Bruins Pick Russian Playoff Standout With Third Selection 2026 NHL Draft
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With the 104th overall selection in the fourth round of the 2026 NHL Draft, the Boston Bruinsselected Russian native Matvei Kotkov.
With the 104th overall pick in the 2026 #NHLDraft, the #NHLBruins have selected forward Matvei Kotkov. pic.twitter.com/9gQ1eR7f3h
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) June 27, 2026
Kotkov is big for his age. At just 17 years old, the native of Yekatrinburg, Russia, stands 6-foot, 174 pounds.
He had extensive action in the MHL this past season -- where the Bruins' first pick, Yuri Ivanov, played as well. Kotkov played in 36 games with Loko Yaroslavl of the Russian Molodezhnaya Hokkeinaya Liga.
Kotkov scored 14 goals and 17 assists in the regular season, before putting together a very respectable postseason run with the club.
In 18 playoff games, Kotkov recorded a team-high 15 points and potted nine goals.
The Athletic's Scott Wheeler listed Kotkov as one of 30 prospects who just missed his top 100 in the 2026 NHL Draft class.
"He plays on his toes and blends an instinctual off-puck style with a heady on-puck one. He was a primary power-play creator for Lokomotiv’s junior team and a secondary penalty killer this season," Wheeler wrote. "He’ll pounce on mistakes with a quick strike and plays an opportunistic style that’s willing to hunt pucks...
"He has a physical development opportunity. He’s exactly the kind of player you use a late-round pick on and then sit on and hope he can develop into a KHL playmaker who comes over in his mid-20s."
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