Canadiens sign KHL prospect to entry-level contract

The Montreal Canadiens have signed defenseman Bogdan Konyushkov to a two-year, entry-level contract covering the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons, general manager Kent Hughes announced the agreement on Friday afternoon. Konyushkov will be loaned back to KHL side Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod for the 2026-27 campaign before making the move to North America.

Konyushkov will earn an NHL salary of $850,000 in 2026-27 with a $102,500 signing bonus and up to $72,500 in performance bonuses, according to PuckPedia. His 2027-28 salary rises to $967,500 with a $107,500 signing bonus, while his AHL salary is set at $85,000 in both seasons.

Because Konyushkov is 23 years old, his entry-level contract is limited to two years instead of the standard three-year term for younger prospects. His season on loan in the KHL will count as the first year of the deal, meaning Montreal will have only one remaining season on the contract once he arrives in North America.

Selected by the Canadiens in the fourth round (110th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft, the right-shot defenseman has spent his entire professional career with Torpedo. Since debuting in the KHL in 2022, he has appeared in 237 regular-season games, recording 18 goals and 90 assists for 108 points. Across his KHL career, he has developed into one of the league’s more productive young defensemen while gaining extensive professional experience.

Konyushkov enjoyed the best offensive season of his career in 2025-26. He racked up seven goals and 31 assists for 38 points in 67 games, ranking 12th among all KHL defensemen in scoring and first among defensemen under the age of 25. He also contributed five assists in 10 playoff games for Torpedo.

During the 2022-23 season, Konyushkov collected two goals and 25 points in 64 games, earning selection in the NHL Draft. He followed that with six goals and 28 points in 65 games in 2023-24 before finishing with three goals and 17 points in 67 contests during the 2024-25 season. That same year, he also played a pivotal role in Torpedo-Gorky’s VHL playoff run, garnering three goals and 10 assists in 17 postseason games as the club won the Petrov Cup championship.

Listed at 6-foot and 172 pounds, Konyushkov has also earned leadership responsibilities throughout his time with Torpedo, serving as both captain and alternate captain during different stages of his career. He was again named an assistant captain during his breakout 2025-26 campaign.

The Canadiens expect Konyushkov to complete one more season with Torpedo before reporting to North America, where he could join either Montreal or the AHL’s Laval Rocket for the 2027-28 season as the organization continues evaluating one of its most experienced defensive prospects.