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Russian goal-scoring machine Daniil Prokhorov could be a worthwhile 2025 draft gamble
2018 NHL Draft
Photo credit: Jerome Miron/USA Today Sports
Ryan Pike
Jun 5, 2025, 14:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 5, 2025, 00:11 EDT
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Friends, sometimes when scouts discuss players, they use codes. When a player is described as “enigmatic,” it can be code for “inconsistent.” And when a player has consistency challenges, or gaps in their game, they can become a boom or bust proposition, where a team needs to weigh their positives against their negatives and decide how much risk they can stomach in a player
So let’s talk about Russian forward Daniil Prokhorov, who is great at goal-scoring and… well, the rest is sort of a work in progress.

Scouting report

Prokhorov is an April 2007 birthday and he hails from Krasnodar, Russia. He’s a left shot winger listed at 6’6″ and 209 pounds.
He came up through the Dynamo St. Petersburg system and has been playing in Russia’s top junior league, the MHL, for the past two seasons with MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg.
Dobber Prospects’ Nick Orr referred to Prokhorov as “one of Russia’s best goal-scorers in this class” in a recent write-up:
However, what is more impressive than the numbers is how he gets the job done. Prokhorov is not an exceptional skater, but he uses his 6-6 frame to create separation from defenders and utilize his quick release. You can likely find Prokhorov around the net when his team has pressure in the offensive zone. He battles in the dirty areas and can cash in on his opportunities. Prokhorov’s speed is the most significant concern and could cause him to slip to later rounds. That said, his offensive instincts, scoring ability, and stature provide a potential second-day draft selection that teams will be happy with.
In his recent draft rankings, Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis captured what teams probably love (and hate) about the Russian winger:
There seem to be split opinions on Prokhorov. For starters, his stat line in the Russian junior league looks hilarious – 20 goals, but just 27 points in 43 games. But you’re not drafting him to be an all-around threat. Instead, you’re looking at his 6-foot-5 frame, his absolute bullet release and his brute strength. Is he a risk? Maybe. He’s not skilled enough, but he has good enough speed to be a project NHLer. His game can be basic at times, but his pure muscle mass makes him interesting around here.
He’s big. He can score goals. And… well, he needs to figure the rest out.

The numbers

In 43 games with MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg this season, Prokhorov had 20 goals and seven assists for 27 points. He was second on his team in goals.
Moreover, he was just outside of the top 30 in the entire league in goals. Just 31 players scored more than he did in 2024-25. Only four of them are in his age group as first-time NHL Draft eligible players – including the enticing Alexander Zharovsky, who only scored four more goals than Prokhorov did.

Availability and fit

At Daily Faceoff, Ellis had Prokhorov at 79th in his recent rankings. In public rankings, he’s generally appearing in the second or third round – though The Athletic’s Corey Pronman had him 23rd in his recent rankings. Unless a team has the stomach to take a swing on a potential boom-or-bust player, Prokhorov has the potential to slide into the second or even third round.
Would the Flames take a swing at him at 59th overall (in the second round) or 80th overall (in the third round)? We think he’d be a great gamble at 80th overall, especially with how many young wingers they have from 2023 and 2024’s drafts that are trending well; they can afford to take a bit of a risk on a player with major goal-scoring potential. It might be a bit of a tall order at 59th overall, as they might prefer to stock their cupboards with less risky players, especially if there are centres they like still on the board.
But if the Flames are going to progress their retool, they’ll need to take some risks. Prokhorov could be a risk worth taking.

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