Nikita Okhutyuk – 2019 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

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Nikita Okhutyuk

2018-19 Team: Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
Date of Birth: December 4, 2000
Place of Birth: Chelyabinsk, Russia
Ht: 6-foot-1 Wt: 194 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: D
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2019 first-year eligible

Vancouver THW 2019 NHL Entry Draft Guide (Square)

Rankings

After being drafted 16th overall by the Ottawa 67’s in the 2017 CHL Import Draft, Okhutyuk decided to leave his native country of Russia in order to develop on the smaller ice surface in North America.

Since joining the 67’s, he has been one of the team’s most reliable defensemen for two years straight. In 56 games this season, he posted two goals and 15 assists, while having a plus-30 plus/minus rating.

Okhutyuk is an extremely solid defensive defenseman who excels away from the puck and can make simple plays to keep the puck moving forward.

Nikita Okhotyuk of the Ottawa 67's
Nikita Okhotyuk of the Ottawa 67’s (CHL Images)

What stands out the most for the 6-foot-1 defenseman is how hard he makes it on the opponent. He does a great job of keeping a tight gap and always defends with an active stick. He also does a good job of being very aggressive on puck carriers and forcing them to make low percentage plays. The young Russian loves to play with an edge and it’s never a surprise to see him make a huge hit in the open ice.

On the penalty kill, Okhutyuk maintains smart positioning, and is very good at knowing when to apply pressure on unsuspecting forwards. On offence, he does not stand out, but can be trusted to make simple plays and limit turnovers.

Okhutyuk’s ‘in-your-face’ style of defense makes him great at taking time and space away from the opponent, and it’s a quality that NHL teams and fans alike will love.

Nikita Okhutyuk – NHL Draft Projection

There’s not much risk in taking a player like Okhutyuk. He has size and great defensive skills that are hard to teach. He projects as a second or third round pick.

Quotables

“Defensively, there isn’t a lot of work to be done by Okhotyuk. He has a very active stick, keeps his gaps tight, rides people out along the wall, battles hard in front of his goal, is one of the better open ice hitters in the league and is a superb shot blocker.” – Dominic Tiano/OHL Writers

Strengths

  • Physicality
  • Defensive Skills

Under Construction (Improvements to Make)

  • Puck Skills

Other THW Profiles

NHL Potential

Okhutyuk projects as a bottom paired defenseman with shutdown and penalty killing capabilities. He plays a similar game to former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexei Emelin.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 2/5 | Reward 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offence – 6/10 | Defence – 9/10

Awards/Achievements

In 2017, he won a Bronze Medal at the U-17 World Hockey Championships with Team Russia.

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