Daniil Orlov showed some progress this past season doubling his KHL point production to 15 points (5 goals, 10 assists) in 52 games with Spartak Moskva logging nearly 18 minutes per game and demonstrating steady ice time and trust at a high level. He had a brief two-game stint in the VHL (prior to his move to the KHL) with an assist over two games. Orlov is trending toward as a dependable, second-pair NHL defenseman. There is not a lot of dimension to his game and he might top out as a top-four AHLer than a true NHLer, but I could see him becoming a No. 7-8 but there is rush. For now he is sticking with the KHL which is the best choice for his development.

Defensive minded player who hasn’t found his offensive game but has a sneaky good transition game with the puck at times. Good IQ and playmaking but still lacking the offense to guarantee an NHL caliber player. A move to North America may be key to understanding his true potential and if his offense can be unlocked. He’s been more confident with the puck this season which is a plus, but his upside isn’t the highest, which may be difficult to ensure his place in a deep Devils D pool. – Austin Kelly

The New Jersey Devils selected Daniil Orlov with their fourth-round, 110th-overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. A smooth-skating blue-liner who uses his size well in puck battles, Orlov is very good at getting off the boards with the puck and making small plays that advance the puck. His defensive positioning and awareness makes him a projectable chance-suppressor — although there are some adjustments required to make his defending better on smaller ice. He boasts some decent small-area playmaking, but struggles with long passing accuracy and doesn’t have the hardest shot. Despite that, Orlov led his MHL squad’s defensemen in scoring with nine goals and 21 assists in 54 games, 12 points ahead of any other blue-liner. Expect Orlov to take his sweet time developing in Russia’s pro leagues until he hits a high enough level to come over to North America and take a shot at the Devils’ lineup — he’ll offer some value in multi-cat leagues as a big hitter and shot-blocker, but don’t expect much offensive production out of him at the next level.