2021 Flames Top 25 Under 25: #20 - Dmitry Zavgorodny

#20 - Dmitry Zavgorodny

Position: Left Wing

Age: 20 (as of August 1 2021)

Team: SKA St.Petersburg (KHL), Stockton Heat (AHL)\

Stats: 1 Goal and 3 Assists in 29 Games with Stockton

Drafted in 2018, 7th Round, Pick 198

2020 Ranking: #18 (-2)

Rounding out the 20’s this year is a prospect who saw some his hype die down in 2020-21 as he adjusted to his first season of professional hockey. That player is 2018 7th round pick Dmitry Zavgorodny who split the year between SKA St.Petersburg of the KHL, and the Stockton Heat.

After dominating the QMJHL in 2019-20 with 29 goals and 67 points in 40 games, Zavgorodny struggled to score, especially with the Heat as he had just one goal and four points in 29 games. He did however have three points in six KHL games. His time was cut short in Russia as an injury and possible healthy scratches limited his action.

A lot of the buzz surrounding Zavgorodny was that he came into Flames rookie/training camp in 2018-19 and 2019-20 and really looked solid as a speedy playmaking forward for the club. If there’s one thing about his season with Stockton, it’s that it was fairly balanced as despite scoring just four points, he was only a -4 on the season. He had a goal and three assists in the final nine games of the season and really upped his shot totals as well compared to the previous 20 games.

Overall it is pretty hard to judge one pandemic shortened season for a player like him adjusting to pro hockey (on two different continents no less), so I am waiting to pass any judgement until we see him in a full length season. He seemed to have been figuring out pro hockey as the year went on, so perhaps we just saw him scratching the surface of his potential. Regardless I think his skillset makes him a very intriguing player to watch this year with Stockton as other forwards graduate to Calgary and he likely gets top six minutes if he has a strong camp.

7th round picks are always longshots at best, but Zavgorodny seems to have some of the tools needed, he just needs to continue to improve his toolbox and adjust to the pro game. I’ll take a gamble on a player with his skillset any day.