Valentin Zykov

Valentin Zykov (born 15 May 1995) is a Russian professional ice hockey winger currently playing under contract to the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round (37th overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Zykov was a top prospect who was ranked number eight on the NHL Central Scouting Bureau's final ranking of North American skaters. He was expected to be a first round selection in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, but went in the second round, 37th overall, to the Los Angeles Kings.
==Playing career==
As a 16-year-old, Zykov played in the MHL with CSKA-Krasnaja Armija Moskva, the junior affiliate for HC CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League. Zykov was drafted in the second round (76th overall) of the 2012 CHL Import Draft by Baie-Comeau Drakkar, and joined the QMJHL team for the 2012–13 season. As a 17-year-old, Zykov was added to Team Russia's roster for the 2012 Subway Super Series, and in his first QMJHL season Zykov racked up 40 goals and 35 assists for 75 points in 67 games played to win the Michel Bergeron Trophy as the QMJHL's Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was further rewarded for his outstanding played by being named the QMJHL Rookie of the Year.
During the 2014–15 QMJHL season, Zykov was traded from Baie-Comeau to the Gatineau Olympiques in exchange for Václav Karabáček.
After attending the Kings training camp, Zykov was assigned to begin his rookie professional season in 2015–16 with the Ontario Reign of the AHL. Zykov compiled 7 goals and 14 points in 43 games with the Reign before he was traded by the Kings along with a conditional 5th round pick (if Los Angeles advanced to the 2016 Western Conference Final, failed) to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Kris Versteeg on 28 February 2016.
Zykov played his first NHL game and recorded his first NHL goal on 9 March 2017, in a game against the New York Rangers.
Zykov was selected for the 2018 AHL All-Star Game after leading the league in goals scored and beating his own career high in goals. After recording his 30th goal of the season in a game against the Hartford Wolf Pack, Zykov became the first Russian-born skater to score 30 goals or more in an AHL season since Artem Anisimov did so during the 2008–09 season. He was recalled to the NHL for the second time during the 2017–18 season on 19 March 2018. Zykov was voted by fans as the Checkers' best forward of the 2017–18 season following the team's elimination from the 2018 Calder Cup playoffs. At season's end, Zykov led the league in goals with 33, and finished second in team scoring with 54 points.
In the following 2018–19 season, Zykov made the Hurricanes opening season roster. As the club's reserve forward, Zykov was a frequent healthy scratch, and was reassigned on a conditioning loan back to the Checkers on 13 November 2018. He later returned to the Hurricanes and after 13 games having collected 3 assists, Zykov was placed on waivers by the Hurricanes and was claimed by the Edmonton Oilers on 30 November 2018. Zykov appeared in just 5 games with the Oilers over the following month before he was returned to waivers and claimed by the Vegas Golden Knights on 29 December 2018.
==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
2011–12 	Krasnaya Armiya Moskva	MHL 		52 	5 	6 	11 	105 		18 	0 	2 	2 	4
2012–13 	Baie-Comeau Drakkar 	QMJHL 		67 	40 	35 	75 	60 		19 	10 	9 	19 	18
2013–14 	Baie-Comeau Drakkar 	QMJHL 		53 	23 	40 	63 	70 		22 	7 	15 	22 	14
2014–15 	Baie-Comeau Drakkar 	QMJHL 		16 	6 	12 	18 	22 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2014–15 	Gatineau Olympiques 	QMJHL 		26 	15 	13 	28 	38 		11 	3 	4 	7 	20
2015–16 	Ontario Reign 	AHL 		43 	7 	7 	14 	20 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2015–16 	Charlotte Checkers 	AHL 		2 	0 	0 	0 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2016–17 	Charlotte Checkers 	AHL 		66 	16 	18 	34 	57 		5 	0 	2 	2 	2
2016–17 	Carolina Hurricanes 	NHL 		2 	1 	0 	1 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2017–18 	Charlotte Checkers 	AHL 		63 	33 	21 	54 	45 		8 	4 	2 	6 	8
2017–18 	Carolina Hurricanes 	NHL 		10 	3 	4 	7 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2018–19 	Carolina Hurricanes 	NHL 		13 	0 	3 	3 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2018–19 	Charlotte Checkers 	AHL 		6 	2 	0 	2 	16 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2018–19 	Edmonton Oilers 	NHL 		5 	0 	0 	0 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2018–19 	Vegas Golden Knights 	NHL 		10 	2 	0 	2 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2019–20 	Vegas Golden Knights 	NHL 		15 	1 	3 	4 	6 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2019–20 	Chicago Wolves 	AHL 		29 	10 	5 	15 	22 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals		55 	7 	10 	17 	10 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	Result 		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2012 	Russia 	U17 	 		5 	0	0	0 	0
2014 	Russia 	WJC 	 		7 	0	0	0 	2
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals		12	0	0	0 	2
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
==Awards and honours==
Award 	Year 	
QMJHL 	QMJHL	QMJHL
All-Rookie Team 	2013 	
Rookie of the Year 	2013 	
Michel Bergeron Trophy	2013 	
CHL Top Prospects Game	2013 	
CHL Rookie of the Year	2013 	
AHL 	AHL 	AHL
Willie Marshall Award 	2018 	
==References==
==External links==
* 
Category:1995 births
Category:Baie-Comeau Drakkar players
Category:Carolina Hurricanes players
Category:Charlotte Checkers (2010–) players
Category:Chicago Wolves players
Category:Edmonton Oilers players
Category:Gatineau Olympiques players
Category:Los Angeles Kings draft picks
Category:Ontario Reign (AHL) players
Category:Russian ice hockey left wingers
Category:Vegas Golden Knights players