Russian players in the NHL Draft
813 Russian players have been picked in 46 NHL Drafts from 1978 to 2026, 84 of them in the first round and 8 among the first three picks. The highest picks of all time are Nail Yakupov (2012), Alex Ovechkin (2004) and Ilya Kovalchuk (2001), all at number 1. Close behind come Andrei Svechnikov (2018), Evgeni Malkin (2004), Andrei Zyuzin (1996) and Alexei Yashin (1992), at number 2. The biggest class came in 2000, with 41. 2000 had the most in the first round, 7.
2020s
167 Russians
2026JUN 26–JUN 27 · Buffalo, NY, USA
Cohort: 2008
Latest23
Russians
1
Round 1
BUF#20Ilia Morozov
2025JUN 27–JUN 28 · Los Angeles, CA, USA
Cohort: 2007
21
Russians
1
Round 1
CBJ#20Pyotr Andreyanov
2024JUN 28–JUN 29 · Las Vegas, NV, USA
Cohort: 2006
27
Russians
4
Round 1
MTL#5Ivan Demidov
2023JUN 28–JUN 29 · Nashville, TN, USA
Cohort: 2005
19
Russians
4
Round 1
ARI#6Dmitri Simashev
2022JUL 7–JUL 8 · Montreal, QC, CAN
Cohort: 2004
24
Russians
3
Round 1
ANA#10Pavel Mintyukov
2021JUL 23–JUL 24 · Virtual
Cohort: 2003
29
Russians
1
Round 1
NSH#19Fedor Svechkov
2020OCT 6–OCT 7 · Virtual
Cohort: 2002
24
Russians
4
Round 1
NSH#11Yaroslav Askarov
Draft statistics of all time
Highest draft picks
The best draft picks
Alex Ovechkin
WSHNo. 1 in 2004 · 1583 GP
930G 761A1691P
Evgeni Malkin
PITNo. 2 in 2004 · 1280 GP
539G 877A1416P
Sergei Fedorov
DETNo. 74 in 1989 · 1248 GP
483G 696A1179P
4
Nikita Kucherov
TBLNo. 58 in 2011 · 890 GP
405G 733A1138P
5
Alexander Mogilny
BUFNo. 89 in 1988 · 990 GP
473G 559A1032P
6
Alex Kovalev
NYRNo. 15 in 1991 · 1316 GP
430G 599A1029P
7
Pavel Datsyuk
DETNo. 171 in 1998 · 953 GP
314G 604A918P
8
Ilya Kovalchuk
ATLNo. 1 in 2001 · 926 GP
443G 433A876P
9
Vyacheslav Kozlov
DETNo. 45 in 1990 · 1182 GP
356G 497A853P
10
Sergei Gonchar
WSHNo. 14 in 1992 · 1301 GP
220G 591A811P
2010s
145 Russians2019JUN 21–JUN 22 · Vancouver, BC, CAN
Cohort: 2001
26
Russians
1
Round 1
VAN#10Vasily Podkolzin
2018JUN 22–JUN 23 · Dallas, TX, USA
Cohort: 2000
19
Russians
4
Round 1
CAR#2Andrei Svechnikov
2017JUN 23–JUN 24 · Chicago, IL, USA
Cohort: 1999
17
Russians
1
Round 1
STL#31Klim Kostin
2016JUN 24–JUN 25 · Buffalo, NY, USA
Cohort: 1998
17
Russians
2
Round 1
MTL#9Mikhail Sergachev
2015JUN 26–JUN 27 · Sunrise, FL, USA
Cohort: 1997
17
Russians
4
Round 1
PHI#7Ivan Provorov
2014JUN 27–JUN 28 · Philadelphia, PA, USA
Cohort: 1996
13
Russians
2
Round 1
MTL#26Nikita Scherbak
2013JUN 30 · Newark, NJ, USA
Cohort: 1995
8
Russians
2
Round 1
DAL#10Valeri Nichushkin
2012JUN 22–JUN 23 · Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Cohort: 1994
11
Russians
3
Round 1
EDM#1Nail Yakupov
2011JUN 24–JUN 25 · St. Paul, MN, USA
Cohort: 1993
9
Russians
1
Round 1
TBL#27Vladislav Namestnikov
2010JUN 25–JUN 26 · Los Angeles, CA, USA
Cohort: 1992
8
Russians
3
Round 1
ATL#8Alexander Burmistrov
2000s
208 Russians2009JUN 26–JUN 27 · Montreal, QC, CAN
Cohort: 1991
7
Russians
1
Round 1
FLA#14Dmitry Kulikov
2008JUN 20–JUN 21 · Ottawa, ON, CAN
Cohort: 1990
8
Russians
1
Round 1
CBJ#6Nikita Filatov
2007JUN 22–JUN 23 · Columbus, OH, USA
Cohort: 1989
9
Russians
1
Round 1
NYR#17Alexei Cherepanov
2006JUN 24 · Vancouver, BC, CAN
Cohort: 1988
15
Russians
2
Round 1
WSH#23Semyon Varlamov
2005JUL 30 · Ottawa, ON, CAN
Cohort: 1987
11
Russians
0
Round 1
OTT#70Vitaly Anikeyenko
2004JUN 26–JUN 27 · Raleigh, NC, USA
Cohort: 1986
19
Russians
3
Round 1
WSH#1Alex Ovechkin
2003JUN 21–JUN 22 · Nashville, TN, USA
Cohort: 1985
29
Russians
0
Round 1
NSH#35Konstantin Glazachev
2002JUN 22–JUN 23 · Toronto, ON, CAN
Cohort: 1984
33
Russians
2
Round 1
WSH#13Alexander Semin
2001JUN 23–JUN 24 · Sunrise, FL, USA
Cohort: 1983
36
Russians
4
Round 1
ATL#1Ilya Kovalchuk
2000JUN 24–JUN 25 · Calgary, AB, CAN
Cohort: 1982
41
Russians
7
Round 1
TBL#8Nikita Alexeev
1990s
254 Russians1999JUN 26 · Boston, MA, USA
Cohort: 1981
29
Russians
3
Round 1
CGY#11Oleg Saprykin
1998JUN 27 · Buffalo, NY, USA
Cohort: 1980
21
Russians
1
Round 1
BUF#18Dmitri Kalinin
1997JUN 21 · Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Cohort: 1979
19
Russians
1
Round 1
BOS#8Sergei Samsonov
1996JUN 22 · St. Louis, MO, USA
Cohort: 1978
21
Russians
2
Round 1
SJS#2Andrei Zyuzin
1995JUL 8 · Edmonton, AB, CAN
Cohort: 1977
24
Russians
3
Round 1
CHI#19Dimitri Nabokov
1994JUN 28–JUN 29 · Hartford, CT, USA
Cohort: 1976
30
Russians
4
Round 1
WSH#15Alexander Kharlamov
1993JUN 25 · Quebec City, QC CAN
Cohort: 1975
35
Russians
1
Round 1
SJS#6Viktor Kozlov
1992JUN 19 · Montreal, QC CAN
Cohort: 1974
40
Russians
6
Round 1
OTT#2Alexei Yashin
1991JUN 21 · Buffalo, NY USA
Cohort: 1972
22
Russians
1
Round 1
NYR#15Alex Kovalev
1990JUN 15 · Vancouver, BC CAN
Cohort: 1970
13
Russians
0
Round 1
DET#45Vyacheslav Kozlov
1980s
38 Russians1989JUN 16 · Bloomington, MN USA
Cohort: 1969
16
Russians
0
Round 1
DET#74Sergei Fedorov
1988JUN 10 · Montreal, QC CAN
Cohort: 1970
8
Russians
0
Round 1
BUF#89Alexander Mogilny
1987JUN 13 · Detroit, MI, USA
Cohort: 1969
2
Russians
0
Round 1
VAN#150Viktor Tumineu
1986JUN 21 · Montreal, QC, CAN
Cohort: 1968
1
Russians
0
Round 1
VAN#238Vladimir Krutov
1985JUN 15 · Toronto, ON, CAN
Cohort: 1967
2
Russians
0
Round 1
VAN#214Igor Larionov
1984JUN 9 · Montreal, QC, CAN
Cohort: 1966
1
Russians
0
Round 1
WSH#227Mikhail Tatarinov
1983JUN 8 · Montreal, QC, CAN
Cohort: 1965
5
Russians
0
Round 1
MTL#138Vladislav Tretiak
1982JUN 9 · Montreal, QC, CAN
Cohort: 1964
3
Russians
0
Round 1
LAK#132Viktor Nechayev
1970s
1 Russians