Storm’s Dmitri Samorukov named OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Edmonton Oilers prospect Dmitri Samorukov of the Guelph Storm is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week for the playoff week ending April 28 with eight points in four games including four goals and four assists and a plus-minus rating of plus-5.

Samorukov delivered a first star performance when the Storm needed it most facing elimination on the road in Game 5 of the Western Conference Championship Series.  The defenceman scored his first career hat-trick and added an assist in the 4-0 victory on Friday night to push the series to Game 6 on Sunday where he contributed two assists in the 5-1 victory.  He also chipped in an assist in Game 3 of the series won 5-2 by the Storm last Monday, and scored a goal despite the 4-1 loss in Game 4 on Wednesday.  The series now comes down to Game 7 for the Wayne Gretzky Trophy on Monday night in Saginaw with the winner advancing to the Rogers OHL Championship Series against the Ottawa 67’s.

A 19-year-old from Volgograd, Russia, Samorukov is eighth in OHL playoff scoring with 20 points in 17 games accumulating eight goals and 12 assists.  He’s played three full seasons with the Storm since being chosen second overall in the 2016 CHL Import Draft.  This season was his most productive offensively with 45 points in 59 games scoring 10 goals with 35 assists while also winning bronze with Russia at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship.  Samorukov was selected by the Oilers in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft.

Watch video highlights of Samorukov and the Storm against the Spirit in Game 3, Game 4, Game 5, and Game 6.

Also considered for the award this week was Storm forward Nick Suzuki, a Montreal Canadiens prospect, who also produced eight points in four games including one goal with seven assists.  Dallas Stars prospect Tye Felhaber helped deliver an Eastern Conference title for the Ottawa 67’s with two goals in Game 4 against the Oshawa Generals scoring the game-tying marker and overtime winner to secure the Bobby Orr Trophy.  In goal, Anthony Popovich of the Storm played to a 3-1 record including a shutout victory making 80 saves in total for a goals-against-average of 1.77 and save percentage of .920.

2018-19 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week – Playoffs:
Apr. 22 – Apr. 28: Dmitri Samorukov (Guelph Storm)
Apr. 15 – Apr. 21: Marco Rossi (Ottawa 67’s)
Apr. 8 – Apr. 14: Kyle Keyser (Oshawa Generals)
Apr. 1 – Apr. 7: Tye Felhaber (Ottawa 67’s)
Mar. 25 – Mar. 31: Stephen Dhillon (Niagara IceDogs)
Mar. 18 – Mar. 24: Evan Bouchard (London Knights)

2018-19 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week – Regular Season:

Mar. 11 – Mar. 17: Jason Robertson (Niagara IceDogs)
Mar. 4 – Mar. 10: Greg Meireles (Kitchener Rangers)
Feb. 25 – Mar. 3: Nate Schnarr (Guelph Storm)
Feb. 18 – Feb. 24: Stephen Dhillon (Niagara IceDogs)
Feb. 11 – Feb. 17: Nando Eggenberger (Oshawa Generals)
Feb. 4 – Feb. 10: Jacob Ingham (Mississauga Steelheads)
Jan. 28 – Feb. 3: Riley Damiani (Kitchener Rangers)
Jan. 21 – Jan. 27: Liam Foudy (London Knights)
Jan. 14 – Jan. 20: Morgan Frost (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Jan. 7 – Jan. 13: Isaac Ratcliffe (Guelph Storm)
Dec. 31 – Jan. 6: Arthur Kaliyev (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Dec. 24 – Dec. 30: Kyle Maksimovich (Erie Otters)
Dec. 10 – Dec. 16: Andrew MacLean (Owen Sound Attack)
Dec. 3 – Dec. 9: Brett Neumann (Kingston Frontenacs)
Nov. 26 – Dec. 2: Jason Robertson (Niagara IceDogs)
Nov. 19 – Nov. 25: Morgan Frost (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Nov. 12 – Nov. 18: Owen Tippett (Mississauga Steelheads)
Nov. 5 – Nov. 11: Jason Robertson (Kingston Frontenacs)
Oct. 29 – Nov. 4: Kevin Hancock (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 22 – Oct. 28: Stephen Dhillon (Niagara IceDogs)
Oct. 15 – Oct. 21: Justin Brazeau (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 8 – Oct. 14: Damien Giroux (Saginaw Spirit)
Oct. 1 – Oct. 7: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Sudbury Wolves)
Sept. 24 – Sept. 30: Lucas Chiodo (Barrie Colts)
Sept. 19 – Sept. 23: Akil Thomas (Niagara IceDogs)

 

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Team Russia Roster Announced for 2017 CIBC Canada Russia Series

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the roster for Team Russia that will compete in the 2017 CIBC Canada Russia Series which begins on Monday November 6 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

Canada Russia

A team of 24 Russian players including three goaltenders, nine defencemen, and 12 forwards will travel across Canada as part of the 15th annual series playing six games against CHL competition from November 6-16 in preparation for the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship taking place this season in Buffalo, New York.

This year’s Team Russia is a mature group with all 24 players born in 1998.  Five players have NHL affiliations including goaltender Mikhail Berdin who was selected in the sixth round of the 2016 NHL Draft by the Winnipeg Jets and defenceman Egor Zaitsev who was a seventh round pick of the New Jersey Devils in 2017.  On forward Mikhail Maltsev was a fourth round pick of the Devils in 2016, Andrey Altybarmakyan was a 2017 third round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, and Vladislav Kara was a 2017 fourth round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Of the 24 players, only Zaitsev and goaltender Vladislav Sukhachev return from last year’s event.  The netminder made four appearances and posted a 1-1-0 record with a goals-against-average of 3.55 and save percentage of .885 and later represented Russia at the 2017 World Junior earning a bronze medal.

Team Russia is led once again by head coach Valery Bragin making his sixth appearance and fourth straight year behind the bench at this event.  In his tenure as head coach of the Russian National Junior Team the program has earned World Junior gold (2011 in Buffalo), three silver medals (2016 in Finland, 2015 in Toronto, 2012 in Calgary), and one bronze (2017 in Montreal).

An additional eight Russian-born CHL players will compete in various games of the series including three from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, three from the Ontario Hockey League, and two from the Western Hockey League.

The WHL players competing in Moose Jaw on November 6 and in Swift Current November 7 include forward Alexander Alexeyev of the Red Deer Rebels and Broncos defenceman Artyom Minulin who will compete before his home crowd in Game 2.  For OHL games in Owen Sound on November 9 and in Sudbury November 13, Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Alexey Lipanov of the Barrie Colts will compete alongside Edmonton Oilers prospect Dmitri Samorukov of the Guelph Storm and Minnesota Wild prospect Dmitry Sokolov of the Game 4 host Wolves.  In the QMJHL games taking place November 14 in Charlottetown and November 16 in Moncton, Columbus Blue Jackets prospect and reigning QMJHL Player of the Year Vitalii Abramov of the Gatineau Olympiques will compete for Russia with Nashville Predators prospect Pavel Koltygin of the Drummondville Voltigeurs and Philadelphia Flyers prospect German Rubtsov of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.

Rubtsov competed in the duration of the series last year scoring two goals in five games and was also a member of the bronze medal team in Montreal.  Minulin, Sokolov, and Abramov also return for a second straight year having competed against their regional leagues in 2016.

Team Russia has captured three series victories in 2014, 2012, and 2010.

2017 CIBC Canada Russia Series – Team Russia:

Most recent club team listed in brackets


Goaltenders:
Mikhail Berdin (Sioux Falls Stampede – USHL)
Alexey Melnichuk (SKA-Neva St. Petersburg – VHL)
Vladislav Sukhachev (Chelmet Chelyabinsk – VHL)

Defencemen:
Dmitry Alexeyev (Chelmet Chelyabinsk – VHL)
Anatoly Elizarov (Toros Neftekamsk – VHL)
Alexander Kalinin (Amurskie Tigry Khabarovsk – MHL)
Nikolay Knyzhov (SKA-Neva St. Petersburg – VHL)
Daniil Kurashov (Admiral Vladivostok – KHL)
Nikita Makeyev (CSKA Moscow – KHL)
Artyom Maltsev (Dizel Penza – KHL)
Alexander Shepelev (Chelmet Chelyabinsk – VHL)
Egor Zaitsev (Dynamo Moscow – KHL)

Forwards:
Andrey Altybarmakyan (SKA-Neva St. Petersburg – VHL)
Georgy Ivanov (Loko Yaroslavl – MHL)
Vladislav Kara (Bars Kazan – VHL)
Mikhail Maltsev (SKA St. Petersburg – KHL)
Artyom Manukyan (Avangard Omsk – KHL)
Danila Moiseyev (Vityaz Podolsk – KHL)
Alexey Polodyan (SKA-Neva St. Petersburg – VHL)
Damir Rakhimullin (Lada Togliatti – KHL)
Maxim Rasseykin (Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg – KHL)
Ivan Romanov (Loko Yaroslavl – MHL)
Maxim Tsyplakov (Spartak Moscow – KHL)
Daniil Veryaev (Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod – KHL)

WHL players on Team Russia:
Alexander Alexeyev (Red Deer Rebels)
Artyom Minulin (Swift Current Broncos)

OHL Players on Team Russia:
Alexey Lipanov (Barrie Colts)
Dmitri Samorukov (Guelph Storm)
Dmitry Sokolov (Sudbury Wolves)

QMJHL Players on Team Russia:
Vitalii Abramov (Gatineau Olympiques)
Pavel Koltygin (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
German Rubtsov (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)

Staff:
Head Coach – Valery Bragin
Assistant Coach – Oleg Bratash
Assistant Coach – Yury Babenko
Goalie Coach – Vladimir Kulikov
Video Coach – Vladislav Krutskikh
Analyst – Alexander Kadykov
Administration – Sergey Zatsarenko
General Manager – Alexei Kochetkov
Doctor – Valery Egorov
Physiotherapist – Artem Timofeev
Equipment Manager – Alexander Rezepov
Media Manager – Petr Tereshchenkov

The 2017 CIBC Canada Russia Series is supported by title sponsor CIBC, the Official Bank of the CHL, along with associate sponsors Cooper Tires and Sherwin-Williams.  All games will be broadcast nationally on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.


2017 CIBC Canada Russia Series Schedule:
Game 1 – Monday November 6 at Moose Jaw, SK
Game 2 – Tuesday November 7 at Swift Current, SK
Game 3 – Thursday November 9 at Owen Sound, ON
Game 4 – Monday November 13 at Sudbury, ON
Game 5 – Tuesday November 14 at Charlottetown, PE
Game 6 – Thursday November 16 at Moncton, NB

For event information including how to purchase tickets please visit http://chlcanadarussia.ca.

Dmitri Samorukov – Guelph Storm – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 180 pounds

Date of birth: June 16, 1999

Hometown: Volgograd, Russia

Position: Defence

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 1, 2nd overall, 2016 CHL Import Draft

The Guelph Storm selected Dmitri Samorukov with the second overall pick at the 2016 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft after appearing in 28 games for CSKA Moskva In the Russian Under-17 league where he scored 4 goals and 16 points. But it was probably an excellent performance at the World Junior Championships Under-18 that caught most people’s attention. There, he scored a goal to go along with 4 assists in 5 games while also being a dominant defensive presence.

Samorukov has also represented his native Russia at the Under-16, Under-17 and the Ivan Hlinka Memorial.

Dmitri Samorukov of the Guelph Storm. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Dmitri Samorukov of the Guelph Storm. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Having watched plenty of video of Samorukov leading up to this Ontario Hockey League season, it was easy to see why he was being considered in the second tier of defenders eligible for the National Hockey League draft.

Defensively, Samorukov was above average. He could read plays extremely well and consistently be in position. He was tough to beat one-on-one with an ability to force the opposition wide and then take them out along the boards. Despite needing to add some bulk and muscle, physicality was a big part of his game. Once he had possession in the d-zone, he could make a very good first pass and showed ability to be able to skate the puck up ice.

Offensively, Samorukov has a bomb for a shot. He showed a knack for being able to get it through and on target. He would never ignore his defensive responsibilities and seemed to always make the right decision on when to pinch or when to go on the defense at the opposition blue line.  He has shown to have good hockey IQ, vision and decision making along with an ability to create time and space in order to make the right play.

With that said, the transition to North America and the OHL has not been a smooth one for Samorukov, nor as expected. He has 4 goals and 16 assists in 65 games on the season, not bad numbers for a rookie defender. Two goals and four assists have come with the man advantage, so he’s shown an ability to lead the powerplay from the back end.

Consistency from game to game is the biggest component that has been lacking from Samorukov’s game this season. He can go stretches where his decision making is questionable and can cost his team. What is most disappointing to these eyes is that he seems to have lost his ability to get his shot through and on target. With just 118 shots on goal in just shy of 200 attempts, the accuracy has taken a major dip. And with his shot, he needs to find the target.

The Guelph Storm will miss the playoffs this season and finish 19th in the 20-team league and with one game remaining, his season is over with no opportunities remaining for him to showcase himself. Now NHL teams will need to figure out whether it was the transition to North American hockey and he’s more than he’s shown this season or is he a what you see is what you get? I’m willing to bet on the former.

Samorukov was ranked 122nd on NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings among North American skaters in January.

Dmitri Samorukov

This is the profile page of Dmitri Samorukov at Elite Prospects