Dima Zhilkin is a Canadian right-winger, captain of the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL, eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft, and committed to the University of Michigan. Dima Zhilkin was the youngest player in Canada’s squad at the 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase, and TSN noted he was the only one on the ice wearing a full cage. He was born in Moscow and spent about two and a half years there with his father, waiting for a visa, while the rest of the family was already in Canada.
| Fast facts: Dima Zhilkin | |
|---|---|
| Current team | Saginaw Spirit, OHL, captain since January 2026 |
| Position | Right wing |
| Shoots | Right |
| Born | 21 October 2008, Moscow, Russia, per NHL.com |
| Height / weight | Listed at 5’10” and 183 lbs in summer 2026 and at 5’11” and 195 lbs that autumn |
| Drafted | Undrafted. Eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft. Taken 19th overall by Saginaw in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection |
| College | Committed to the University of Michigan for 2027-28 |
| Contract status | No NHL contract and no NHL team holds his rights. He signed an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement with Saginaw in 2024 |
| International | Canada: Hlinka Gretzky Cup 2025, bronze. U18 Worlds 2026. World Junior Summer Showcase, July 2026, No. 22 |
Is Dima Zhilkin Russian?
Dima Zhilkin was born in Moscow on 21 October 2008, started in CSKA’s academy, and plays for Canada. He moved to Toronto at eight, NHL.com reported in July 2026, and he told the story himself in a draft diary for NHL.com in October 2026.
His older brother Danil was invited to a summer camp in Toronto and then recruited by a Canadian winter team, and the family decided to move. Zhilkin and his father stayed behind in Russia for roughly two and a half years waiting for visas, seeing the rest of the family only by video call. When he arrived, he joined a team mid-season without speaking English.
Where he is from depends on which document you read, and each answer is correct in some way. Moscow is the birthplace. Toronto is where the family landed, and his minor hockey club, the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, is a Toronto club. He grew up in Oakville, west of the city. The Spirit’s own profile says he grew up in Oakville and that his parents later moved to Windsor to be nearer to him once he joined Saginaw, which is why Saginaw media give Windsor as his hometown. Hockey Canada lists both Oakville and Toronto on its own pages.
Will Dima Zhilkin play at the 2027 World Juniors?
As of 31 October 2026, there is no answer because Canada has not named a selection camp roster for the tournament itself, and as a 2008-born player, he is a year under the usual age. The 2027 event runs from 26 December 2026 to 5 January 2027 in Edmonton and Red Deer, and our World Juniors guide has the schedule and the groups.
His argument is what happened in July 2026. Canada invited him to the World Junior Summer Showcase in Windsor, where he wore No. 22, was the youngest player in the 32-man group, and started on the first line against Finland with Cole Reschny at center. Head coach Misha Donskov said of him: “A lot of poise, skill, very competitive.” Drew Bannister, who coached him at the 2026 U18 Worlds, said “he’s the real deal” and “this kid has everything.” Daily Faceoff projected him on Canada’s first line with Reschny and Brady Martin.
Nobody at Hockey Canada has commented on his chances of making the squad itself. Through 29 October 2026, chl.ca had him on 25 points in 14 OHL games, tied for the league scoring lead and with a point in every game. Saginaw was then shut out 2-0 at home by Barrie on 30 October, which left the run at 14 games.
What are Dima Zhilkin’s career stats?
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | P | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 | GTHL U16 | 34 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 16 |
| 2024-25 | Saginaw Spirit | OHL | 54 | 16 | 27 | 43 | 55 |
| 2025-26 | Saginaw Spirit | OHL | 59 | 36 | 39 | 75 | 100 |
| 2025-26 | Canada U18 | Hlinka Gretzky Cup | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 27 |
| 2025-26 | Canada U18 | U18 Worlds | 5 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
Completed seasons. His first OHL season was shortened by an injury that kept him out of the start of it, and he still made the OHL First All-Rookie Team. Hockey Canada’s own profile records his 2026 U18 Worlds, including the three goals and an assist he took on 25 April in an 8-0 win over Norway. Canada lost the quarterfinal 4-2 to Sweden and finished sixth, its first tournament without a medal since 2022.
Where will Dima Zhilkin be drafted?
Zhilkin has been ranked between fourth and eighth in the public rankings published for the 2027 NHL Draft during 2026. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic placed him seventh in August, TSN eighth before the season, Craig Button fifth in September, and Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis fourth in October. NHL Central Scouting gave him an A rating on its preliminary players-to-watch list on 26 October 2026, meaning he could be a first-round pick.
Karl Stewart of NHL Central Scouting said that he is “not only the smartest player on the ice, but the hardest working son-of-a-gun on the ice, too,” and that he sets the tone for his team.
Why is Dima Zhilkin the Saginaw Spirit’s captain?
Saginaw named Zhilkin its 27th captain in franchise history in January 2026, in his second OHL season, and general manager Dave Drinkill put it down to how he had carried himself since arriving. “His resilience, pro habits, and the way he carries himself all make him a natural leader,” Drinkill said. Head coach Brendan Taylor was blunter when the club confirmed its leadership group in September 2026: “Dima is the straw that stirs the drink for our team.”
Zhilkin wrote about it once in his own NHL.com diary, listing being named captain at 17 as what really stood out.
Does Dima Zhilkin fight?
Zhilkin plays with an edge and talks about it openly. His penalty minutes went from 55 in his first OHL season to 100 in his second, while his points went from 43 to 75. Craig Button, TSN’s director of scouting, compared him to Brad Marchand and said that in a league where that element is less common, he has it in abundance.
“I love getting under people’s skin,” Zhilkin told TSN in September 2026, adding that if it sets an opponent back, it is almost like an advantage. He has also said he is not the biggest player but is not afraid to go into battle against bigger ones.
Who is Dima Zhilkin’s brother?
Danil Zhilkin, who also goes by Danny, is his older brother, a center born in Moscow in December 2003 and drafted 77th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 2022. He played in the OHL for Guelph and Kitchener, made his NHL debut in January 2026, and has played for the AHL’s Manitoba Moose in 2026-27. Dima has said he is looking forward to having him at the 2027 draft.
Their mother is named Anna, and Dima thanked her, his brother, and his sister in his NHL.com diary.
Where is Dima Zhilkin going to college?
Zhilkin is committed to the University of Michigan for the 2027-28 season. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic first reported the commitment in August 2026, and NHL.com stated it as fact in October 2026, but neither Michigan nor Zhilkin has announced it publicly. That timing makes 2026-27 his last full OHL season.
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