Nikita Prishchepov

September 2026 – Prishchepov has been assigned to the AHL to begin the 2026-27 season with the Eagles. The tenacious bottom-sixer is healthy which is a good sign, but did not make a significant impact in his brief pre-season to warrant NHL consideration. Interestingly, the team has moved him from the wing to the center position after being impressed with his awareness everywhere on the ice. This is a good sign for the team’s long-term belief in his utility and hockey IQ, and potentially adding FOW to his multi-cat potential would be great for fantasy owners if he can push for another tryout. Hayden Soboleski

April 2026 – Prishchepov accumulated 22 games played and managed 12 points in that span, but he has suffered another lower-body injury and has been out of the lineup for a month. His modest scoring and energetic game have solidified him as a full-time AHLer with NHL upside, but that only exists if he can stay healthy for more than a few months at a time. He has one year left on his ELC to do so if he doesn’t return in time for AHL playoffs this season. Hayden Soboleski

December 2025 – A lower-body injury kept Prishchepov out of action until November, and through his first nine games of action this year he’s managed three assists and 16 PIM (boosted by a single roughing call with a 10-minute misconduct attached). The energetic forward has been able to provide solid physical play with some PK time, while also finding room around the slot when in the offensive zone. As a fantasy asset his value will rely on him putting up hits because his other peripheral stats have not yet hit notable levels. Hayden Soboleski

June 2025 – Prishchepov played out the rest of his rookie pro campaign in the AHL, managing a respectable 22 points in 38 PIM in 48 outings. He played primarily in the middle-six and ran extremely cold at times, so his fantasy future will depend on him turning into a reliable depth piece who can provide peripherals when he’s not hitting the scoresheet. He will be on the call-up shortlist for 2025-26 but his stint last season won’t necessarily give him top priority. Hayden Soboleski

December 2024 – As the Avalanche faced an unprecedented number of injuries to their forward corp, Prishchepov was recalled for 10 games, becoming just the 3rd player from the 2024 draft to make his NHL debut. This was clearly a rushed move for a player who was not yet ready from a development perspective, but who was at least more physically prepared for the big leagues than some other options. He went pointless in 10 games with just 4 SOG and 10 hits in that span. His AHL rookie campaign has been more successful, where he currently sits at 10 points in 16 games and is putting up reasonably consistent shooting totals while getting some powerplay time. He is still a longshot for any fantasy relevance, but the 7th-round pick got a nice boost due to unfortunately team circumstances. Hayden Soboleski

September 2024 – The Avalanche have signed Prishchepov to a 3-year ELC, and the 20-year-old will begin his pro career with the AHL Eagles this season.

Colorado selected the center/winger in the 7th round of the 2024 draft. He has a good frame that is already pro-ready, and he broke out in his most recent QMJHL playoff run where he put up 3 goals, 8 assists, and 20 PIM in 14 matches showing worthwhile fantasy upside. His career-high in points is 67 in 63 games, which is fine for a 19-year-old in the Q but isn’t enough to be a likely pro scorer so he will be expected to round out his game in the AHL. He has some grit to his game already and has some fighting history in Junior, so his path to the NHL will likely depend on him becoming mean in a small role while still contributing a few points along the way. A long-term project, do not draft for now. Hayden Soboleski