It’s that time of the year for The Win Column’s NHL Draft Rankings and Draft Profiles! Earlier on, we released the TWC consolidated 2026 NHL Draft rankings. The 2026 NHL Draft will take place on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo.
Today, we will look at Dmitri Borichev. The 17-year-old Russian goaltender has climbed draft boards this season after posting impressive numbers in the MHL.
Who is Dmitri Borichev?
| Player | Position | Catches | Height | Weight | Nationality | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dmitri Borichev | Goalie | Left | 6’3″ | 198lbs | Russia | TWC #41/ CS INT Rank #1 |
Borichev will likely be the first goalie off the board at this year’s draft, ranked as the number one international goalie by Central Scouting. The shifty Russian is edged out of the top goaltending prospect by Central Scouting behind American Brady Knowling. Borichev has played the entirety of his minor and junior hockey with the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl affiliates and loves to show up scorers with his flashy glove.
Borichev’s on-ice production
| Year | Draft Rel. | League | Team | GP | GAA | SV% | SO | W-L-T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | D-2 | Russia U16 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl U16 | 15 | 2.38 | – | 2 | – |
| 2024–25 | D-1 | Russia U17 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl U17 | 14 | 2.12 | – | 2 | – |
| MHL | Loko-76 Yaroslavl | 2 | 0.50 | .974 | 1 | 2-0-0 | ||
| 2025–26 | D+0 | MHL | Loko-76 Yaroslavl | 24 | 2.25 | .929 | 3 | 12–8–3 |
Already 6’3″ and almost 200lbs, Borichev has a pro-level frame at only 17 years old. His junior career in Russia has been impressive, posting a .929 with three shutouts this past season. Over his 24 starts, he went 12–8–3 and has spent time with the Russian U17 and U16 teams internationally.
Despite Borichev’s relatively barren resume in comparison to Brady Knowling, his skillset and tools are incredibly promising from the small sample size scouts have seen. With most Russian prospects at the junior level, he comes with big question marks. However, the eye test bodes incredibly well for Borichev. He has a calm swagger, confidence that comes with dedication to your craft, not just natural ability. He can take over a game and swing momentum exponentially with each save, a quality all superstar goalies have that can’t necessarily be measured.
Borichev’s strengths
Positioning / Edges
Borichev’s positioning and edgework are incredible. The first goaltender that comes to mind in comparison is Dustin Wolf. It may sound biased, but the more I watched, the more similarities I saw. Borichev is constantly adjusting his positioning with slight shuffles, maintaining a square frame and tracking the puck through traffic with incredible focus. Unlike Wolf, Borichev’s frame is much larger, but he doesn’t rely on it. Borichev commands his athleticism, moving in his crease confidently with great edges and positioning himself incredibly low at times to try and see the puck. His toolkit is very well balanced from a technical standpoint. His size won’t be the reason he’s an NHL goalie; his positioning and ability to read a play will be. Everything else is a cherry on top if he steps up to the competition as he continues to develop.
Glove / Confidence
Borichev brings confidence to his game that bodes well for his future. The young goaltender can shift momentum with his strong glove on a cross ice one-timer, casually drop the puck and go for a slight stroll to the glass. With all goalies, the mental game plays a vital role in their success. Even though it’s at the junior level, Borichev has collected confidence and a level head. He builds on saves and doesn’t get bogged down by goals. He loves showing up shooters and uses his glove hand in unison with his edgework to do so. Whether it’s attacking a shooter with a hard C-Cut on a breakaway, crouching a foot off the ice to track a shot through traffic, or flashing his glove to the ceiling on a cross ice one timer, this guy has it, and he knows it.
That said, he doesn’t appear cocky. He rides the highs and brushes off the lows. When he does struggle, he always returns to his body positioning and technique, not relying on his athleticism or size to carry the load, but allowing them to elevate him to the next level once the basics are accounted for. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast, or whatever the Russian equivalent of that saying is.
Borichev’s areas of improvement
Competition
It’s hard to find many holes in Borichev’s game, and that leads to questions about his sample size and level of competition. With only MHL experience, there could be a reason for concern. However, I personally don’t think this will be an issue in Borichev’s case whatsoever. He might not hit the NHL at 19 years old, but he shows every indication that he will be a starter in the NHL. The only reason he isn’t a consensus first-round pick is his lack of games at the next level. There will be a drastic curve, and the workload will have to improve before he makes the move to North America, but Borichev could be an outstanding draft pick for an organization in need of a franchise goalie.
Fit with the Flames
| Organizational need addressed | Goalie Depth / Trade Asset |
| Realistic pick range | 32-64 |
| NHL timeline | 3–4 seasons |
| Fit verdict | Decent Fit |
Unfortunately for Borichev, the Flames already have a franchise goalie. Likely, he will also fall right in the range of Calgary’s plethora of second-round picks. I think if the Flames see him as the best player available at that point and don’t see an equal value on the trade market for the pick at that time, you have to draft him. Within the next five years, I can see Borichev in a starting role in the NHL, and the Flames have earned a great reputation for their goalie development. It would be great to have him if the opportunity arises. I don’t think he would ever take the crease from Dustin Wolf, but he could develop into a superstar, and they’re never bad to have.
Summary
Borichev is the consensus top international goalie in this year’s prospect pool, and rightfully so. The rangy puckstopper relies on his positioning, technique, and keen ability to track the puck rather than his strong athletic ability or strong frame. He looks to project as a starter at the NHL level, with the only concern surrounding the level of competition and workload he’s faced up to this point. His ceiling could be exceptional, and his floor is likely a solid NHL backup. Whoever drafts Borichev will be getting a solid prospect.
Risk: 2/5
Reward: 5/5
Projection: NHL Starter / Potential Franchise Goalie