One of the Penguins' more interesting prospects is under contract.
The Penguins on Saturday signed Russian winger Mikhail Ilyin to a three-year entry-level contract that begins next season. Ilyin was the Penguins' fifth-round pick in 2023 and is listed at 6 foot 3 and 191 pounds.
"Mikhail, we view as a really smart, 200-foot center," then-Penguins' director of amateur scouting Nick Pryor said of Ilyin after the 2023 draft. "He makes a lot of plays. Pass-first mindset, but he's really diligent with and without the puck. I think he's one of those guys that makes those around him better, makes his wingers better. Just a really smart player with and without it."
Ilyin, at just 20 years old, already has two and a half seasons of KHL experience with Severstal Cherepovets, where he's amassed 19 goals and 42 assists in 150 career games. He had a career-high 30 points (seven goals, 23 assists) in 64 games last season.
Ilyin grew up idolizing Evgeni Malkin and told the KHL league site after he was drafted that he hopes to play with Malkin someday.
"It feels great to be drafted by such a club," Ilyin said of the Penguins picking him. "I would love to play with Malkin, but who knows if I will get a chance to do it."
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THE ASYLUM
Taylor Haase
9:21 pm - 05.31.2025DowntownIlyin signs entry-level deal
One of the Penguins' more interesting prospects is under contract.
The Penguins on Saturday signed Russian winger Mikhail Ilyin to a three-year entry-level contract that begins next season. Ilyin was the Penguins' fifth-round pick in 2023 and is listed at 6 foot 3 and 191 pounds.
"Mikhail, we view as a really smart, 200-foot center," then-Penguins' director of amateur scouting Nick Pryor said of Ilyin after the 2023 draft. "He makes a lot of plays. Pass-first mindset, but he's really diligent with and without the puck. I think he's one of those guys that makes those around him better, makes his wingers better. Just a really smart player with and without it."
Ilyin, at just 20 years old, already has two and a half seasons of KHL experience with Severstal Cherepovets, where he's amassed 19 goals and 42 assists in 150 career games. He had a career-high 30 points (seven goals, 23 assists) in 64 games last season.
Ilyin grew up idolizing Evgeni Malkin and told the KHL league site after he was drafted that he hopes to play with Malkin someday.
"It feels great to be drafted by such a club," Ilyin said of the Penguins picking him. "I would love to play with Malkin, but who knows if I will get a chance to do it."
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