Now that the dust has settled over the 2026 NHL Draft, teams are looking at what they have in their organizations. The Pittsburgh Penguins had one of the more impressive drafts of any NHL team. What may have got lost in the shuffle is the selection of goaltender Matvei Nikonovich with the 160th pick in the fifth round. Could he be the diamond in the rough that has a successful NHL career?
What do the Penguins have in Nikonovich?
Goaltenders who are picked later than the third round are given small chances to make it to the show and he is another one who will not be given a chance by most. However, his stats say he has a very good chance of making it. While playing only two seasons in the Rus-MHL with Tolyatti Ladia, he improved greatly over those two seasons. he is still extremely young and has not fully developed but h has something the Penguins fans should keep an eye on.
The Minsk, Belarus native had a productive season last season. He posted a record of 20-14-4 with a 1.96 goals against average and a .939 save percentage with two shutouts in 38 games. His team would finish third in the Silver Division of the Eastern Conference.
Nikonovich displays all of the key skills to be a legit goaltender in any league. He is extremely athletic, precise with his angles, square to the puck, and has good rebound control. While not big in stature at 6-foot-1 and 150 pounds, he does play big in important games. His vision on the ice and sharpness on deflections and screens are something to take note of.
"He was essentially a red-star player by (Director of goaltending) Jon Elkin," said Penguins vice president of player personnel Wes Clark. "He was high on (Elkin's) board, and we knew there was a chance he'd be available late."
Where does Nikonovich go from here?
To be frank, next season's plan is not clear. Ladia Togliatti, his 2025-26 team, has disbanded. He is however, under contract with their Kontenental Hockey League (KHL) parent club. This is not the first time this has happened in Russian hockey and there is always a plan to play hockey. In this case, we might see Nikonovich take a step back before he makes his pro debut in North America.
As a player of Belarusian decent that was raised in the Dinamo Minsk system, he was let go in 2024 and settled in Russia by himself at age 16. He would join Ladia Togliatti and within a year, would go from a third-string goaltender to one of the Rus-MHL's best goaltenders.
He has had a lot to deal with over the past few years but also has played some of this best hockey. Regardless of where he plays in 2026-27 he will be sharp and ready to go at a moment's notice. He has a bright future and while still young has shown he can adapt to different environments rather quickly. As far as his path to the NHL, he may play in Russia for the next season or two then the Penguins brass will decide if they want to bring him over. Playing pro with the WIlkes/Barre-Scranton Penguins might be a shock to the system but as he has shown he is up for the challenge.
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