First round draft pick is boycotting joining NHL organization

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Daniel Lucente
August 9, 2024 (6:14 PM)

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The Colorado Avalanche selected Mikhail Gulyayev in the first round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, and now he's refusing to report to their AHL affiliate team.

Initially, the Colorado Avalanche were not supposed to have a 31st overall pick so they would have never drafted Mikhail Gulyayev in 2023. However, a last-minute trade at the draft saw the Montreal Canadiens swap that first-round pick as well as a second-round pick to the Avs for Alex Newhook. Gulyayev did mention before he was selected that he was interested in the Montreal Canadiens organization.

Mikhail Gulyayev has now made it clear to everyone out there that if they want him to play in North America, it's going to have to be in the NHL, not the AHL. While he says he respects the AHL as a league, it's not the spot that he sees himself developing in.

"My path to the NHL is to come and play right away. I'm pursuing my dream and am not interested in anything else. I'm not against the AHL; it's a good league, but if I go to America to play, I will only play in the NHL."

- Mikhail Gulyayev

This isn't the attitude that the Avalanche were hoping they would have to deal with when they drafted Gulyayev in 2023. He recently signed a contract extension in the KHL until the end of the 2026 season, so the Avs likely won't be seeing much of him before then. They can always look to trade him if they aren't happy.

"In a new interview with RGSafePlay, Avalanche first-round pick Mikhail Gulyayev made it clear that he's taking his time to make it to the NHL, the only North American league he wants to play in."

- Evan Rawal

Will GM of the Montreal Canadiens Kent Hughes be the first one calling to inquire about Gulyayev's services should he be placed on the trading block? Who knows! He lost out on him in 2023, so perhaps he circles back now.

Gulyayev is a 19-year-old defenseman who is very speedy and who had a fantastic season in the KHL last year, putting up 12 points in 64 games and was very sound defensively.

Source: Habs Fanatics
Recent 1st round pick refuses to come to North America to play in the AHL

Source: HockeyDB
Mikhail Gulyayev Stats