Dmitri Buchelnikov has spent the last few seasons turning himself into one of the more intriguing names in the St. Louis Blues’ prospect picture, and the case for him keeps getting stronger in the KHL.
The 22-year-old Russian right winger was taken 52nd overall by the Detroit Red Wings in 2022, and his rights later moved to St. Louis.
Since then, his game has kept climbing. If that trajectory holds, Buchelnikov could be pushing for legitimate top-six NHL minutes as soon as the 2027-28 season.
His numbers tell the story of a player finding another gear. In 2023-24 with Admiral Vladivostok, he put up 29 points in 55 games - solid production, but not the kind that screams breakout.
The next season changed that. With Vityaz, he exploded for 54 points, including 15 goals and 39 assists, in 65 games.
That total put him among the top scorers under 22 and earned him All-star recognition.
Last season brought a setback. A shoulder injury cut his 2025-26 campaign with CSKA Moskova short after 44 games, but he still managed 25 points on a deeper roster.
Taken together, his last three seasons have made a strong argument that St. Louis has one of the most productive young KHL forwards of this era.
What makes Buchelnikov stand out is not just the production, but the way he creates it. He plays with soft hands and quick feet, using timing and deception to read defenders and open space.
His passing numbers regularly sit above 90 percent, and he continues to show a feel for generating chances in tight areas. He’s the kind of winger who keeps a shift alive, stays available, and then slips into a seam for himself or a teammate.
The challenge comes when you look at the Blues’ right side. Jimmy Snuggerud already holds the top-line right wing spot and doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere soon.
Justin Carbonneau is also in the mix. That leaves St.
Louis with three real playmaking, power-play-capable options on the right side, and Buchelnikov will have to separate himself if he wants to force his way into the top six.
One area he needs to clean up is puck battles. His current win rate sits in the low-to-mid 40 percent range, and he’ll need to get stronger to hold onto pucks and win more of those scraps. The good news is that he appears eager to add strength, which would help across the board.
If Buchelnikov arrives at 2027-28 camp heavier, stronger and more committed to his work away from the puck, he should have the tools to drive a scoring line rather than simply complement one. If he settles into a middle-six role instead, a 40-to-60-point season would still be a reasonable baseline, even before any power-play-one opportunity comes his way.
For St. Louis, he fits the profile of a valuable asset: a young player with real scoring instincts, a desire to test himself against the best, and enough development runway to become more than a name in the system.
For Buchelnikov, the talent has already shown up. The next stretch will determine whether it turns into something bigger.
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