It’s that time of the year for The Win Column’s NHL Draft Rankings and Draft Profiles! Earlier on, we released the TWC consolidated 2026 NHL Draft rankings. The 2026 NHL Draft will take place on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo.
Up today is Russian-born Gleb Pugachyov. Pugachyov spent time in the MHL, Russia’s top junior league, as well as both the VHL and KHL this past season.
Who is Gleb Pugachyov?
| Player | Position | Shoots | Height | Weight | Nationality | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gleb Pugachyov | Right Wing | Left | 6’3″ / 190cm | 198lbs / 90kg | Russia | TWC Rank #50 / CS EU Rank #9 |
At 6’3″, 200 lbs, Pugachyov is a natural athlete who doesn’t leave much in the tank when his skates hit the ice. With great skating ability and physicality, Pugachyov is a trademark power forward.
Pugachyov’s on-ice production
| Year | Draft Rel. | League | Team | GP | G | A | P | P/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | D-2 | Russia U16 | Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod U16 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1.33 |
| D-2 | Russia U18 | Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod U18 | 9 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 1.33 | |
| 2024-25 | D-1 | Russia U18 | Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod U18 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 1.5 |
| D-1 | MHL | Chaika Nizhny Novgorod | 42 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 0.4 | |
| 2025-26 | D+0 | KHL | Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod | 13 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0.23 |
| D+0 | VHL | Torpedo-Gorky NN | 15 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0.33 | |
| D+0 | MHL | Chaika Nizhny Novgorod | 33 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 0.73 |
Pugachyov’s first measurable showing came in 2024-25 in the MHL. With 42 games, his 5 goals and 17 points were a drastic reduction from his minor hockey days, but Pugachyov is still a presence on offence. He has a heavy shot and uses his frame to put himself in great scoring position in front of the net. He isn’t afraid to be physical either; actually, he loves it. The MHL rookie also posted 84 penalty minutes while maintaining a +9. He’s a true power forward, and although his stats don’t jump off the page, Gleb is a high motor, incredibly fast and lengthy player that puts himself in great position and is tenacious for the puck.
His draft season saw him carry this consistent two-way playstyle from junior, through the VHL and KHL. Notably, in his 13 games with the KHL club, he averaged 10 minutes of TOI per period while also playing on the penalty kill at times and maintained a +7. Pugachyov won’t win a Rocket Richard in his career, but he does look to be a safe, impactful pick who could creep into the first round.
Pugachyov’s strengths
Skating
First and foremost, this guy can skate like the wind. His straight-line speed might be the best in the draft. He uses his lengthy stride efficiently, and he always looks like he’s moving his feet. There isn’t much opportunity for him to slow down because he is constantly breaking up plays and hustling to snatch loose pucks.
He can break through and split the defence with his quick hands on the rush, backcheck and steal pucks from behind, or come from the blueline to the front of the net in a split second. His skating is by far his strongest asset. If you watch any of his highlights, you will know immediately which player he is by the way he moves around the ice. Off the puck, he could be one of the best prospects in the draft.
Physicality
That leads to his physicality, which he, once again, appears to be the frontrunner for in his class of forwards. Pugachyov is hard on pucks; it looks like he’s working twice as hard as anyone on the ice when a puck squeaks into open space. He uses his wide base to box out and maintain balance in the corners and is an efficient passer starting the breakout. He isn’t afraid to take a run at someone, and he lands a lot of hits. On the offensive side, he’s a net front presence and takes a lot of shots from in tight. Overall, he’s already playing like an NHL power forward, and could probably battle to hold down a bottom 6 spot this upcoming season if it weren’t for his contract situation.
Pugachyov’s areas of improvement
Playmaking
Pugachyov puts himself in a good position to score and wins a lot of puck battles, but his playmaking is lacking. His passing isn’t great, and his vision could also look to improve. Although he is effective in the offensive zone, he’s not known for being any sort of setup man. If he could make quicker passes, see the ice more efficiently and effectively, he would be a dangerous player in the NHL.
Fit with the Flames
| Organizational need addressed | Middle Six Winger |
| Realistic pick range | 14-35 |
| NHL timeline | 2 years |
| Fit with the Flames | Possible fit |
Pugachyov is a talented player and has a very high floor. He has more than one standout skill, with his skating alone putting him into second-round conversations. He could be a solid fit for the Flames, but I don’t know if he will fall as far as 30th overall. Teams like Columbus and St. Louis could be interested in the 14-16 pick range. He could be the steal of the draft for someone.
Summary
Gleb is going to have a successful career, and although he’s not the flashiest prospect, he looks like he will be more than ready for the NHL in two years when his contract expires. Pugachyov could be compared to a Yakov Trenin, both physical Russian power forwards. His amazing straight-line speed and skating ability could be the best in his class, while his physicality rivals that of the top defensive prospects. Pugachyov will be a safe, but solid choice for whatever organization calls his name. It’s looking more likely he will creep into the first round, and rightfully so.
