We continue our profile series on 2026 NHL draft prospects today with a look at Nikita Klepov. As the headline states, Klepov is a highly-talented playmaker with elite skill when the puck is on his stick. After bulldozing the OHL this past season, Klepov has set himself up to be drafted very high in this year’s entry draft. Might the Devils be interested in Klepov when they’re on the clock? Let’s dive in and try and determine just that.
Who Is Nikita Klepov?
Nikita Klepov was born on June 27, 2008, making him a relatively young player in this draft. Despite his Russian heritage, and despite growing up in Russia, Klepov was actually born in Deerfield Beach, Florida, according to Elite Prospects. Klepov is a lefty-shooting winger, and is listed at 6’0”, 181 pounds.
Per his page on Elite Prospects, Klepov does not have much in the way of trackable numbers from his days playing in Russia. However, Klepov moved to the United States ahead of the 2023-24 hockey season, where he played for the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Knights program for two seasons. In his first taste of North American hockey, Klepov absolutely laid waste to the U15 level while playing for the Knights, posting a bewildering 31 goals and 72 total points in 22 games played. The things you see at the youth level. The next season, 2024-25, saw Klepov make the jump to the USHL, playing for the Sioux City Muskateers. He came way back down to earth thanks to that step up in competition, but Klepov still put up a respectable 12 goals and 31 points in 59 games. He followed this up with a goal and two points in five playoff contests.
This past season was where Klepov really made his move up draft boards. He entered the OHL, playing for the Saginaw Spirit, and in his first year playing at the top level of Canadian junior hockey, Klepov led the entire OHL in scoring with 97 points (37 goals, 60 assists) in 67 games. Saginaw only played four postseason contests this season, but Klepov held up his end of the bargain, posting a goal and five points in those matches.
Klepov has built a track record of production ranging from solid to outrageous over his youth career. And this track record was enough to land him an offer from Michigan State to play in their program. Klepov accepted, so he will continue to play hockey in Lansing come autumn time.
Where Is Klepov Ranked?
- #8 by NHL Central Scouting (North American players)
- #13 by Sportsnet (Bukala)
- #15 by Sportsnet (Constantino)
- #16 by The Athletic (Wheeler)
- #19 by Daily Faceoff
- #20 by TSN (Button)
- #21 by McKeen’s Hockey
- #25 by THN (Kennedy)
- #29 by Smaht Scouting
- #44 by The Athletic (Pronman)
What Others Have To Say About Klepov
The first scouting report we’ll look at is from Sam Constantino of Sportsnet. Constantino is among the highest on Klepov in the public sphere, ranking him 15th overall. Here’s what he had to say about the young man:
Klepov is fantastic with the puck on his stick, especially on the power play. He’s ultra-creative and exhibits patience when making plays. He uses elite puck skills along with sneaky-quick feet to buy himself time and space while opening up lanes to release shots, or find others in better areas of the ice. Although he finished just shy of 100 points, Klepov led the entire OHL with 97 points, a rarity for a first-year player in the league.
Get used to hearing about Klepov’s puck skills and offensive hockey sense.
Next, we’ll go to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, who has Klepov just behind where Constantino does at 16th overall. Here’s part of his blurb on Klepov:
He sees the ice at a very high level as a passer and has legit power-play skill, blending little fakes and hesitations into his handles to throw defenders off his scent. He also skates well enough, though I wouldn’t call him fast, and creates a ton of entries and high-danger looks with his craft on the puck…it was really positive to see him go to scoring areas, compete and finish more plays for himself at five-on-five this season (he was among the OHL’s leaders in shot and chance creation) instead of defaulting to out-wide playmaking. And while he’s not the most physical player and there are times when I’d like to see him reach in a little less, he doesn’t give up on plays when there’s a puck to be won, he does compete, and he has good sense defensively.
Another scout that is completely sold on Klepov’s playmaking and puck skills. Here we also see mention of his skating, which Wheeler seems to say is about average, though perhaps with above-average shiftiness.
Next, here’s Smaht Scouting, who are lower on Klepov than Constantino or Wheeler, placing him at 29th overall:
Nikita Klepov is a skilled, offense-minded winger whose game is built around puck protection, vision and creativity, but whose skating limitations significantly shape his projection. His stride is noticeably clunky, with poor lower-body connection and balance issues that limit his speed and make him vulnerable in transition, particularly through the neutral zone. To his credit, Klepov is aware of these deficiencies and plays around them well, using strong puck protection, intelligent first touches under pressure, and quick puck movement to get himself into workable space rather than relying on foot speed. In the offensive zone he’s versatile and dangerous, capable of creating from the half wall, drifting off puck to find shooting lanes, or planting himself at the net front, and he flashes high-end vision through his passing in transition and breaking down defensive structures with his passing in the offensive zone. However, his effectiveness drops sharply against heavy, physical pressure, as seen in a game against Windsor, where he struggled to evade forechecks or separate from defenders and found himself continuously knocked off the puck by physical defenders when attempting to create off the rush. While his effort level defensively is solid and his offensive instincts are clear, Klepov remains a space-dependent creator with a nasty shot from distance who can punish teams when given time but currently lacks the skating base to consistently generate that space on his own. Assuming the skating gets better he projects as a solid scoring option in the middle-six who could be a passenger on a top-6 scoring line.
That’s pretty all-encompassing. It’s worth noting how down on Klepov’s skating they are compared to Constantino and Wheeler. Devils fan might also take Klepov off their boards just for the bit about him wilting against “heavy, phyisical pressure” alone. Still, Smaht Scouting does say that Klepov has enough self-awareness and effort to overcome his perceived lack of skating ability, and they also heap a ton of praise on him for his offensive talent and puck skills. We also see another mention (the first coming from Wheeler) of his defensive game, which seems to be solid but far from high-end.
Finally, let’s take a look at the biggest outlier on our list: The Athletic’s Corey Pronman, who has Klepov down at 44th overall on his big board. Whereas most everyone else has Klepov in the mid- to late-first round, Pronman has him ranked in the middle of the second round. Here was his breakdown of Klepov:
Klepov is a highly skilled and intelligent winger. He has the ability to run a pro power play and make difficult plays consistently at the next level. He’s a solid skater who can generate chances with pace. His effort level is fine, although he’s not that physically imposing and can be pushed to the outside. He’s talented, with NHL power play and scoring ability, but I’m not sold that his talent is special enough for his average athleticism and effort level to be a full-time player, although he’s on the bubble.
He also graded his skating, hockey sense, and compete as “Average” while grading his puck skills and shot as “Above Average”.
Scouting The Tape
We’ll start with a shift-by-shift video of one of Klepov’s postseason games from this past spring, courtesy of the Youtube channel Prospect Shifts:
We’ll also include a highlight video of some of Klepov’s most impressive plays of the 2025-26 season from Youtube channel HSD Prospects:
My Opinion And Final Thoughts
I can see why Klepov is a tantalizing prospect to many. To my admittedly very amateur eye, he does seem to have an advanced offensive game. Some of the moves he pulls off are great, and the hockey IQ he flashes is genuinely elite. It’s hard not to dream on him becoming the next great scoring winger in the NHL.
I also do see a level of skating that, while not bad per se, needs some work. I do see a heavy stride that could potentially limit him at the next level. And while I do see him actively engaging physically and staying active on the defensive end, it seems to me that it’s more effort than production. In other words, even though I give Klepov credit for putting effort into the less glamourous side of the game, that effort isn’t enough to make him a truly top level defensive winger. But his willingness to grind defensively and in the physical side of the game gives me hope that, in the right hands, he can develop into a good defensive winger someday.
In the end, I’m not quite sure I’d want the Devils to use their 12th overall pick on Klepov if he is available at that slot. The offensive game is strong, and this organization is in desperate need of more offensive talent, but there are enough holes in his game and questions about projectability that make me want to go in a different direction with a pick that high. Now, if he happens to be there when the Devils make their next pick in the second round? Then I’m sprinting up to the podium to make the pick.
Now that I’ve had my say, let’s hear what you think. What do you make of Nikita Klepov? Are you as excited about his offensive talent as other scouts seem to be? If he’s there at 12, would you want the Devils to take him? As always, thanks for reading!
COVERS INTEL:
Mike Trout
James Wood
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