Eastern Europe Stock Watch: Daniil Prokhorov finding his game in second half
We are rapidly approaching the All-Star break in the Russian hockey circuit, as well as another rendition of the Future Cup beginning on February 4th. This time, there will be no Russia U20 roster at the tournament, with Russia U17 taking their place for a showcase of even younger talent.
The KHL trade deadline just passed and it was quite an eventful one. Plenty of NHL drafted prospects were on the move, including Kirill Dolzhenkov (CBJ) to Omsk, Timur Mukhanov (CAR) to Nizhny Novgorod, and Ivan Vorobyovv (STL) to Khabarovsk. Multiple star players also went off the market, headlined by the likes of Daniel Sprong, Yevgeni Kuznetsov, and Kirill Pilipenko.
See the full list of transfers here.
That said, a lot has changed over the span of the last two months. Here’s a look at some players who have risen to the top of their leagues, a KHL debutante, and two players who haven’t been able to find form with new clubs.
Stock Rising 📈
Andrei Pustovoy, LW, Loko Yaroslavl (2027 NHL Draft)
To some extent, it was predictable that Andrei Pustovoy would become a top player at the MHL level. That pathway exploded two years ago when the then 15-year-old made the 7,500km trip from his hometown in Khabarovsk to Kazan, where he would go on to make his debut with Irbis last year. In a limited role, he produced 14 points in 41 games, but showed the tools and ability of a player with immense potential. After a few reps with the VHL club, Bars, in preseason, he was traded to Yaroslavl and hasn’t looked back.
Now a mainstay in a top-six role with one of the best junior teams in Russia, Pustovoy has amassed 42 points in 38 games. His hockey sense reigns supreme through ridiculous processing speed and anticipation for clinical decision making. He does not require much time to make a play that completely breaks down a defensive unit, making him an elite creator under pressure. To add extra value to his NHL Draft stock, he has even been given a handful of games at centre this year. He’s going back to the Future Cup with a head of steam, especially after scoring his first career hat trick on January 15th against Amurskie Tigry Khabarovsk.
Daniil Prokhorov, RW, Dynamo St. Petersburg (New York Islanders)
It is only fair to include Daniil Prokhorov here after he was featured in the ‘Stock Falling’ category in the previous Stock Watch. At that time, he was jumping between levels while not finding a home nor producing, but since then, he’s exploded in Russia’s second-tier.
Through 17 games over the last two months, the powerful winger managed to put up 18 points, showcasing his scoring threat off the rush. The production has been incredible at this stage of his career, especially as a player with little nuance to his game. Everything is black and white with Prokhorov: if he has the puck, he is sprinting straight for the net; if he doesn’t, he will do whatever it takes to throw a huge hit. Overall, this is easily one of the most entertaining prospects out there right now and the top U23 player in the VHL.
Yevgeni Yakunin, C, MHK Spartak Moskva (2027 NHL Draft)
Yevgeni Yakunin has shown no signs of slowing down since making his debut in the MHL. Centering the top line for the defending Kharlamov Cup Champions, the 16-year-old as well and truly exceeded expectations in his rookie season.
The big man is currently riding an eight-game point streak into the Future Cup, where he is one of just three 2009-born players on the Russian U18 roster. His ability to, not just fill the top line role, but to drive play with advanced transitional habits is truly phenomenal. A mixture of intelligence, power, and technique allow him to sequence plays together in motion, highlighted by multiple plays of quick passing through teammates that have led to Yakunin getting on the scoresheet.
Alexander Sapozhnikov, D, SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (2026 NHL Draft, re-entry)
Alexander Sapozhnikov is in his D+1 season as a rookie in the MHL, making for an unusual case for a potential NHL Draft pick. Like Alexander Zharovsky, Sapozhnikov came up through the Vityaz Podolsk system and was forced to make a decision about his hockey career as the Vityaz system was on a downhill spiral. As a result, he spent half of his D-1 season in Lipetsk, making his NMHL debut, before moving back to Podolsk to join their NMHL team, Voyevoda, for his draft-eligible season.
He moved into the Sochi system to start the 2025-26 campaign and picked up assists in his first two MHL games with Kapitan, then benchwarmed for Sochi for an extended stint. He featured in just five KHL games despite being in the lineup thirty times, but his 6-foot-6 frame and productive start to his junior career put him on the radar. With 12 points through his first 15 games with Kapitan on their top pairing, SKA St. Petersburg swooped in to acquire him at the trade deadline. He ended January with a three-point game against AKM Tula in his second game with SKA-1946.
The raw nature of his game stemming from the development path he’s taken only adds intrigue. He’s far from a finished product, but the size, skating, and flashes of two-way dominance at this stage could make for a potential late-round steal.
Honourable Mentions: Illarion Babkin (2027 NHL Draft), Anton Kosolapov, Mikhail Gamzakov (2026 NHL Draft, re-entry), Roman Laman (2026 NHL Draft), Kirill Yemelyanov (Boston Bruins)
Stock Steady ↔️
Ilyas Magomedsultanov, D, Loko Yaroslavl (San Jose Sharks)
Since returning from an injury in mid-November, Ilyas Magomedsultanov has been in steady form on Loko Yaroslavl’s second pairing. His aggressive defensive instincts make him a play killer at the junior level, using his mobility, range, and physical tenacity to attack puck carriers for early rush stops. While chaos still remains his go-to method of defence, he has taken steps to becoming a more reliable and responsible player for less mistakes and more chances to develop his play with the puck.
He ended his January with a KHL debut with Lokomotiv, playing two minutes against Lada Togliatti on the 30th.
Stock Falling 📉
Makar Khanin, RW, SKA-VMF St. Petersburg (Montreal Canadiens)
After an impressive freshman season in the VHL in 2023-24 that earned him a seventh-round selection as a D+1, Makar Khanin has struggled to return to form. Last season, he only played in six games of professional hockey between the VHL and KHL and was barely above the 0.5 point-per-game mark with MHK Dynamo Moskva.
This season, he has been playing full-time in the second-tier, but is still a far cry away from the success he found two years ago. He faced an early season injury that took him out for a month and only managed five points in 13 games with Dynamo St. Petersburg through December 4th. He missed another month of hockey and was eventually traded to the SKA St. Petersburg system on January 15th. Through his first three games with SKA-VMF, he has been held pointless and has seen his ice time lower in each game.
Vladimir Laptev, LW, Chaika Nizhny Novgorod (2026 NHL Draft)
Vladimir Laptev had a strong rookie season with Chaika last year, picking up 25 points in 48 regular season games and was a key player for their run into the semi-finals of the Kharlamov Cup Playoffs. All things considered, he was on pace to have the value of an NHL Draft selection.
To start this season, he played two MHL games before a single-game stint in the VHL. This was then followed by no hockey for three months, being released by Nizhny Novgorod in November. On December 18th, he was announced as a new signing by the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs and made his debut the following day with a two-point outing. Through six games, Laptev had four points and was then traded to the Surrey Eagles on January 20th. Before playing a game for them, he signed back with Nizhny Novgorod six days later and returned to the MHL on January 30th. There was potential for him to be a name to watch, but with just 10 games played to this point, it’s hard to see any value left.