Nikolai Prokhorkin
Image: KHL

Nikolai Prokhorkin

Hometown:

Chelyabinsk Russia

Team:

Russia

Currently Playing In:

Europe

Birthday:

1993-09-17
Position:

LW

Eligible for draft:

2012
Shoots:

Left
Drafted:

2012
Height:

6-2
Acquired:

4th round (121st overall), 2012
Weight:

191 lbs.
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History

2009-10: Nikolai Prokhorkin played for the Podolsk Vityaz junior team in Russia. In 54 games he scored 52 goals with 74 assists and had 60 penalty minutes. Vityaz finished second in the Moscow Region. In seven qualifying games he scored 5 goals with 10 assists and had 12 penalty minutes as Vityaz finished second in the six-team tournament. Prokhorkin was selected by Vityaz Chekhov in the second round (26th overall) of the KHL Draft.

2010-11: Obtained by CSKA Moscow in the summer, Prokhorkin made his KHL debut, skating in six games with CSKA Moscow, and was the fourth-leading goal scorer for the MHL-champion CSKA-Red Army junior team. He was scoreless and minus-three in limited ice time in the KHL. Prokhorkin scored 23 goals with 17 assists and was plus-28 with 42 penalty minutes in 46 games for the junior team. In 16 MHL playoff games he scored 3 goals with 5 assists and was plus-seven with 10 penalty minutes. CSKA-Red Army defeated Magnitogorsk in the MHL finals.

2011-12: Prokhorkin battled injuries in his second season in Moscow – appearing in 15 regular season games and four playoff contests for CSKA Moscow in the KHL and skating for CSKA Moscow-Red Army’s MHL squad. He scored his first KHL goal and was minus-one with 1 assist and 4 penalty minutes while averaging eight minutes of ice time for CSKA. In the KHL playoffs he had 1 assist and was plus-one with 2 penarkin was invited to the 2012 NHL Draft Combine and was ranked ninth amongst European skaters in Central Scouting’s final rankings prior to the 2012 NHL Draft.

2012-13: Prokhorkin was caught in the middle of a contract dispute between the Kings and KHL club CSKA Moscow at the start of the year. He skated in eight AHL games with Los Angeles affiliate Manchester to start the year but instead of joining Barrie in the OHL returned to Russia and played for CSKA and its minor league club THK Tver. In eight games with the Monarchs he was +2 with 1 assist and 6 penalty minutes. Prokhorkin played 14 regular season games with CSKA and scored 2 goals with 1 assist; finishing +1 with 10 penalty minutes. In nine KHL playoff games he scored 3 goals with 1 assist and was +4. Prokhorkin played five VHL games with THK Kver, scoring 2 goals with 2 assists, and was +1 with 4 penalty minutes.

2013-14: Prokhorkin was the leading scorer for CSKA Moscow in the KHL as a 20-year-old and was named to the league’s all-star game. He scored 19 goals with 18 assists and was +12 with 47 penalty minutes in 52 regular season games. CSKA finished fifth in the Bobrov Division and lost to SKA St. Petersburg in a first-round playoff series. Prokhorkin scored 1 goal with 1 assist and was -1 with 16 penalty minutes in four playoff games. 

2014-15: Prokhorkin did not have the same type of success he had a year earlier in his first second full KHL season with CSKA Moscow. Whether it was the coaching change from North American John Torchetti to Russian coach Dmitri Kvartalnov, the loss of veteran mentors, or the addition of import scorers— Prokhorkin was not the same impact player on a much-improved CSKA team. Skating in 41 of 60 regular season games for the Tarasov Division first-place squad he scored 9 goals with 11 assists and was +18 with 15 penalty minutes. CSKA reached the Western Conference finals and in four playoff games Prokhorkin had an even plus/minus with no points and 2 penalty minutes, averaging 11:34 minutes of ice time. He scored 1 goal and was +2 with 4 penalty minutes in seven VHL games for Voronezh.

2015-16: Prokhorkin was the fourth-leading scorer for Ufa Salavat Yulayev in his first season with the club — trailing one-time Edmonton Oilers Linus Omark and Teemu Hartikainen and former CSKA Moscow teammate Igor Grigorenko. He scored 19 goals with 17 assists and was +10 with 91 penalty minutes, averaging 17 minutes of ice time in 55 regular season games. Ufa Salavat finished third in the Chernyshev Division. In 12 playoff games through the Eastern Conference semifinals he scored 1 goal with 4 assists and was -2 with 8 penalty minutes, averaging 18 minutes.

 

Talent Analysis

Prokhorkin possesses great puck-handling skills, impressive creativity and on-ice vision and plays a big physical game. He needs to pack on more muscle, but Prokhorkin is not opposed to, nor does he shy away from contact and playing in tight spaces. Like some other talented young Russian players, the Kings face some uncertainty as to whether Prokhorkin will come to North America if he is not assured a spot with the NHL club.

Future

Prokhorkin is skating for Ufa Salavat Yulayev in his third full KHL season in 2015-16. With 11 goals in his first 33 games he appears headed to a bounce back season after the struggles in his final year with CSKA Moscow. Whether that means the 22-year-old will once again give North America a shot remains to be seen. Long-term his skill set and offensive talent compares favorably with other young players and he has the ability to be a solid second or third line forward in the NHL. At the same time, with the Kings' depth they feel no pressure to guarantee him a spot so Prokhorkin may continue to play in the KHL for the foreseeable future.

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