Have Oilers finally found the player to break nasty trend with Russian prospects?

Cult of Hockey prospect series 2025: #18, Nikita Yevseyev

(Previously #15 in 2024) 20 years old, 6’1, 187 lbs., drafted #190 overall in 2022 Article content Article content Article content

It’s not like the Edmonton Oilers have never had success with Russian players and Russian draft picks.

Bo Mironov, Igor Ulanov, Igor Kravchuk, Denis Grebeshkov all put in solid seasons on the Oilers blueline. Former USSR national team forward Anatoli Semenov had two good years on the wing in the early 1990s, as did Andrei Kovalenko in the late ’90s.

Winger Sergei Samsonov was a Top 6 winger on Edmonton’s 2006 Cup finalist squad.

And both Klim Kostin and Vasily Podkolzin have caused a stir on the Oilers in recent seasons with their strong physical play.

But that’s as good as it gets with th