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
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting: 56th (final)
- HockeyProspect.com: 46th
- Future Considerations: 193rd
- The Hockey Writers (Pike’s Picks): 101st (final)
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.
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.