The Montreal Canadiens have convinced one of their draft picks to join the organization, agreeing to terms with Arsen Khisamutdinov on a two-year entry-level contract. Khisamutdinov had been playing in Russia, splitting the 2019-20 season between the KHL and VHL.
Despite being selected in 2019, Khisamutdinov is already 22 years old and was only eligible for a two-year contract. The 6’3″ forward had just three points in his 31 KHL contests after being selected in the sixth round last year.
There’s still a long way to go for the 22-year old Russian, who is still more of a lottery ticket or “project” for the Canadiens development system. While he was a dominant offensive player in junior, it’s difficult to know if that skill will translate to the professional ranks. Montreal obviously believes they can work with him and make him into an asset for the organization, but it may be some time before you hear Khisamutdinov in the NHL lineup.