Flames Top 25 Under 25: #24 - Dmitri Zavgorodniy

#24: Dmitri Zavgorodniy

Position: LW

Age: 18

Team: Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)

Drafted in 2018, 7th Round, Pick 198

Last Year Ranking: #36

It’s not too often that a 7th round pick signs an ELC with his team only nine months after being drafted. However, Dmitri Zavgorodniy has shown over the past year that he may be no ordinary 7th round pick. After being projected in the mid-rounds of the 2018 entry draft, he somehow fell to the Flames in the final round, and they snapped him up.

He immediately came into development camp and started turning heads with his shifty playmaking abilities. Zavgordoniy then came to the Flames rookie camp and stood out their as well, chipping in a few points and showing off some elusive puck handling. He also made an imapct during main camp before returning to Rimouski for the season.

He got off to a hot start with the Oceanic with 19 points in his first 11 games. He ultimately finished the regular season with 64 points (28 goals) in 67 games. He also picked up 8 points in 12 playoff games.

Zavgorodniy just missed the cut to make Team Russia for the World Juniors, but that was likely due to him being just 18 years old, with the Russian team usually preferring somewhat older players for the tournament. The biggest thing Zavgordoniy will need to work on is improving his ability to make physical plays on the ice. Currently listed at 5’9 and 174 lbs, he’ll need to pack a bit more weight on to prevent being outmuscled in the corners or in front of the net.

He has a lot of the offensive skills and playmaking abilities that are hard to teach, now he just has to continue improving the rest of the game. Clearly the Flames very much believe in him, and while he still may be a few years away, he’s a very exciting prospect to watch develop.