The Bruins added to their collection of gifted centers on Saturday, taking 17-year-old Alexander Khokhlachev with pick No. 40 in round two of the NHL draft.
Khokhlachev, a native of Moscow, played the 2010-11 season with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. In 67 games the young Russian tallied 34 goals and 42 assists for a total of 76 points, making him the third-highest rookie scorer in the OHL. Additionally in 18 playoff contests Khokhlachev added nine goals and 11 assists, making him the sixth-highest scorer of the postseason.
As a result of his strong playoff performances, Khokhlachev jumped up the NHL Central Scouting rankings, moving from No. 45 on the midterm rankings up to No. 29 on the final ranking of North American skaters.
The 5-foot-10, 188-pound lefty still has room to add weight to his frame, but as NHL Central Scouting's Chris Edwards notes, that doesn't mean Khokhlachev can't play physical.
"He'll take a hit to make a play and he's not at all afraid," Edwards said. "I've seen him get hit hard a few times and he just bounces right back into the play. His energy level is always there, and he's always working hard. Down the stretch for Windsor, he's played well. He's a skilled forward."
Bruins fans might get giddy when seeing what Khokhlacev did on Jan. 28 against the Kitcheners Rangers. Check out the video below.
