Gleb Pugachyov: Here’s what the plan is with him for the 26-27 season

Marc-Olivier Cook
Gleb Pugachyov: Here’s what the plan is with him for the 26-27 season
Credit: Capture d'écran | Twitter

Canadiens fans will have to wait a little longer before seeing Gleb Pugachyov settle permanently in the KHL.

According to information obtained by Nicolas Cloutier (TVA Sports) from a Torpedo executive, Pugachyov is expected to play at various levels within the organization during the 2026–2027 season.

The young prospect will continue his development in Russia (as we already knew), and he may be called upon to shuttle back and forth between Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod's various teams this season.

He'll be shuttling back and forth between the farm teams. – A Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod executive

For example, Pugachyov played a game yesterday in the MHL (which is equivalent to the junior league in Russia). But we should see him play KHL games over the course of the next year, according to information from Nicolas Cloutier—and that's good news.

The Torpedo organization doesn't want to rush things: the management wants to see Pugachyov force his way into the lineup to earn playing time. And that's not unreasonable, either.

His development won't necessarily follow a straight path.

He could start some games in the KHL, be sent down to the VHL to take on more responsibilities, and then return to the big club when the time is right.

And even then, for the Canadiens, that's not necessarily bad news.

Because at 6'3 and (approximately) 225 pounds, Pugachyov already has the physical build sought after in an NHL power forward… but he still needs to gain consistency and continue his development.

And rather than rushing things, Torpedo seems intent on providing him with an environment where he can continue to improve, which is beneficial for the Canadiens.

Each season Pugachyov spends in the KHL will provide another opportunity to see their first-round pick get closer to the level expected of him, and even though the road to Montreal will still be long, Pugachyov is likely to have several chances this season to prove that he eventually deserves to make it there.


In a Nutshell

– Nice.

– It's well-deserved.

– Good question.

– Yeah!

facebook icon Share twitter icon Tweet linkedin icon Share
Copied!