The steal of the draft: Kent Hughes pulled off an absolute robbery

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MarcO
December 24, 2023 (3:05 PM)

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Photo credit: Dobberprospect

Drafted in the 4th round (110th overall) by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2023 draft held in Nashville, Bogdan Konyushkov is on track to become one of the organization's interesting prospects.

He continues to impress with his performances in the KHL with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, accumulating an impressive 25 points (2 goals, 23 assists) in 64 games for the 2022-23 season, and that at just 20 years old!

In an interview conducted by Nicolas Cloutier of TVA Sports, Konyushkov's coach, Igor Larionov, made several very interesting and encouraging statements for the fans of the Montreal Canadiens. Despite his small size, Larionov believes he has the tools to perform well.

"Certainly, he will become one of the best defenders in the KHL. As for the NHL, he would be able to play this year. He would be good enough." - Igor Larionov

The only downside is that he is under contract for three seasons with Torpedo. However, Larionov is still reassuring.

"In my opinion, if I sent him to you today, he would be a key player for Montreal. I know the team, I know the players. I've watched a few Canadiens games last season. And I know Bogdan: his skill level, his work ethic, his desire to be the best player." - Igor Larionov

So, Montreal Canadiens fans, rejoice, but you'll need to be patient before seeing him arrive in North America! Of course, the fear of him staying in the KHL is always present when talking about Russian players, but Larionov is reassuring in this regard.

"Any young Russian player obviously dreams of playing in the NHL. Especially for a team like Montreal with a rich history and tradition. I told Bogdan that it was a fantastic city to play hockey in." - Igor Larionov

Although the young player seems to have certain talent, a stint with the Laval Rocket seems inevitable to improve some aspects of his game and get accustomed to North American play. Bodgan Konyushkov, another name to add to the long list of prospects on the blue line.

Previously on habslatest

Worrying photo emerges: Alex Newhook's status concerns fans

Slafkovsky traded for Wright? Insider confirms what would happen

Martin St-Louis Makes a Major Statement on Juraj Slafkovsky

POLL
24 DECEMBRE \| 471 ANSWERS The steal of the draft: Kent Hughes pulled off an absolute robbery Do you think he will be a star player?
Yes	229	48.6 %
No	94	20 %
I don't know him	148	31.4 %
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