Introduction
While Bogdan Konyushkov’s season in the KHL with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod was at the same level that we have come to expect from him, with heavy minutes in all situations, stable defensive play, and “low production,” there were two things that differed from this time 12 months months ago. He was at rookie camp, joining a few of the other Russian prospects in Brossard in July, and he signed a contract extension with Torpedo. While the first was positive for many fans (and voters in the Top 25 Under 25), the second was a bit more negative. The speculation is that the extension was agreed upon because Konyushkov wants to avoid the AHL and the Montreal Canadiens’ logjam that exists among the defence.
Comparing Torpedo’s last two seasons it is clear that they played out similarly: 75 points in 2023-24 to 71 this time around. However, when Torpedo was swept out of the Gagarin Cup by eventual winners Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, Konyushkov joined the VHL team, Torpedo Gorky, for its playoff run. That was a success, both personally with 13 point (3G, 10A) in 17 games with a +14 rating, and team-wise as Gorky won the VHL championship for the first time in the history of the club.
Konyushkov came into development camp as one of the highest-touted defence prospects in the system, and he showed why. He didn’t play a flashy game but made it clear that his vision and defensive awareness were a step above most of his peers. He was a general in the defensive zone, taking control and acting as a leader for his team as one of the older prospects at camp.
Though his vision and defensive play stood out mightily, his skating was still a noticeable weakness, specifically when looking at his mobility. He was caught laterally a few times by quicker prospects and had some trouble backchecking from the neutral zone. Overall, it was obvious that Konyushkov is a pro-level player who is still a few steps away from the NHL.
– William Shoukri
Voting
Konyushkov received the majority of his votes in the 20s and his average ranking lands at 25.1. He is not on the plateau with the previous four players we looked at, but rather on his own, 1.5 spots clear of Sean Farrell behind him, but with an average ranking two spots lower than the player at 22nd.
Konyushkov drops in the rankings from 21st in 2024 to 23rd, but this is more due to an influx of new players than having had a bad season. The contract extension that was signed after development camp with Torpedo probably factored into the voting decisions as well.
Top 25 Under 25 History
| 2023: #35 | 2024: #21 |
History of #23
| Year | #23 |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Bogdan Konyushkov |
| 2024 | Florian Xhekaj |
| 2023 | Jacob Fowler |
| 2022 | Frederik Dichow |
| 2021 | Brett Stapley |
| 2020 | Otto Leskinen |
| 2019 | Rhett Pitlick |
| 2018 | Michael McCarron |
| 2017 | Lukas Vejdemo |
| 2016 | Zachary Fucale |
| 2015 | Gabriel Dumont |
| 2014 | Darren Dietz |
| 2013 | Dalton Thrower |
| 2012 | Greg Pateryn |
| 2011 | Alain Berger |
| 2010 | Andreas Engqvist |
Strengths
Konyushkov’s strengths are his hockey sense and defensive game. That is his bread and butter and what would take him to the NHL. The defenceman processes the game at a high speed, and has a good teacher in coach Igor Larionov.
While Konyushkov plays physically, he doesn’t compare to Alexander Romanov during his KHL career. The two are similar in size, but the play style is very different as Konyushkov doesn’t bring the same edge. Konyushkov does have the same understanding of the game though, and that translates well into the NHL as evidenced by Romanov’s success.
Konyushkov’s vision is also good and that was more apparent during the VHL playoffs. He was setting up goals and racking up assists at a good pace with his competition level lowered. He can be used on the power play and can quarterback it from the blue line, however he is no man-advantage specialist and shouldn’t be expected to thrive in that role.
He is an intellectual. His Instagram feed used to be filled with theatre, books, and museum visits. He used to draw different leadership conclusions from those visits and took lessons to perform at a higher level; a little bit like the ‘old’ Russian book of hockey from the 1970s and 1980s. With this in mind, it is not difficult to understand why Larionov himself has used Konyushkov in his leadership group and as a captain for the team.
Weaknesses
Konyushkov’s skating isn’t up to par with the way Russians are typically expected to move on the ice, which William also noted at development camp. There was some improvement in this area last season. His backward skating has improved, however he still struggles a bit with with laterally adjusting his position.
His performances also have to be put in context of a KHL that has become a very open league, especially with the dropoff in quality following the exodus of international players. Even though the arenas have a variety of rink sizes (Olympic, Hybrid, and NHL-sized), the skating might be more of a problem in Russia rather than in a more structured environment in a league with the smaller rinks.
Projection
Konyushkov plays in a good pro league, even if the quality has dropped, and that’s a huge plus especially considering his usage and leadership role. The contract extension with Torpedo was signed after development camps and it must have happened with the Canadiens’ good graces, and shouldn’t really be taken as a backward step in his development even if many want to see him in North America as soon as possible. One would think that the extension is a way to avoid playing in the AHL, but it opens up the question of whether Konyushkov will come over unless he is promised an NHL spot.
The big question really is: what does Montreal have in Konyushkov, and where does he fit into the lineup when the time comes to bring him over? With regards to the defence prospect pool, it could be interesting to see what his value would be in a trade, and while I don’t think that he could be the main part of a deal he could be included as part of one. As a 22- or 23-year-old he would be on a two-year entry-level contract if he were to sign, however as he turns 24 on the December 20, 2026 he would be on a one-year, prove-it ELC, which means that the trade option might be more valuable for Montreal down the line.
