Dmitri Orlov signs PTO with Hershey
We’ve been waiting over the past couple of days to hear some news on the signing of defenseman Dmitri Orlov to the Hershey Bears. Today, our wish came true.
It was announced this morning that Orlov has signed a professtional tryout contract and that he hopes to sign a three-year entry-level contract with the Caps too. He practiced for this first time with the team this morning and hopefully we’ll get to see him in action later this week. The Bears are hitting the road today to play the Marlies in Toronto tomorrow and Orlov doesn’t have a Visa that will allow him to leave the country with them.
Drafted in the second round of the 2009 draft, Orlov spent some time at Caps Development Camp over the past two years but played his seasons in the KHL. His club, the Metallurg Novokuznetsk, did not make playoffs this season and so Orlov looked to continue playing here in the AHL.
In the KHL, he managed to post two goals and ten assists and turn heads while Metallurg attained the worst record in the league. His top-notch performance earned him a spot on the U20 Russian National Team where he won a gold medal at this year’s World Junior Championships (something Hershey fans should be used to).
Our friends over at RMNB recently posted a translation of an interview with Orlov in which he discusses his expectations of the AHL. I think fans will be impressed with Orlov’s physical defensive play while still not being afraid to join the offensive rushes. Since it appears Sheldon Souray isn’t going anywhere right now, the addition of Orlov looks to make our blue line pretty lethal, especially once everyone is healthy.