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Gleb Trikozov Scouting Report: 2022 NHL Draft #25

Gleb Trikozov Scouting Report

Welcome back to Top Shelf Prospects, the daily column that brings you the next crop of professional hockey players. Each day I will bring you a new player profile or topical article in the lead-up to the 2022 NHL Draft. Be sure to bookmark the site, follow me on Twitter, and spread the word for the site that will bring you analytical and critical profiles and scouting reports! Last Word On Hockey Prospects is your new headquarters for everything “NHL Draft”! We have a complete listing of our draft articles here. Today we bring you our Seamus Casey Scouting Report. 

Russian forward Gleb Trikozov started his draft season by helping his national team win the gold medal at last summer’s Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. He put up one goal and four assists for five points in five tournament games. Trikozov plays his club hockey in the Avangard Omsk system. He spent the majority of last season in the MHL, Russia’s under-20 league. Trikozov scored 23 goals and 22 assists for 45 points in 35 regular-season games. He also added 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points in 13 playoff games. Trikozov did enough to earn a callup to Omskie Krylia, Omsk’s VHL team. This is the second-highest league in Russia. In limited ice-time Trikozov scored one goal and one assist for two points in 11 games.

Trikozov also played in the MHL in 2020-21. In 49 games as a 16-year-old, he scored 15 goals and 15 assists for 30 points. He also spent time in the Russian Under-18 and Under-17 leagues that year. In nine U17 games, he scored 12 goals and 18 points. He was even better in the playoffs with 10 goals and 17 points in seven games. In four U18 games, he added four goals and six points.

Gleb Trikozov Scouting Report

Right Wing/Left Wing — shoots Right
Born August 12th, 2004 — Omsk, Russia
Height 6’1″ — Weight 185 lbs [185 cm/84 kg]

Skating

Trikozov is a good but not great skater. His stride is good from a technical perspective. He has good acceleration and his top-end speed is well above average. He can take a defender wide and cut to the net. If Trikozov gets a step on a defender, he can speed up and pull away. While he is not an elite burner, his skating is more than enough to create real problems for many defenders. His edgework and agility are also very good. He can change directions and cut on a dime.  He is also strong on his skates and able to win battles on the boards and in front of the net.

The biggest issue is that Trikozov doesn’t always seem to be moving his feet as well as he could. There are times when his skating is inconsistent and he doesn’t seem to go all out. It may be an issue of improving his endurance, or it could be an inconsistency in his effort levels, but either way, it is a solvable issue.

Offensive Game

Trikozov is a dangerous presence in the offensive zone. He is not afraid to make plays in traffic and loves to take the puck to the dirty areas of the ice. He has very good vision and hockey IQ. Trikozov can control the puck and extend plays, buying time for his teammates. While doing so, he keeps his head up and looks for the open man. When a scoring opportunity presents itself, Trikozov is able to make a pass through the tight passing lane and set up a teammate. He is also able to play the role of a goal scorer. He has an excellent array of shots and a very quick release on all of them. Trikozov is powerful and accurate with his wrist shot, snapshot, slap shot and one-timer. He finds the soft spots in the defence and gets himself in a good position to take a pass and fire off his shot.

Trikozov can work on his transition game though. He isn’t the best at carrying the puck through the neutral zone and generating efficient zone entries. He seems to slow down a bit to control the puck when playing in transition. Instead, he passes the puck to a teammate and looks for them to carry it into the zone. When the puck is dumped in, he is aggressive on the forecheck. Forcing opponents to move the puck quickly and creating the opportunity for turnovers. He is also good at battling for pucks down low and working the cycle game.

Defensive Game

Trikozov’s defensive game is a bit of a work in progress. There are times when he is aggressive on the backcheck and gets himself in good positions to cut down passing and shooting lanes. However, there are times when he is not moving his feet well enough. This could again be an issue of a lack of endurance. He coasts and puck watches a little too much, leaving his man open. This is an area he will need to improve with good coaching going forward.

Projection and Comparison

Trikozov is listed as a centre on some websites but was on the wing in all of our viewings. His future likely lies on the wing. The issues with his inconsistent skating, defensive play, and his transition game become a little less noticeable here. He has the potential to be a top-six forward and play in all situations if he can round out those aspects of his game. However, he is far from a sure thing and adjusting to North American ice with less time and space available could be an issue. There is also the Russian issue and the length of his contract with Avangard Omsk is unknown at this time. The situation in Ukraine has only increased the issues with Russian prospects and could mean teams shy away. The one that takes a chance on Trikozov could end up with a high-end return though. His game is similar to Jason Robertson but this is a stylistic comparison only and not one based on skill or ability.

Highlights

The following is a compilation of some of the highlight packages and features of Gleb Trikozov that are available on youtube and Twitter.

 

Check back tomorrow for our latest 2022 NHL Draft Article.

 

Gleb Trikozov Scouting Report Main Photo:

Ben Kerr

Ben Kerr

Ben is a credentialed sports writer from just outside Toronto, Canada. A lawyer, he has a highly analytical approach to writing. Ben is the COO of Last Word On Sports INC. Most of his writing can be found in the hockey department, though he follows and writes on other sports as well.

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