CHL notebook: Avalanche goalie prospect Zhyhalau stepping up in class

Future NHL stars are developing in the Canadian Hockey League this season. Each week, NHL.com will highlight a few of the top NHL-affiliated prospects in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League.

Ivan Zhyhalau has traveled quite the path during his hockey career, so another move during the offseason wasn't difficult.
And like his previous choices, this one seems to be working well for him.
Zhyhalau was the final player selected at the 2022 NHL Draft, chosen by the Colorado Avalanche in the seventh round (No. 225). Not long after, the 19-year-old goalie signed with Kingston of the OHL after playing last season with Sherbrooke in the QMJHL.
It's rare for a player to move within leagues in the CHL, but Zhyhalau said he was looking for an upgrade in competition by moving to the OHL.
"I was talking with my agent, and we made the decision that it would be better for my development to go in the OHL," Zhyhalau said. "It's good hockey there. More similar with the NHL. ... In [the QMJHL] it's more offensive, not that [physically] tough a league. Here it's a tough league and really skilled all together, [defensemen] trying to play tougher. It's a tougher league, more physical play, more going on in front of the net. My defensemen are trying to put guys away more, box out. I like it better here, to be honest."
Zhyhalau got off to a strong start, allowing two goals or fewer in four of his first five starts, and he was named OHL goalie of the week for the week of Oct. 10-16. He's struggled a bit recently, allowing at least four goals in three of his past four games.
In nine games this season, he's 4-4-1 with a 2.65 goals-against average and .919 save percentage.
Born in Minsk, Belarus, Zhyhalau was passed over in the 2021 NHL Draft when he was playing for Dynamo Moscow's team in Russia's junior league. With the hope that more NHL scouts would see him, he opted to sign with Sherbrooke.
In 42 QMJHL games, he was 26-9-3 with a 2.84 GAA and .892 save percentage and was No. 2 among North American goalies in NHL Central Scouting's final rankings.
Before landing in Kingston, Zhyhalau made a stopover for rookie camp and training camp with the Avalanche. He didn't get into any preseason games but for the three days of training camp his on-ice group included Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar.
"That was a great experience ... great coaches, great place to play," Zhyhalau said. "You see these guys, how they work hard, how they look like at hockey. It was a pretty great experience and I just learned from that."
How was it going against MacKinnon and Rantanen, even at training camp speed?
"You feel like you can stop their shots, you can stop everything," he said.
He was sent to Kingston on Sept. 28, and one of the biggest things the Avalanche wanted to see was Zhyhalau (6-foot-3, 167 pounds) develop physically.
"They told me to work on my strength in my legs to make sure I'm going to be stronger," he said. "They told me to work on my tracking the puck. Small things, but they're important things and it makes me better. They were happy about my work ethic and the way I work because I'm always working hard and working for my dream. They told me just to continue like that and work as hard as you can and everything's going to be good."

OTHERS TO WATCH

Matvey Petrov, F, North Bay (Edmonton Oilers): Petrov has 14 points (five goals, nine assists) during a 10-game point streak that is the second longest current streak in the league. Selected by the Oilers in the sixth round (No. 180) of the 2021 draft, Petrov has 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) in 13 games. The 19-year-old has raised his playmaking ability in his second OHL season, with a North Bay-high 12 assists. Last season he had 90 points (40 goals, 50 assists) in 63 games.
Justin Robidas, F, Val-d'Or (Carolina Hurricanes): Robidas had his 10-game point streak end against Sherbrooke on Thursday. But he had 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) during his scoring binge, including his second five-point game of the season and his first four-goal QMJHL game in a 7-3 win against Rouyn-Noranda on Oct. 27. He also had five points (two goals, three assists) in a 5-2 win against Gatineau on Oct. 5. Robidas, selected in the fifth round (No. 147) in the 2021 draft, is tied for sixth in the QMJHL with 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) in 13 games.
Daylan Kuefler, F, Kamloops (New York Islanders): Kuefler has started his season with 14 points (eight goals, six assists) during a nine-game point streak. Selected in the sixth round (No. 174) of the 2022 draft, Kuefler has three multipoint games, including two goals and an assist in Kamloops' 7-1 win against Spokane on Oct. 29. It was his second three-point game of the season, after he had a goal and two assists against Tri-City on Oct. 14. In 65 games last season, the 20-year-old had three games with at least three points.
Photo: Robert John Boucher/Kingston Frontenacs