Danila Klimovich Explained

Danila Klimovich
Birth Date:9 January 2003
Birth Place:Pinsk, Belarus
Height Ft:6
Height In:1
Weight Lb:187
Position:Centre
Shoots:Right
Team:Vancouver Canucks
League:NHL
Prospect Team:Abbotsford Canucks
Prospect League:AHL
Former Teams:Dinamo Molodechno
Ntl Team:Belarus
Draft:41st overall
Draft Year:2021
Draft Team:Vancouver Canucks
Career Start:2019

Danila Vitalevich Klimovich (Russian: Данила Витальевич Климович; born 9 January 2003) is a Belarusian ice hockey centre assigned to the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League, while under contract to the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for Dinamo Molodechno in the Belarusian Extraleague. He was selected 41st overall by the Canucks in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Internationally he has played for the Belarusian national team at the 2021 World Championships.

Playing career

Klimovich began his career in his native Belarus. In 2020 he was selected by the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League at the CHL Import Draft.[1] While he planned to move to North America for the 2020–21, the COVID-19 pandemic kept him from doing so.[2] Instead he spent most of the 2020–21 season playing for Minskie Zubry of the Vysshaya Liga, the second-tier league in Belarus, where he had 52 points in 37 games. He also played six games in the Belarusian Extraleague with Dinamo Molodechno, and scored one goal.[3]

Going into the 2021 NHL Entry Draft Klimovich was rated by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau as the 19th best European-based skater.[4] He was selected 41st overall by the Vancouver Canucks.[2] Klimovich was described as being "a big guy" (at the time of the draft he was and 202lb), and "intriguing", who could use both his body and skill to make plays.[2] He signed with the Canucks on 28 July 2021.[5]

Klimovich moved to North America after the draft and was assigned to the Canucks' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks. The youngest player in the AHL during the 2021–22 season, Klimovich recorded 8 goals and 18 assists in 63 games, though did not play in any of the team's playoff games.[6]

International play

Klimovich played for the Belarusian under-18 national team at the 2021 World U18 Championships, where he had 6 goals in 5 games, including a hat-trick against Switzerland.[3] He made his debut with the Belarus senior team at the 2021 World Championships, appearing in three games.[7]

Personal life

A native of Belarus, Klimovich moved to North America in 2021 after being drafted by the Canucks. He married Nastassia Bartsevich on 10 April 2022 in Cultus Lake, British Columbia.[8]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
2018–19HK Brest-2BLR-219 7 2 9 8
2018–19Belarus U17BLR-210 2 2 4 011 1 1 2 14
2019–20Belarus U17BLR-216 13 6 19 816 5 6 11 6
2019–20Belarus U18BLR-25 1 2 3 6
2019–20Belarus U20BLR-332 13 10 23 16
2020–21Dinamo MolodechnoBLR6 1 0 1 0
2020–21Minskie ZubryBLR-237 28 24 52 4012 9 5 14 8
2021–22Abbotsford CanucksAHL62 8 10 18 33
2022–23Abbotsford CanucksAHL67 17 12 29 536 0 0 0 0
2023–24Abbotsford CanucksAHL24 2 2 4 20
AHL totals153 27 24 51 1066 0 0 0 0

International

YearTeamEventGP G A Pts PIM
2021BelarusU185 6 0 6 4
2021BelarusWC3 0 0 0 0
Junior totals5 6 0 6 4
Senior totals3 0 0 0 0

Notes and References

  1. Web site: QMJHL teams select 18 players in 2020 CHL Import Draft. LHJMQ/QMJHL. 30 June 2020. QMJHL. 25 July 2021.
  2. Web site: Canucks: Dangerous Danila Klimovich becomes second-round draft selection. Kuzma. Ben. 24 July 2021. The Province. 24 July 2021.
  3. Web site: A Belarus Prospect Has Stolen the Spotlight at the U18s. Ellis. Steven. 27 April 2021. The Hockey News. 25 July 2021.
  4. Web site: International Skaters Final Rankings - 2020/2021. 27 May 2021. NHL. 25 July 2021.
  5. Web site: Canucks Sign Danila Klimovich. 28 July 2021. Vancouver Canucks. 31 July 2021.
  6. Web site: Canucks' Prospect Danila Klimovich is Taking Strides After 'Best Summer'. Schram. Carol. 18 September 2022. The Hockey News. 23 October 2022.
  7. Web site: Wrapping up the 2021 NHL Draft. Aykroyd. Lucas. 25 July 2021. IIHF. 25 July 2021.
  8. Web site: Abbotsford Canucks forward marries partner at Cultus Lake. Lypka. Ben. 11 April 2022. Agassiz-Harrison Observer. 24 April 2022.