Alexander Khokhlachev
| Birthday: 1993-09-09 | Position: C |
| Eligible for draft: 2011 | Shoots: Left |
| Drafted: 2011 | Height: 5-10 |
| Acquired: 2nd round (40th overall), 2011 | Weight: 188 lbs. |
Probability of Success
- C
History
2009-10: Alexander Khokhlachev played for MHC Spartak in the Moscow Hockey League, scoring 15 goals and adding 25 assists for 40 points in 51 games. Khokhlachev also played for Russia at the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, scoring 5 goals and adding 8 assists for 13 points in 6 games. He was named to the tournament’s All-Star Team for his efforts. Khokhlachev was chosen first round, 23rd overall, of the 2010 CHL Import Draft by the Windsor Spitfires.
2010-11: In his OHL rookie season, Khokhlachev scored 34 goals and added 42 assists for 76 points in 67 games for the Spitfires. In 18 playoff games, Khokhlachev scored 9 goals and added 11 assists for 20 points.
2011-12: Khokhlachev returned to Windsor for his second OHL season and was the second-leading scorer for a young Spitfires squad. He led Windsor with 25 goals and had 44 assists and was minus-19 with 32 penalty minutes in 56 games; suffering a season-ending kidney injury that forced him to miss the playoffs. Seven of the ten leading scorers for Windsor were 17 or younger, including Khokhlachev and leading scorer Kerby Rychel (a 2013 draft-eligible). Two years removed from back-to-back Memorial Cup championships. Windsor reached the OHL playoffs after finishing fourth in the West Division and were swept by eventual OHL champion London in a first round series. Khokhlachev played with Russia’s silver medal-winning team at the 2012 U20 World Junior Championship and scored 4 goals with 1 assist; finishing plus-five with 6 penalty minutes in seven games.
2012-13: Khokhlachev made his North American pro hockey debut with Bruins affiliate Providence to cap an eventful season. After signing a three-year entry-level contract with Boston in July 2012, he started the season in Russia, skating with Moscow Spartak in the KHL and competing for Russia’s U20 team in Ufa before returning to the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires following the 2013 World Junior Championship. He scored 2 goals with 1 assist and was and even plus/minus with 8 penalty minutes in 11 AHL games. Providence finished first in the Atlantic Division and reached the second round in the playoffs but Khokhlachev saw no playoff action. In 26 KHL games with Spartak he scored 2 goals with 5 assists and had 20 penalty minutes. He scored 3 goals with 2 assists in seven games at the WJC. Russia defeated Canada, 6-5, in overtime in the bronze medal game. Khokhlachev scored 22 goals with 26 assists and was -8 with 20 penalty minutes in 29 OHL games with the Spitfires. Windsor missed the OHL playoffs, finishing last in the West Division.
2013-14: Khoklachev made his NHL debut with the Bruins on April 13th in a game against New Jersey and led Boston AHL affiliate Providence in scoring as a rookie. He had no points and 2 penalty minutes in 15 minutes of ice time in his only NHL game. Khokhlachev scored 21 goals with 36 assists and was +11 with 28 penalty minutes in 65 AHL regular season games. Providence finished third in the Atlantic Division and reached the second round in the playoffs. Khokhlachev scored 9 goals with 5 assists and was +3 with 12 penalty minutes in 12 playoff games.
2014-15: Khokhlachev appeared in three NHL games with Boston in his second pro season — spending most of the season with the AHL’s Providence Bruins. He was -2 with no points nor penalties, averaging 8:12 minutes of ice time with Boston. Khokhlachev led the AHL Bruins in scoring for the second straight season with 15 goals and 28 assists in 61 games and was -2 with 28 penalty minutes. Providence finished second in the Atlantic Division and lost to Hartford in a first-round playoff series. Khoklachev scored 2 goals with 1 assists and had an even plus/minus with 4 penalty minutes.
Talent Analysis
Khokhlachev is a slick puck carrier, creative passer and courageous goal scorer. He has a knack for surveying the ice, disguising his intensions and then distributing the puck to the best option. Without the puck, he is willing to get to the dirty areas and has an explosive release, making him a dangerous finisher. As with many young scorers his defensive work is spotty at times — as a winger he’s prone to losing his man and as a center he struggles to read the coverage. Khokhlachev's skating is a mixed bag. He has good acceleration, crosses over well, good top-speed, he can stop on a dime, and he’s able to shake defenders by opening up his hips. But he lacks elite top-speed, struggles with changes in direction and with skating backwards in general.
Future
Khokhlachev attended training camp with the Bruins before being assigned to AHL affiliate Providence to start the 2015-16 season. He has appeared in five NHL games with Boston this season and is the second-leading scorer for the AHL club. Now in the third year of his original entry-level contract, Khoklachev is still just 22-years-old. He has the offensive ability to be a consistent scorer at the NHL level as he matures physically and gets a better understanding of positional play.
