The physical tools are there. Samorukov can deliver a bone-crushing hit, play a good gap in the neutral zone and take advantage of holes in the opposition defence whenever they present themselves. He just hasn’t been able to do that consistently. Not yet, anyway. When he can put the full package together, he might not be as far away from the NHL as he seems at first glance.

I haven’t had an opportunity to see a lot of Samorukov but when I have watched him I like what I’ve seen. I’d hope to see a bit of a jump in his play over the next couple of seasons as he now has two years under his belt on the smaller ice surface. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think he could develop into a bottom-pairing guy.

Great things were expected of Samorukov when he was picked second overall in the 2016 CHL Import Draft. Playing on a rebuilding Guelph team, Samorukov was thrown into the fire, competing nightly in the toughest division in all the CHL. He showed durability, missing just one regular season game, and that’s important to note as he brings a physical element. Not afraid to support the rush or shoot the puck, there is some offensive upside to his game. He’s much more fluid skating backward than forward, but that is a skill he will continue to develop. Having participated for Russia on several occasions, his best international performance was his latest one, winning bronze for Russia at the world U-18s.

Samorukov has immense skill, but his game is very inconsistent and there are some issues to work on. If he is able to develop better shot accuracy, he could be a very valuable asset on the power play. Samorukov must also learn to pick his spots to push offense five on five, and work on his defensive game. If he can get that under control he could be a top pairing defenceman. Dmitry Samorukov is a real boom-or-bust prospect. In terms of a comparison, his game is reminiscent of Dion Phaneuf of the Ottawa Senators. This is a style comparison only though, and not a talent based one.

Has a bomb from the point and good size to go with offensive instincts. Loves the big hit in the middle of the ice and is business like in his approach to development. Major upside potential here.