Avalanche Prospect Part Of Multi-Player KHL Trade

Nikita Prishchepov's KHL rights went from Vityaz to Avangard in a four-player trade on Sunday.
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Nikita Prishchepov's KHL rights went from Vityaz to Avangard in a four-player trade on Sunday.
KHL clubs Avangard Omsk and HC Vityaz were involved in a four-player trade on Sunday, which saw the rights of Colorado Avalanche prospect Nikita Prishchepov change teams.

The trade sees Prishchepov’s KHL playing rights and 27-year-old defenseman Yegor Veronkov go from Vityaz to Avangard in exchange for 21-year-old defenseman Alexander Figurin and 32-year-old left winger Alexei Makayev.

Prishchepov, who arrived in North America in 2021 to play for the QMJHL’s Victoriaville Tigres, was a seventh-round draft pick of the Colorado Avalanche this year as a 20-year-old. Despite being a late-round pick, Colorado signed him to a three-year entry-level contract and he has played six NHL games for the Avalanche this season. He is currently assigned to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, where he has five points in 10 games.

According to Avangard GM German Chistyakov, the club is hedging its bets that the young forward will eventually find his way to the KHL.

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“It’s an exchange that will benefit both parties,” said Chistyakov. “Given Sergei Boykov's injury, our team needs a defenseman, and Alexei Makeev will have the opportunity to prove himself in Vityaz. The rights to Nikita Prishchepov are a long-term investment and Yegor Voronkov is an experienced defenseman with over 460 games in the KHL who can help our team immediately.”

Avangard has been busy rebuilding its roster lately amidst a disappointing season.

Over the past two weeks, the team has made two trades with Kunlun Red Star. The first got them Nail Yakupov and the rights to Turner Ottenbreit, and on Saturday they acquired 24-year-old former San Jose Sharks first-rounder Ryan Merkley. Both deals were in exchange for cash.

The team also signed free-agent center Michael McLeod last Tuesday.