The Vegas Golden Knights are about to add another Russian forward to their pipeline.
According to TSN 690’s Andrew Zadarnowski, Russian free agent Ilya Mikheyev is set to cross the pond and sign with the Golden Knights.
Mikheyev, 24, just finished up his fifth season playing for the KHL’s Avangard Omsk. In 62 games, the 6-foot-2 winger scored 23 goals and registered 22 helpers for Omsk. He also recorded four goals and 11 points in 13 playoff games.
Here’s a quick scouting report on Mikheyev, via The Hockey News.
While his overall point total may not seem impressive, Mikheyev was the best player on a team that features a handful of former NHLers and did a lot of the heavy lifting for Omsk. Mikheyev features a good mix of speed, strength and skill and doesn’t back down from a defensive challenge. Mikheyev is 24, so there’s potential he could step into a bottom-six role right away.
Here’s a taste of what Ilya Mikheyev can do. Nice takeaway as a Finnish player attempts a controlled exit out of the defensive zone and zips a quick wrister right past the goalie. pic.twitter.com/AG4xd7hS0M
— Ryan Quigley (@RP_Quigs) April 21, 2019
Not unlike Nikita Gusev, who just signed with the Golden Knights last week, Mikheyev will need to sign a one-year, entry-level contract. Once signed, his contract will expire at the end of this season, making him a restricted free agent. In essence, there is no concrete guarantee that Mikheyev will ever even put on a Golden Knights sweater. But the fact that the Knights feel comfortable enough to sign him at all seems to be encouraging.