There are three players from the last NHL draft who have played at least one game in the NHL this season: the first overall pick, Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks, the 13th selection, Jett Luchanko, with the Flyers from Philadelphia and… the 217th overall pick, Nikita Prishchepov.
And if all goes according to plan, Prischepov will pass Celebrini for the second-highest total games played among 2024 players, as he is scheduled to play his second career game Tuesday night with the Colorado Avalanche.
Impressive, nonetheless, especially since he was ignored two years in a row in the draft before seeing the Avalanche take a chance on him at the very end of the session, in Las Vegas, last June.
But what is most fascinating in the story of the young striker from Orenburg, Russia, is the journey that led him to the big league.
The start of a long adventure
Prishchepov arrived in Victoriaville in the middle of a pandemic, at the start of the 2021-2022 season.
At that moment, he probably had no idea that he would not see his native Russia again for three years. A combination of the pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine meant that Prishchepov never took the chance to return home, for fear of not being able to return.
He therefore did not see his family until last summer when, for the first time since 2021, he was able to return to Russia for a few weeks to see his loved ones before returning to train in Moncton, where his son resides. agent Bryan Dubé.
“He has made a lot of sacrifices in recent years,” admitted Tigers general manager Kevin Cloutier. In my opinion, as of today, he has no regrets.”
Photo provided by the Victoriaville Tigers
It’s hard to disagree since after two disappointments in the draft, the last few months have been a whirlwind for Prishchepov. He learned while he was at Istanbul International Airport in Turkey, returning from Russia, that he had been claimed by the Avalanche at the very end of the seventh round.
The latter’s final destination was Moncton, but the Avalanche changed his plans and he headed instead to Denver, for the team’s development camp, after almost 48 hours in the airports.
At that point, the Avalanche roster’s plan was to return Prishchepov to the QMJHL to continue his development as a 20-year-old.
“He came back for an exhibition game, against Shawinigan, and it was a man against children. He always had the puck,” remembers Cloutier.
He finished with three assists in a 4-3 victory. And that was the last time he put on the Tigers jersey.
A camp and a contract
After doing well in Avalanche camp, he earned a contract and the organization decided he was ready to make the jump to the American Hockey League. Then, after collecting four points in six games, he was recalled to the big club which has had to deal with a plethora of injuries since the start of the season.
“We have to be honest, without all the injuries, would he have played his first NHL game this year? Probably not. But, you know what? He had his chance and he took advantage of it,” admits Bryan Dubé.
Enjoyed, certainly, and it seems that it is not over.
