Defenceman Yan Kuznetsov signs with the Calgary Flames. Kuznetsov was their second-round pick in the recent 2020 Draft. The 6’4″ Russian didn’t have the greatest sophomore season in college, but he could still debut this year depending on how the Flames approach the remainder of the season. The deal is for three years with an annual cap hit of just over $900 thousand. Hailey Salvian of The Athletic reported the signing earlier this week.
The #Flames have signed defenceman Yan Kuznetsov to a three-year entry-level contract.
Kuznetsov was Calgary’s second round draft choice in 2020.
— Hailey Salvian (@hailey_salvian) March 30, 2021
Flames Sign Yan Kuznetsov
Kuznetsov has not been particularly impressive during the 2020-21 hockey calendar. He scored no points in seven games with Russia’s under-20 squad at the World Junior Championships. He also posted just one goal and six points in 16 games with the University of Connecticut at the NCAA level. The scoring rate rose slightly from .32 per game in 2019-20 to .375 this year, but it’s just not what some might have expected coming off a solid freshman year.
The Flames originally selected Kuznetsov 50th overall in the 2020 Draft and look like they a solid, if unspectacular prospect at their disposal. He is an average skater in terms of speed and acceleration, but he looks fine when skating backwards on defence. He has a big frame which he uses to both power a strong shot and frustrate opponents on defence. There is a real future as a top-four defender if his development goes smoothly.
What This Means For The Future
Don’t expect Kuznetsov to reach the NHL level this year. Even if the team moves some of their pending free-agent defenders, they have other taxi squad or minor league options available. Remember that the big Russian is still just 19-years-old. He has plenty of seasoning left before he is a real factor at the highest level. However, watch his progress with AHL Stockton closely. It’s not impossible he battles for a bottom-pairing spot in 2021-22 with a fast adjustment to the professional game.
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