Up next on the BSH Community Draft Board is Nikita Klepov. One of the highest-scoring players in this year’s draft class, Klepov is coming off a season that saw him lead the OHL with 97 points in 67 games. The Michigan State commit has climbed draft boards over the last year and is now widely projected to hear his name called somewhere in the middle of the first round.
While opinions vary on exactly where he belongs on draft boards, there’s little debate that he’s one of the more accomplished offensive players available in this range. For teams searching for offensive upside on the wing, Klepov is certainly a prospect worth paying attention to.
Pre-draft rankings
Ranked #8 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)
Ranked #20 by Elite Prospects
Ranked #15 by Sportsnet (Jason Bukala)
Ranked #16 by The Athletic (Scott Wheeler)
Ranked #44 by The Athletic (Corey Pronman)
Ranked #19 by Daily Faceoff (Steven Ellis)
Statistics
What’s there to like?
Klepov is coming off an extremely productive season in the OHL, leading the league in scoring with 97 points (37 goals, 60 assists) in 67 games. He’s a fun player to watch, and his biggest strength is his playmaking ability. Whether it’s finding teammates through traffic or creating opportunities off the rush, he consistently demonstrates the vision and creativity needed to drive offense. At times, Klepov can be guilty of forcing shots when a pass might be the better option. Still, when he’s in a playmaking mindset, he has the vision and skill to create opportunities that few players in this class can.
While he isn’t one of the quickest skaters in this draft class, he uses his edge work well to create separation from defenders and buy himself time with the puck. At 6-foot-0 and 180 pounds, he isn’t the biggest player, but he regularly shows the willingness to attack the middle of the ice and drive the net when opportunities present themselves. On the power play, Klepov is dangerous along the wall, where he can threaten defenses as both a passer and a shooter. His one-timer is a legitimate weapon, forcing defenders to respect the shot and creating additional passing lanes for him to exploit.
Klepov’s offense is built on a skill set that gives him multiple ways to hurt defenders. He can extend possessions with puck protection, work give-and-gos through traffic, and manipulate defenders long enough to open passing seams. It’s also worth noting he did all of this at 17 years old, not turning 18 until the second day of the draft, which adds another layer to his impressive offensive output.
At the NHL level, his current profile points more toward a second-line scoring winger who can chip in offensively, but not someone who can be relied on to consistently drive a line at even strength. His impact on special teams, however, is more intriguing, as he likes to have the puck on his stick and knows how to take advantage of the extra space on the power play. While he may not project as a penalty-killing option at the pro level, he did see time in that role with Saginaw, scoring three shorthanded goals.
What’s not to like?
Looking strictly at the numbers, Klepov’s production would suggest that he should be ranked even higher than where he’s currently projected. The concerns largely stem from his play away from the puck. Whether it’s his defensive engagement or his ability to consistently impact play in the offensive zone when he isn’t directly involved, there are questions about how complete his overall game is at this point.
When you’re leading the OHL in scoring, you can live with some off-puck inconsistency because the offense clearly outweighs the deficiencies. The question becomes whether that balance still holds at the pro level if he’s more of a 45–50 point winger. At that point, the same defensive and engagement issues become harder to accept.
Compared to other forwards projected to go late in the first-round, Klepov leans more heavily on his offensive production, with a greater portion of his value tied to scoring than some of the more well-rounded options in this range. The team that ultimately selects him will be taking more of a perceived risk by prioritizing a high-offense winger over one of the steadier two-way centers available in this range.
This is also where his commitment to Michigan State could prove especially valuable. The Spartans have built their success around an aggressive, relentless style of play that demands engagement from every player on the ice. If Klepov can show greater consistency away from the puck while maintaining the offensive creativity that made him the OHL’s most productive player, he has the potential to become one of the steals of this draft class.
How would he fit in the Flyers’ system?
The biggest complication when it comes to Klepov and the Flyers is positional fit. Klepov is a winger who primarily plays the right side, and the Flyers already have significant investments there with Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone. On paper, that doesn’t make him the cleanest fit for what the organization currently needs.
At the same time, teams can get into trouble when they draft strictly for current need. If the Flyers believe Klepov is the best player available when they’re on the clock, it would be difficult to justify passing on that level of offensive talent simply because of positional overlap. Sometimes you just have to draft the best player available and figure it out later.
Could the Flyers actually get him?
Potentially. Klepov has generally been projected to land somewhere in the late teens to mid-20s, putting him squarely in the range where he could be available when the Flyers pick at No. 21. Teams ahead of the Flyers will likely be weighing the risk, deciding between a higher-floor, lower-ceiling player or taking the lower-floor, higher-ceiling option in Klepov. He may be gone by 21.
Maybe the bigger question is whether the Flyers would even view him as the right fit if they’re given the opportunity to select him. Given the organization’s young, offensively-gifted wingers, there may be other prospects who better address long-term needs. Still, if the Flyers prioritize talent over positional fit, Klepov may be a realistic option.
What scouts are saying
“Teams love productive wingers, and Klepov meets every requirement. The projected first-round pick is a tremendous playmaker and maybe one of the best in the CHL. But he’s also a stout shooter and wasn’t far off from reaching the 40-point barrier. It was surprising, given he only put up 31 points in the USHL the year prior. The Michigan State University commit plays with a ton of finesse, but he’s physically strong, too. He’s just an OK skater, but Klepov should still go high because magic tends to happen when he’s in control of the puck on the attack.”
—Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff
“Klepov had an outstanding year in Saginaw. The offensive winger produced 37 goals and 60 assists in 67 regular season games. He was whistled for 43 penalty minutes and finished the season at plus-9. Klepov isn’t a pure burner. He isn’t slow, but his approach to creating offence is calculating and speaks to his overall hockey sense. Klepov is as much a shooter as he is a distributor and he’s difficult to defend on the power play. He was deployed in a variety of roles at the OHL level, but his off-puck detail has another level to go to. He will get the opportunity to further his growth as a prospect at Michigan State next season.”
—Jason Bukala, Sportsnet
“Klepov is a highly skilled and intelligent winger. He has the ability to run a pro power play and make difficult plays consistently at the next level. He’s a solid skater who can generate chances with pace. His effort level is fine, although he’s not that physically imposing and can be pushed to the outside. He’s talented, with NHL power play and scoring ability, but I’m not sold that his talent is special enough for his average athleticism and effort level to be a full-time player, although he’s on the bubble.”
—Corey Pronman, The Athletic
The newest addition to the poll is Ryan Roobroeck, a forward who brings size and plenty of talent, but is coming off a down year with some lingering concerns about his consistency and effort level.
“Roobroeck is a very toolsy winger. He skates and handles the puck quite well, especially for a tall forward. On his best shifts, he looks like a potential top offensive threat in the NHL with his touch, feet and shot. Despite his frame, he doesn’t play hard, and the consistency in his effort level is a question. He has all the tools to be a scoring winger in the NHL, but he will need to show up a lot more often.”
—Corey Pronman, The Athletic
