Kirill Kudryavtsev Is the Canucks’ Best Late-Round Steal
There’s a certain magic in finding value where nobody’s really looking. For the Vancouver Canucks, that magic has been quietly at work in the seventh round of the draft, and no one embodies it better than Kirill Kudryavtsev. Selected 208th overall in 2022, the 22-year-old defender has grown into one of Abbotsford’s most reliable blue-liners, the kind of player coaches lean on instinctively, often without even realizing how important he is.
Kudryavtsev was slowed by a high ankle sprain early this year.
Before a high ankle sprain sidelined him in early January — an injury that has now cost him 17 games — Kudryavtsev was doing it all. He was leading the team in five-on-five minutes, logging major penalty-kill responsibilities, and running the second power-play unit after starting the season on PP1. Averaging north of 23 minutes per game is no small feat for a young defender, and it speaks to the kind of trust the Abbotsford coaching staff has placed in him. It’s the kind of duty that often falls to older, more seasoned players, yet Kudryavtsev has handled it with calm and consistency.
His steady climb didn’t happen overnight. Last spring, during Abbotsford’s Calder Cup championship run, Kudryavtsev finished tied for third among defenders in playoff scoring while leading the postseason at +18. Even more striking: across 21 five-on-five playoff games, he was on the ice for just three goals against. Those aren’t flashy numbers that make highlight reels, but they are the stats of a player doing the subtle, unglamorous work that wins championships.
Kudryavtsev is special for his timing and defensive-zone reads.
What makes Kudryavtsev special isn’t brute strength — at 5’11”, he’s not a physical wrecking ball — it’s his anticipation and technique. His stick work is sharp, his timing impeccable, and his reads in the defensive zone are advanced well beyond his years. He disrupts cycles, pokes pucks loose in transition, and closes passing lanes before they become dangerous. That’s the sort of quiet impact that often goes unnoticed but is essential at higher levels.
Kudryavtsev has become a cornerstone of the Abbotsford Canucks defence.
Once healthy, Abbotsford will get back a player who has become a cornerstone of their defence. Kudryavtsev’s development isn’t just a win for the AHL team; it’s a reminder that the Canucks’ system, when it hits on late-round talent, can produce players who combine skill, intelligence, and reliability. If he continues on this path, don’t be surprised if the organization finds itself wishing he’d arrived in Vancouver’s lineup a little sooner.