The 6-foot-4, 170 pounder had himself quite the rookie season on the blueline, ending with 18 points in 69 games played -11 of those points coming in Hitmen colours.
Once he first arrived to Calgary, Zamula proved to be a reliable defender and played a more mature game than his age. As he settled in to a new city, the defender would showcase flashes of his offensive potential.
"He hasn't even come close to reaching his full potential and he's on the verge of becoming a special player," Chynoweth said.
Prior to being drafted in the first round of the 2017 CHL Import Draft by the Pats, Zamula spent the 2016-17 season with Metallurg Magnitogorsk U17 of the Russia U17 league and racked up three goals and 26 points in 36 games.
Zamula saw his draft stock rise after joining the Hitmen, jumping from 100th to 64th in the final NHL Central Scouting rankings.
"Playing in more situations and playing almost 20 minutes a night is no easy task for any defender let alone a rookie but he responded to the challenge and looked at home since he's been here," Chynoweth said. "That says a lot for a guy who has had a year full of learning.
"He's had to adjust and learn the North American style of game and the English language that takes time but he has worked hard at both."
With being paired up on the blueline alongside fellow draft eligible import Vladislav Yeryomenko, the duo were a consistent tandemfor the Hitmen all season long and for Zamula, it was beneficial in learning from a player who has gone what he is going through.
"Having Vlad as his partner allowed him to feel more comfortable out there on the ice and not worry about doing too much," Chynoweth said.
"It allowed him to focus on his game and add more tools to his skill set from a guy that really took him under his wing."
