Dmitri Orlov

2007-08: Orlov made his Russian Super League debut for perennially-overmatched Metallurg Novokuznetsk while having a dominant season for Kuznetsk’s U-18 team. Orlov appeared in six games with no points or PIM for Novokuznetsk, which finished with the 17^th-best record in the 20-team league. He represented Russia at the WJC U-18 tournament and had 1 assist and was +3 in six games as the host team advanced to the championship game before losing to Canada, 8-0.

2008-09: Orlov split the season between Novokuznetsk Metallurg in the KHL and the Kuznetsk junior team. He scored 1 goal and had 4 PIM in 16 games and was +1 for a Novokuzetsk team that had the fourth-worst record in the 24-team KHL. In the junior league playoffs, Orlov scored 7 goals with 7 assists and was +7 with 2 PIM in six games for Kuznetsk. He represented Russia at the Ivan Hlinka tournament and had 1 goal with 6 PIM and was +3 in four games. Playing for Team Russia at the WJC U-18 tournament, Orlov led all Russian defensemen with 18 shots on goal and finished with 2 goals and two assists and was +7 with 6 PIM in seven games. Russia won a silver medal at the tournament – losing to the United States in the championship game. Orlov was ranked ninth among European skaters in the 2009 NHL Draft by Central Scouting.

2009-10: Orlov appeared in a career-high 41 games for last-place Novokuznetsk Metallurg in the KHL while starring for Kuznetsk’s junior team. Orlov scored 4 goals with 3 assists and was -8 with 49 PIM as Novokuznetsk won just 16 games. Both Kuznetsk and Orlov had much more success at the junior level. During the regular season, Orlov scored 9 goals with 10 assists and was +5 with 26 PIM in 17 game for the Kuznetsk Bears. In the playoffs, he scored 7 goals with 6 assists and was +3 as Kuznetsk captured the initial Kharlamov Cup.

2010-11: Orlov made his North American pro debut with AHL Hershey in late February after skating in 45 games for Metallurg Novokuznetsk in the KHL. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Washington in March 2011. In 19 regular season with the Bears he scored 2 goals with 7 assists and was -5 with 12 PMs. Orlov skated in all six Hershey playoff games and was +6 with 1 assist and 4 PMs. During the KHL season he was -18 on a Metallurg team that won just 12 games and had the KHL’s worst record. Offensively he had 2 goals with 11 assists and had 43 PMs. Orlov skated for the gold medal-winning Russian team at the 2011 U20 World Junior Championship and had a tournament-best +10 plus/minus with 1 goal and 8 assists.