A rough opening week has already put Gleb Pugachyov in an uncomfortable spot.
Just weeks after the Montreal Canadiens used the 26th pick on the Russian forward, his path has hit an early snag. Pugachyov had earned a place on Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod’s roster before the season began, but he was then left out of the lineup for the first four games of the road trip.
That’s not the kind of start Canadiens fans wanted to see from a first-round pick, especially with Montreal having made Russian forwards a habit at the top of the draft for a third straight year. The club followed Ivan Demidov and Alexander Zharovsky with Pugachyov this summer, and the early returns are already under the microscope.
The contrast with Demidov only sharpens the picture. Montreal’s first pick in 2024 has already settled in as a regular with the NHL club, while Pugachyov is still fighting to get on the ice in his own league.
And while Pugachyov waits for his next chance, a Bruins prospect is grabbing attention elsewhere.
Boston fourth-round pick Matvei Kotkov, taken 104th overall, scored the first KHL goal of his career and also gave Lokomotiv Yaroslavl its first goal of the season. The 18-year-old had already turned heads at Bruins development camp before making the jump to the KHL.
There’s still plenty of time for Pugachyov to change the narrative, but this is the sort of early setback that reminds everyone how unpredictable young-player development can be. Zharovsky, who recently made his own season debut, is another name worth keeping close tabs on in the weeks ahead.
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Gallaghers comments also underscored how much of his leadership style was forged in Montreal, where he spent years through some difficult stretches and came away with a clear appreciation for how a team is built beyond the standings. For the Canadiens, it is another reminder of the imprint he left behind, even as he turns the page to a Canucks group that will be looking to him for more than just energy on the ice. [Read more 🡒]
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Peter Laviolette III, the former Laval Rocket forward, was the player who stepped in once the exchange with Kulakov escalated. Cooley helped spark the incident, but he did not continue fighting after the other two players dropped the gloves, leaving the brief scuffle as one more reminder of how quickly summer games can turn into something a little more serious. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Camp Could Force A Tough Samuel Montembeault Decision
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The organization has already lived through that path before, most notably in 2023-24, when the setup led to limited success before Jake Allen was moved out. With Dobes and Fowler viewed as the long-term options, Montreal needs a clearer plan before the 2026-27 opener, and Montembeault is the one whose place feels most open to debate as camp approaches. [Read more 🡒]