Not only does Russia feature some elite 2026 draft eligible talent, but they also house some under-the-radar drafted talent. Many teams are able to find talent in the later rounds of the draft and decide to keep them overseas to further their development. After a few years, they explode onto the scene and become impact NHL players. Players like Nikita Kucherov, Kirill Kaprizov and Matvei Michkov are just some examples of Russian talent that blossomed some time in the KHL. In today’s age, there is just as much of this talent hiding in the woodworks. Let’s take a look around and see who’s dominating early in the season and beginning to turn the heads of their respective NHL clubs. 

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Roman Kantserov – F – Age: 21 – Chicago Blackhawks 

When thinking of players in this category, Kantserov is the first name that comes to mind. Drafted by Chicago in the second round of the 2023 draft, he was, predictably, overshadowed by the selection of Connor Bedard. However, as Bedard has ascended to one of the top players in the league, Kantserov has grabbed the spotlight of Blackhawks prospects. After an impressive 38-point campaign a year ago, he has exploded to the top of the league goal and point leaders. The 21-year-old leads the entire KHL with 18 goals and trails only his Metallurg teammate, Vladimir Tkachyov in points. Not only is it the raw numbers that catch your eye, it’s the way he’s able to find his offensive success that makes him so intriguing. For starters, he is serviceable at either winger or center, though he’ll certainly play more winger in the NHL. He skates well and is able to capitalize on the open space given to him. 

However, Kantserov may benefit extremely well from the play-driving dominance of Bedard and could easily slot into his winger spot. Both players can distribute the puck well, and both possess elite scoring abilities. This season, while Kantserov is playing at a high level, keeping him at the center position for an extended period of time could complicate his development. Some of the responsibilities that the center-position requires have caused some problems. Since he may be best suited for the wing in the NHL, making that permanent switch in the KHL will only do good. Still, though, there is much-deserved hype for Kantserov and how he projects in the NHL. This is his final season under contract in Metallurg, so he should be joining the Blackhawks after the contract is up.  

Yegor Surin – F – Age: 19 – Nashville Predators

To put it bluntly, the Predators and their fans have very little to be excited about. Their roster is aging and they sit near the bottom of the league standings. However, Surin does provide a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Surin has dominated the MHL in the last two seasons, and is just beginning to take over the KHL. Through 29 games, Surin has 12 goals and 22 points for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, as they sit at the top of the Western Conference. While he has some skill refining to do in order to become an effective offensive player, Surin is a high-motor player that has really impressed at 19 years of age. He is a relentless forechecker, and his 6-2 frame makes him a perfect playoff player when the time comes. As mentioned, there is some fine-tuning that has to take place in his offensive game, but there is a runway for that development to take place. After all, Surin has shown that he is ready for a different challenge than the MHL provides. 

He skates extremely hard and shoots the puck well, and his motor provides the baseline of a coachable player that is hard to play against. His contract in Russia runs until the end of the 2026-27 season, so it will be a while before Surin is in North America. That being said, he will continue the development that is already taking place at the professional level. Surin and last year’s first round selection Brady Martin play very similar games, and will likely be the two faces of Nashville’s rebuilt identity whenever they are impact NHLers. There is reason to be excited about Surin, given his hot start, but a more refined offensive game would take the hype to another level. 

Alexander Zharovsky – W – Age: 18 – Montreal Canadiens 

The Habs seem to have struck gold in Russia yet again. Following the success that Ivan Demidov has been, Zharovsky seems to be on a similar path. He may be a bit overshadowed by the miserable season that Salavat Ufa has had, but his pure skill is on display. He has earned the benefit of the doubt with the puck that he can make a play out of any situation. Again, Ufa is having a tough year, and Zharovsky has felt the effects of that. He is put with different linemates and has even seen time at center, which his game is not suited for. Additionally, Zharovsky has a lot of physical maturing left, as he sits at just 163 pounds. All things considered, with all of the skill Zharovsky possesses, the fact that we may just be scratching the surface of his development should be music to Canadiens fans’ ears. Similar to Surin, his contract expires at the conclusion of the 2026-27 season. By then, who knows where Zharovsky will be physically, while his pure skill should still be an elite trait of his. He will be joining Montreal at a perfect time in their competitive window. 

Dmitri Gamzin  – G – Age: 22 – New York Islanders 

The Islanders may have done it again. They had success drafting Ilya Sorokin in 2014, where he spent six seasons in Russia before transitioning to North America. The club is in a similar situation this time around, as Gamzin is in his third straight season of pure dominance in the crease. His save percentage has been over .925 in each of these campaigns, while it sits at .931 so far this year. Gamzin stands at 6-3, which is surprisingly small for a goaltender. He makes up for the lack of size with an impressive athletic ability. He moves well and handles traffic in front of his face well, being able to duck around players in front to track the puck. Unless needed, Gamzin rarely scrambles in the blue paint, staying composed and on top of his mechanics. His numbers at the KHL level are no fluke, he is a talented goaltender that still has some runway for development. 

The timeline for Gamzin and the Islanders is pretty perfect. His contract with CSKA Moskva expires after 2026-27, while Sorokin’s expires after 2029-30. This provides a three-year window to evaluate Gamzin in North America, all while still having a veteran Sorokin manning the blue paint.  While it is still early, Gamzin looks like he could be the next great Russian Islanders goaltender. 

Honorable Mentions:

Mikhail Ilyin – PIT – (7 G, 15 A, 22 PTS)

Matvei Korotky – STL – (9 G, 6 A, 15 PTS)

Dmitri Buchelnikov – DET – (9 G, 10 A, 19 PTS)

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At some point, all of these players should see extended time in the NHL. Not only are they certainly skilled enough to hold their own, their respective situations in the NHL are conducive to their success. Again, we see it so often with players from Russia, it just takes a little bit longer than other places for the fruits of a draft pick to be fully recognized. When it does happen, these NHL clubs should be more than happy with the results they will see. 

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Thank you for reading! Follow me on X @norr028 and check out my substack page https://nickorr.substack.com/ for updates all season long!