Steve Kournianis of The Draft Analyst originally ranked Kolyachonok as a possible 6th round pick at 184th overall in the preseason rankings. Skill-wise, Kolyachonok’s skating is again his most impressive trait— “[He] is an impressive skater who utilizes his explosive speed and ample agility in order ro rush the puck up ice or smother attackers within his defensive zone. Although Kolyachonok’s skating abilities and confidence with the puck stand as two of the youngster’s most impressive traits, they can — at times — lead to significant defensive lapses. Add some size, consistency and grit in his own zone and landing on the second pairing is certainly not out of the question. ( Log Out /  Kolyachonok could develop into a top-four defender capable of playing in all situations and matching up against top lines. ( Log Out /  While his wrist shot is better and more accurate, relatively speaking, he could use a quicker release and a bit more power as well. Larry Fisher of The Hockey Writers made a similarly large swing on Kolyachonok, who didn’t make his top 124 in October but leapt up to 43rd overall on the December update. Kolyachonok is willing to play a physical game, throwing hits along the boards and battling in front of his net. Standing at six-foot-two and 181 pounds, he has some filling out to do, but could make for a big body on the blue line with some offensive upside.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'thehockeywriters_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_0',663,'0','0']));eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'thehockeywriters_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_1',663,'0','1'])); While he needs to continue to work on consistency in his own zone, his long reach, speed and agility should make him an easy project for any team willing to take a chance on him. Our content is free to view, and we'd like to keep it that way. What do you think of his play overall? Regular Season. News. Kolyachonok kept the goalie guessing, moved the puck to forwards for possible better opportunities first, and pulled the entire penalty kill out of position and into the goalie’s line of sight before choosing to take the shot. While he is a sturdy defender of ample ability who plays well within his own zone, Kolyachonok loves to possess the puck and will not hesitate to skate the puck out of trouble rather than simply clear it off of the glass — an ability which drives possession and offensive opportunities for his team. The concern here is that without a shot to keep defenders honest, his offensive production will always be less than what it could otherwise be. Oursportscentral.com described Kolyachonok as a “smooth skater with a relentless motor”. High end four direction skating a creative offensive abilities. After two years with Belarus’s U17 and U18 teams, Kolyachonok attended last years WJC and put up 1 goal and 1 assist in 5 games and was honored as a Top 3 Player on the Team. Vladislav Kolyachonok of the OHL's Flint Firebirds is a lethal two-way defenceman eligible for the 2019 NHL Draft. Sign up at the top of the website. In the years ahead, Kolyachonok will do well to solidify his own zone before attempting to utilize his unique skill set at the opposite end of the ice. Although he will likely prove to be a long-term project not ready for NHL action until at least the 2021-22 campaign, Kolyachonok is an intriguing prospect who could ascend much sooner if able to adapt to the North American professional-level. Plays the body and reads the game fairly well in his own end. Player Summary. He carries the puck with absolute confidence and takes his time surveying the open ice that comes with the power play. His skating with the puck is a extremely agile—his stance keeps his options to pass, spin back, or make a break for it open as do the little fakes and kicks to keep the defender guessing. A left-hand shot Kolyachonok is able to play both left and right defence, another sign of his hockey IQ and adaptability. (EP 2019), Powered by Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Amplified by Kolyachonok’s puck confidence is the youngster’s offensive capabilities and instincts, as an unparalleled trust in his abilities allows Kolyachonok to play a devastating role in the attacking zone — whether it be from the blue line or below the goal line. Tiano’s areas of concern for Kolyachonok’s play are his somewhat lack of physicality in his game given his decent size and a possible lack of confidence which may be what prevents him from taking more risks in the offensive zone. Draft:2019 FLA, 2nd rd, 21st pk (52nd overall) You go and you watch him and it’s right there for everybody to see, his ability to just play the game.” Kolyachonok quarterbacks the Firebird power play and makes his presence known on the ice despite the team’s struggles, but it is off the ice that Kolyachanok really seems to stand out for Branch. Main Photo: He leads all players on the team with 11 power play assists and has scored 2 power play goals of his own. He was also a top three player on last year’s Belarus team in the same tournament, playing as a 16-year-old. – The Flint Firebirds announced today that defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok will remain in his hometown of Minsk, Belarus for the upcoming 2020-21 hockey season. The second was on a bit more of an international stage in 2017-18 when he was named as one of the top three players on his team at the U18 World Junior Hockey Championship, scoring a goal and adding an assist in five games for his country. NHL Central Scouting seems to be the only list on which Kolyachonok has done any king of downgrading— He was upgraded from a B-ranked prospect at midterms to an A-ranked at 22nd overall on their midterms, then settled to 31st overall on the final list. Before we get to what I think, a few opinions on Kolyachonok from people smarter than me—who all utterly disagree with each other. When Kolyachonok does more up, Tiano felt that he sees the ice well, has a good pass and a hard accurate shot he tends to use to try to collect tips or rebounds more than sniping corners or trying to bury a slap shot. He is also able to lead the rush and generate clean entries at the offensive blue line. Again playing on a weak squad, Kolyachonok was amongst the best defencemen in the tournament and his big minutes helped the team avoid relegation. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. (Quotes from separate stories here and here). Robert Mastrosimone Scouting Report: 2019 NHL Draft #47, 2020 NHL Draft Team Needs: Metropolitan Division, 2020 NHL Draft Re-Entry Players: Oliver Okuliar and Alex Cotton, 2020 NHL Draft Team Needs: Atlantic Division, Anton Lundell Should Be a Consensus Top-10 Pick. He brings with that his attitude and work habits” which have “become contagious within the rest of the group”. This line— “His transitioning from defense to offense is excellent. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Ranked #22 by TSN/Craig Button, 2019 NHL Entry Draft: Vladislav Kolyachonok. With its 52nd overall pick, Florida drafted Vladislav Kolyachonok, a native of Belarus who general manager Dale Tallon says will help improve the depth chart. The road was a little more travelled when it comes to Vladislav Kolyachonok and his journey to the NHL Draft. In this clip of his first shift for Team Orr (white jerseys) we see a bit of that. In order to immediately improve his defensive game, Kolyachonok would do well to utilize his physicality on a more regular basis. He has the ability to skate out of danger and out of the zone, but he is also capable of making an excellent first pass. Shoots Left Weight 184 lbs Draft Result 2/52 Reports Statistics News Bio. The Chicago Blackhawks decision to send Adam Boqvist to London left the Knights with too many import players on the roster and they had little choice but to make the move. However, he is disciplined enough not to chase out of position or to take bad penalties. From Belarus to the London Knights, … With a stellar rookie OHL campaign in-hand, Kolyachonok will enter the 2019 NHL Draft as a potential first-round selection. Does Kolyachonok have what it takes to be an NHL defenseman? Drafted in 2019 NHL Draft: 2 nd Round, 52 nd Overall Pick by Florida. Offensively, Tiano stated he’ll read plays well and jump in where needed but is careful to not take too many risks, rarely making a bad pinch and tending to choose the safe play. We have a complete listing of our draft articles here. A speedy and very mobile two-way defenseman. Kolyachonok, 19, has signed a contract with his hometown club, HC Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), which is widely considered to be the premier professional ice hockey league in Europe and Asia. Ranked #39 by TSN/McKenzie, 2019 NHL Entry Draft: You have entered an incorrect email address! He was waived, and immediately claimed by the Flint Firebirds—the second to last place team in the OHL this season. Kolyachonok has stepped up to the challenge for his struggling team, netting 4 goals and 25 assists in 53 games (his point total for the season is 30 due to an assist he earned in his first and only game with the Knights).