It's strange to consider Vitali Pinchuk a rookie.
The 24-year-old has played four seasons of professional hockey, all with Dinamo Minsk in the KHL, scoring 145 points in 252 games.
But after signing a one-year deal with the Nashville Predators in May, he finds himself at rookie camp competing with skaters three or four years younger who have little to no pro hockey experience.
“I’m excited to be here," Pinchuk, a Belarus native, told the media at Centennial Ice Rink on Sept. 12. "I want to show my best. Show my stuff, show my skill level.”
At a glance, you wouldn't think Pinchuk is a skilled forward. At 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, he towers over most of the other rookie forwards, looking more like a stay-at-home defenseman.
But last season, he had 31
goals and 35 assists in 65 games with Dinamo Minsk as one of its top scorers. As a pending free agent, he drew interest from several NHL teams before signing with Nashville.
Pinchuk explained why he picked Nashville among the options.
“Why I choose Nashville? Because I speak with general manager and I like what he say," Pinchuk said. "Great city, great team, a lot of older guys who can help you, teaching you.”
After practicing at Centennial, Pinchuk and the rest of the Predators' rookies will participate in a two-game rookie tournament in North Carolina. They will play the Carolina Hurricanes' rookies on Sept. 13 (1:30 p.m. CT) and the Tampa Bay Lightning's rookies on Sept. 14 (1 p.m. CT). Both games will be streamed for free on the Predators' website.
Pinchuk's path to the NHL is unusual. After one junior hockey season with the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs (2019-20), he went undrafted in 2020, then left for the KHL the following year. Undrafted players who leave North America rarely get a second chance, but Pinchuk continued to grow his game, especially on defense.
“(I am) thinking about more (defensive zone). Because I have some problems about (defensive zone) early," he said. "Couple times, last year, (my) coach tell me almost every week. And I work on that.”
This camp will reveal a lot about Pinchuk's chances in the NHL. As a bigger forward, his main challenge will be speed, which will be tested against younger players this weekend. Notably, Pinchuk's one-year contract was signed before the arrival of general manager Chris MacFarland, so Pinchuk's future in Nashville is a bit of a mystery.
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com, follow him on X at @alexdaugherty1 or check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why undrafted KHL center Vitali Pinchuk signed with Nashville Predators
