Maxim Zhukov

June 2019 – Zhukov did not receive an entry level contract from the Golden Knights which means he re-enters the draft.  Jokke Nevalainen

June 2018 – The Barrie Colts (OHL) at 48^th overall selected Zhukov in the first round of the CHL Import Draft.  It was unclear where he would play the 2018-19 season, but the picture may have become substantially clearer with this selection, as many CHL teams have verbal commitments by players prior to being taken in the draft. Barrie is no stranger to using Russian goalies as their starter, Leo Lazarev, will be moving on next year creating a hold in the lineup that Zhukov is expected to fill. Mason Black

May 2018 – Zhukov is a decently mobile goalie considering his size, and will need to become more comfortable in his own body to help work out some of the kinks in his game. He made an unusual decision to come over to N. America and play in the USHL to help himself get acclimated to the different ice dimensions, and looks committed to honing his style on this side of the Atlantic. At one point in time it looked as though Zhukov might be considered one of the top goaltending prospects in the 2017 draft, after he won the top goalie award at the U18 World Championship, but has showed stretches of inconsistency that dropped him down to the fourth round. Last season playing for the Green Bay Ramblers (USHL) he still hasn’t shown the positive steps that indicate a future starting goalie at the NHL level by putting those inconsistency issues to bed, but time is on his side. He finished the year strongly with a 2.45 goals against average and was one of the top goalies in the league the last month of play. Mason Black