The Columbus Blue Jackets surprised some with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
They took goalie Pyotr Andreyanov out of Russia after he posted a .942 save percentage in the MHL, the under-21 league in that country.
But Columbus won’t see him for a while.
Andreyanov has signed a five-year deal with CSKA Moscow in the KHL. According to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline, the deal will keep Andreyanov there through at least four seasons before he has an opt out to come to the NHL.
Given that Andreyanov only turned 18 in January, it’s not a total shock that he’s staying home for a few more years before coming stateside.
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There’s a bit of risk that Andreyanov decides never to come, but Pro Hockey Rumors reports that this was the plan all along, and that there’s a joint expectation that the two sides will unite at the NHL level at the end of his time in the KHL.
The Blue Jackets will have to just be patient and look forward to a potential future star in the net. For now, Andreyanov stays in Russia.
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