Courtesy of The Hockey Writers

Fantasy Summary

A creative defender who brings a little bit of everything to the table. Despite being a seventh-round pick, carries sneaky NHL upside


Observations

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December 2024 – Kudryavtsev’s first professional season is off to a good start. After finishing 2023-24 with the Greyhounds, he signed his entry-level contract with the Canucks, bringing him to Abbotsford for 2024-25. So far, he has been Abbotsford’s better defenseman. Kudryavtsev is up to 12 points, the most among Abbotsford defensemen. He is also anchoring the team’s power play. Additionally, he has shown the ability to play both the right and left sides, with his game staying consistent on both. Kudryavtsev is looking to keep playing at a high level for the remainder of the year. Nick Orr

April 2024 – Much like last season, Kudryavtsev had another solid campaign. The defenseman finished with 47 points in 67 games, ranking 16th among all defensemen in the OHL. Currently, Kudryavtsev is competing in the playoffs with the Greyhounds, where he has performed exceptionally well, tallying seven points in just eight games. Considering he was a seventh-round pick, it’s safe to say that the Canucks should be pleased with their selection. Cedrick Blais-Turcotte

March 2023 – Kudryavtsev has caught the attention of the Canucks, leading to an official Entry-Level deal. He is currently enjoying a career season with the Soo Greyhounds’, surpassing his 2020-21 totals (5G +34A) with plenty of games in hand. He has emerged as the Hounds’ top puck mover on the backend and ranks among the top-15 leaguewide in points by a defender (6G + 40A). Despite the signing, fantasy investors should not anticipate immediate returns as Kudryavtsev is expected to return to the Soo for his third year in 2023-24, where he’ll continue to develop his game as a number-one quarterback. Being a late-round draftee, there is still a long way to go before he dons an NHL jersey. Nevertheless, much like they have done with previous seventh-round projects, the Canucks seem to recognize his potential as a two-way presence down the road. Dave Hall

July 2022 – Kudryavtsev was drafted in the seventh round (201st overall) by the Vancouver Canucks. The left-shot rearguard made the trip across the pond for the 2021-22 campaign, suiting up for the Soo Greyhounds. His transition to the small ice was rather seamless, earning immediate top-four minutes and making his presence felt on the scoresheet. With 39 points (5-34-39), the Russian defender finished third among rookie defenders league-wide. He is a player who brings pinches of everything and can be more than competent at both ends of the ice. His game lacks consistency, and there are tendencies to take his foot off the gas. However, when he’s on, he is a competitor and a dual threat on the ice. As a seventh-round pick, his path to the top offers an extended timeline. However, despite falling at the draft table, he projects quite high and carries interesting NHL upside. Dave Hall

Attributes
Fantasy Upside 6.5
NHL Certainty 4.5
Country RUS
Position D
Roster Type Minors
Shoot/Glove Left
Date of Birth February 5, 2004
Height 6‘0”
Weight 201 lbs
Drafted 2022 Round 7; Overall: 208

Stats

 Season Team League GP G A TP PIM      Playoffs GP G A TP PIM 
 2017-2018 Team Center U14Districts Cup U146 1 56 2|        
 2018-2019 Lokomotiv-2004 Yaroslavl U16Russia U161 0 00 0|        
  Team Center U15Districts Cup U158 0 22 6|        
 2019-2020 Lokomotiv-2004 Yaroslavl U16Russia U1627 7 2835 24|        
  Team Center U16Districts Cup U167 3 58 2|        
  Russia U16 (all)International-Jr15 0 77 8|        
  Russia U16 YOG4 0 44 0|        
 2020-2021 Loko YaroslavlMHL20 2 57 8|        
  Loko-76 YaroslavlNMHL10 1 34 2|        
 2021-2022 Russia U18Hlinka Gretzky Cup5 1 12 4|        
  Soo GreyhoundsOHL68 5 3439 10|Playoffs10 0 44
 2022-2023 Soo GreyhoundsOHL67 8 4250 14|        
 2023-2024 Soo GreyhoundsOHL67 5 4247 18|Playoffs11 1 89
 2024-2025 Abbotsford CanucksAHL23 2 1214 8|        

Highlights