic with control of the puck and attack in tight spaces in the offensive zone. He is a shoot-first forward who is constantly looking to generate shots and get pucks on goal, aiming to shoot to score with his strong wrist and snap shots while also generating rebounds in front for his teammates on occasion. He is an undersized forward with a slight frame, but he is able to somewhat counteract his size deficit with a high work rate that allows him to find his way to those dirty areas of the offensive, increasing his ability to be available for those high-danger scoring opportunities. As he continues to develop, he will need to add more tools to his defensive and playmaking kits to become a well-rounded pro. He does not do much to retrieve pucks in his own zone or assist in generating turnovers, which is an area that will need to be improved for him to crack an NHL bottom-six. He is also a fairly basic playmaker, able to make efficient perimeter passes but not able to set up linemates with dangerous scoring attempts. If he can add a dimension there it’ll make him a more threatening, multi-faceted attacker that keeps teams guessing. Overall, he shows deficiencies in his size and defensive game, some of which remain from when he was eligible for the draft last season, but may be able to stick in an NHL lineup as a depth option with power play upside due to his blend of skill, shot generation ability, and high motor.

– FCHockey’s 2022 NHL Draft Guide