Getting to Know: Foudy and Zlodeyev

The tentative dates for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft have been set for Oct. 9-10.
The draft, originally set for June 26-27 in Montreal, will be done in a virtual environment.

The Detroit Red Wings have three second-round picks -- their own, the Edmonton Oilers' pick (acquired in the trade that sent Andreas Athanasiou to Edmonton) and the Washington Capitals' pick (acquired in the trade that sent Nick Jensen to Washington).
For the next several weeks, DetroitRedWings.com will take a look at some of the players, one North American and one international each week, who are likely to be available.
This week there are two centers to examine, starting with speedster Jean-Luc Foudy of the nearby OHL Windsor Spitfires.
In 59 games, Foudy had 15 goals and 28 assists.

NHL Central Scouting had Foudy 33rd among North American skaters in its final rankings, released April 8.
Foudy has a pretty clear path to follow as his older brother, Liam, was the Columbus Blue Jackets' first-round pick, 18th overall, in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
Jean-Luc Foudy spoke with NHL.com in May about watching his brother as he developed his own game.
"He's a fast hockey player and I think I have that same attribute of playing fast," Jean-Luc Foudy said of Liam. "He uses his speed well, so I kind of watched him growing up, saw what kind of moves he would make with his speed and I think I've taken a couple of those into my own game."
TSN's director of scouting, Craig Button had Foudy 80th on his final Craig's List.
Button's TSN colleague, Bob McKenzie, ranked Foudy 46th overall.

The Athletic's writers, Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman, were a little more closely aligned on Foudy.
Wheeler had Foudy 53rd while Pronman placed him 49th in his final draft guide.

"Foudy, the younger brother of Columbus' first-round pick Liam Foudy, had a fine albeit unspectacular season," Pronman wrote. "The reason he remains so highly rated is because he has a great toolkit that looks like it will translate into an NHL player. Jean-Luc Foudy, like his brother, is an excellent skater. He has more skill than his brother though, showing the ability to make difficult plays with the puck individually and as a distributor. His combination of speed and skill makes him elite at gaining the offensive zone with possession. I think he's a very good passer, but some scouts think he's selfish and wheels too much with the puck. I don't mind it but he does like to dance around the perimeter looking for plays. He competes fine, he's not that physical, but he's not soft either.
"I could see him going off next season and looking like a no-doubt future NHL player, but I get why some would be skeptical of a player who was well under a point per game last season and has 23 goals in 122 OHL matches."

Dobber Hockey highlighted the 5-foot-11, 177-pound forward's biggest asset, saying, "Speed and playmaking are the name of the game with Foudy. His production didn't meet expectations this season but he was often stuck playing with bigger, slower players that couldn't keep up to his speed and skill. He filters pucks to the slot at a high rate and creates chances in the offensive zone with silky passing and good vision. His shot is good but he doesn't use it enough to make it a true weapon in his arsenal. He is one of the most boom-or-bust prospects in the draft and could make a team very happy if things work out."

Red Line Report placed Foudy 70th in its 2020 Draft Guide, saying, "Blazing skater is all speed, all the time. World class edging allows him to explode out of tight turns and doesn't lose any speed while carrying the puck. Speed forces defenders to back off, giving him easy zone entries and space to make plays. Last season looked like a potential 1st rounder, but has not developed well. Has become a perimeter player, just buzzing around the outside. Plays soft and shies away from driving to net. Skates with blinders on not knowing or sensing where teammates are. Must shoot more to take predictability out of his game. His speed and quickness serve him well on the PK where he breaks up plays and creates offensive opportunities while short-handed. Has not shown a willingness to engage in board battles. Responsible defensively, but can be outmuscled for the puck down low and along the boards."
Over in Russia, center Dmitry Zlodeyev had 12 goals, 16 assists and 45 penalty minutes in 42 games for Dynamo Moscow 2.
NHL Central Scouting had Zlodeyev 32nd among international skaters.
TSN's Button placed Zlodeyev 50th on his final Craig's List.
TSN's McKenzie did not have the 5-foot-11, 185-pound forward in his final rankings for the 2020 draft.
Similarly, The Athletic's Wheeler and Pronman, along with Dobber Hockey, did not have Zlodeyev ranked.
The Red Line Report placed Zlodeyev 110th overall, saying, "He's just an intelligent two-way center whose game you appreciate the more you watch him. Crafty, intelligent, playmaking center uses subtle little head feints to gain space and separation. Anticipates developing plays well and gets the puck to good spots. Plays at a high pace. Spark plug is a catalyst for any line he's on, doing a lot of the hard work to dig pucks loose and get them to wingers in scoring territory. Shows excellent vision and is an imaginative player. Has excellent speed and pounces on loose pucks. Great initial burst.
"Supports the puck well and is always in good position on the right side of the puck. Smart and tricky -- uses his eyes to misdirect the defense, then moves the puck in a different direction, always finding the open man. Spins off checks and sprints up ice. Good edging and lateral glide. Powerful skater for an unassuming, lean frame."