A second Russian player and third goaltender has been selected by the Montreal Canadiens on day two, as they’ve opted for Yevgeni Volokhin with the 69th pick of the 2023 NHL Draft.
Kent Hughes and his scouting staff are taking a brute-force approach to the dearth of goaltending talent in the organization, already selecting Cam Fowler and Quentin Miller in the draft.
Volokhin had strong numbers playing with peers in Russia, finishing a season with no lower than a .927 save percentage in the last three seasons. In 2022-23 he posted that mark in the MHL with Mamonty Yugry, and ended with a .931 mark in the post-season.
At 6’3″ but just 163 pounds, there is much more physical maturity to go for Volokhin, but he will have plenty of years to develop in Russia before he ever becomes a realistic option for the Montreal Canadiens roster.
