The Saginaw Spirit star will reportedly play one more OHL season before heading to the NCAA.
Dima Zhilkin will commit to the University of Michigan for the 2027-28 season, reports Scott Wheeler of The Athletic.
Zhilkin, 17, is a top prospect eligible for the 2027 NHL draft. In 59 games last season in Saginaw, he scored 75 (36+39) points, becoming a true driver of play and top offensive talent in the league.
The Toronto native has also made big waves internationally. He recorded five goals and two assists for Canada at the U18 Worlds this spring, and carried that momentum into the World Junior Summer Showcase, where he was one of the top players at the tournament as an undrafted player, albeit with a late-2008 birthday.
Zhilkin is a feisty and skilled offensive talent, a player who stands at just 5-foot-10 but plays much bigger than his size. He hunts pucks all over the ice thanks to his fantastic motor, and uses a mix of quick feet and intelligent off-puck routes to beat defenders in a ton of different ways.
Dima Zhilkin will look to dominate the OHL before heading to the University of Michigan. (Photo: Natalie Shaver/OHL Images)He's also taken over as a leader in Saginaw, being given the captaincy during the 2025-26 campaign at just 17 years of age. This is a major commitment for Michigan, as a player who could become a true Hobey Baker candidate as a freshman when he joins next year.
But, before he goes the NCAA path, Zhilkin will play one more season with the Spirit. He'll look to be one of, if not the top player in the OHL during his draft year, and cement his status as a top-10 pick in the 2027 NHL draft.
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