The last five years have been a bit of an up and down time for the Montreal Canadiens organization. After making it to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, the team finished dead last in the NHL's overall standings in 2021-22, leading to changes on and off the ice and ultimately, a rebuild.
Through that rebuild, the Canadiens front office and scouting staff have done a tremendous job at identifying prospects they believe could play a big role in the years to come, whether that be players like Lane Hutson, who they landed with one of the last picks in the second round in 2022, or no-brainer selections such as Juraj Slafkovsky (2022 - 1st overall) or Ivan Demidov (2024 - 5th overall).
As the third full week of the National Hockey League's offseason winds down, it appears that another one of those top prospects is inching closer to officially joining the Montreal Canadiens.
Montreal Canadiens reportedly sign prospect Bogdan Konyushkov to ELC
In an article on the team's website, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod announced that they have terminated the contract of 23-year-old defenseman Bodgan Konyushkov and that the 2023 fourth round pick will sign his entry-level contract with the Montreal Canadiens, which is expected to be for two-years, according to Marco D'Amico of RG.org.
Note: the quotes in this story have been translated from Russian.
"The legal process will result in the defenseman's rights being secured by the Torpedo hockey club. The release from contractual obligations is necessary for Bogdan Konyushkov to sign a two-way contract with the Montreal Canadiens, after which the player will remain in Nizhny Novgorod on loan until May 31, 2027." Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod said in a statement.
Konyushkov, a native of Penza, Russia, joined Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod ahead of the 2022-23 season and quickly became an important piece of their defensive corps. After an impressive first season in the KHL where he put up 25 points in 64 games as a 20-year-old, Konyushkov was named a finalist for the KHL Rookie of the Year award, which he unfortunately didn't win.
His second season in the KHL brought on an entirely new challenge as he wore the 'C' for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, despite being just 21-years-old. He went on to finish the year with 28 points in 65 games and then saw a drop in production during the 2024-25 campaign, registering just 17 points in 67 contests.
After that dip in production, Konyushkov worked hard in the offseason in order to come back and not only be the best player he can be, but also show to the Montreal Canadiens that he's ready for the National Hockey League & that the 2024-25 season was a fluke. To no one's surprise, Konyushkov came back with a vengeance and had a career-year during the 2025-26 campaign.
In 67 games, Konyushkov put up 38 points (seven goals, 31 assists), eight penalty minutes and was a minus-six. He followed that up with five assists and was a minus-one in ten games during the 2026 Gagarin Cup Playoffs.
"Bogdan's representatives approached us with a request to allow him to technically sign a two-way contract with Montreal. We had no objections, as he would serve out his contract with Torpedo until May 31, 2027, and would then be free to decide whether to activate his contract with the NHL club or extend his relationship with us." Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod General Manager Yevgeni Zabuga said.
As they in their press release, the Canadiens will loan Bogdan Konyushkov back to Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod for the 2026-27 KHL season. Konyushkov will be eligible to join the Montreal Canadiens, or the American Hockey League's Laval Rocket, once Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod's season comes to a close.