Canadiens Bet on Future with Arseni Radkov at 82nd Overall in NHL Draft
So let’s talk about a name we’re going to be hearing more of in the coming years — Arseni Radkov. The Montreal Canadiens made a strategic move during the 2025 NHL Draft, using the 82nd overall pick to select Radkov, a Belarusian goaltender with a promising future. This pick came as part of a back-to-back selection in the third round, using a draft slot acquired from the New Jersey Devils in the Jake Allen trade. And how fitting is that? They traded away a goalie and used the return to draft one.
Radkov is currently playing in the Russian junior league and had a solid showing this past season with Tyumenski Legion, putting up a .918 save percentage. That came after a strong .921 in the under-18 league the year before. He’s shown consistency in performance, which is exactly what you want to see from a young goalie. But let’s be clear — this isn’t a player who’s expected to jump into the NHL next season. Goaltenders take time. They mature slower, develop differently, and Radkov is very much a long-term project for the Canadiens.
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What makes this pick even more interesting is that Radkov is committed to playing college hockey at the University of Massachusetts starting in the 2026–27 season. That gives Montreal a bit of breathing room. They’ll get to watch his continued development in Russia before he even makes the leap to North America. And once he’s in the NCAA, the Canadiens will have a much clearer picture of his ceiling.
You can see what the Canadiens are doing here. They’re building depth in goal with patience and foresight. With Carey Price officially out of the picture and the team looking toward a new era, they’re clearly investing in their pipeline. Radkov may not be a headline grabber today, but years down the line, we could look back on this third-round pick as a real gem.
For now, fans will have to be patient. But for a team that’s in the middle of a rebuild and has made some smart picks throughout the draft, adding Radkov shows that the Canadiens are thinking long-term — and that’s the kind of strategy that builds winning teams.
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