Dan Milstein gave Nashville Predators fans a fresh reason to keep an eye on Yegor Surin.
The veteran NHL agent, who has been plenty visible on social media and in the public spotlight, appeared on Jeff Marek and David Pagnotta’s DFO Insider podcast after Nikita Kucherov’s trade request sent the hockey world into a frenzy. While the conversation centered on that situation, Milstein also touched on some of his other clients, and Surin’s name came up in a way Predators fans will like.
“At the conclusion of this year, he will be signing and joining the Nashville Predators. They’re super excited to see him. Hopefully, if everything goes well with the big club at the beginning of next season.”
That lines up with what Surin has already said about Nashville. At this summer’s development camp, he spoke highly of the organization and made it clear he wanted one more year in the KHL before trying to become a full-time pro in North America.
Surin is coming off a steady climb with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl over a four-year KHL run. After a quiet start as an 18-year-old, he put up 37 points in 57 games last season. This year, he has 13 points in his first 21 games and is tracking toward another career-best campaign.
There’s a reason Milstein sounds optimistic about how Surin will fit in once he gets to Nashville. The 6-foot-2 center brings size, speed, and a willingness to play through contact. He isn’t one of those smaller Russian prospects who needs extra sheltering, and his game is built to handle the pace and physical edge of North American hockey.
Surin impressed enough at development camp that some fans wanted him to make the jump a year earlier. But getting Russian players out of contracts is rarely simple, and that leaves his NHL debut projected for the 2027-28 season.
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