Alexander Sapozhnikov – 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profile – The Hockey Writers – NHL Entry Draft

Alexander Sapozhnikov

2025-26 Team: HC Sochi/SKA (KHL)
Date of Birth: January 17, 2007
Place of Birth: Tomsk, Russia
Ht: 6-foot-6 Wt: 209 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Defenseman
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2026 second-year eligible

Rankings

Alexander Sapozhnikov had another season where he changed teams, this time being moved from Kapitan Stupino of the Russian junior league (a junior team for the Kontinental Hockey League’s HC Sochi) to the SKA St. Petersburg organization. The large-framed defenseman had his debut in the KHL with Sochi, then played a handful of games with SKA-1946 in the Russian junior league before the season’s end. That means that Sapozhnikov’s season was eventful, but not particularly busy, with only 26 total games split between three teams.

He had a decent showing in the juniors, but he had limited exposure, and at this point, it’s hard to think that he will be more than a late-round pick in the best possible scenario after being snubbed last year after playing only in Russia’s second-tier junior league on one of the weakest teams. He showed some flashes of a good, physical player, but he needs to play tougher and with more consistency in his physical efforts. He certainly has the size and tools to be more of a threat in the defensive zone when offensive players adventure too much or to close the corners and the slot to the opposition.

However, Sapozhnikov’s size alone can convince more than one team to give him a chance. At 6-foot-6, 209 pounds, the Tomsk, Russia, native is one of the biggest eligible players for this year’s selections, and he’s not only a big guy out there. He has good shutdown abilities, can play physically, and has a powerful shot that can be useful with the man advantage. It’s hard to see D+1 players getting picked from Europe, but Sapozhnikov can be an exception.

Alexander Sapozhnikov – NHL Draft Projection

Sapozhnikov doesn’t have the best chances for the upcoming selections, yet his profile is worth a look for any team with a sixth or seventh round pick in hand. His size, defensive abilities, and patience make him worthy of a pick, albeit not a high one. Teams will need to be patient with him, as he’s unlikely to make any squad in the next two or three years.

Quotables

“Alexander Sapozhnikov is a huge puck-moving defenceman. He has immense poise with the puck on his stick. He never rushes to make a play and considers all his options before making the best play available. His passing and vision are extremely good, consistently getting his passes from tape to tape and finding open players through lanes. He is great at using his stick in every situation. He can use it very well to disrupt players on the rush, along the boards in puck battles to come out on top, or control the puck while he evaluates his options. His size is also a huge plus.” – Karson McArthur, Draft Prospects Hockey

Strengths

• Great size
• Good defensive abilities with decent mobility
• A calm, patient defenseman who never rushes things

Under Construction/Improvements to Make

• Could be tougher, especially with his size
• Limited offensive potential

NHL Potential

Sapozhnikov can develop into a bottom-pair defenseman with shutdown responsibilities. But that’s the best-case scenario, and he will need to work a lot to reach that level. He’s very raw and needs to tune every aspect of his game, starting from his skating and going on with his physical play. He should learn to use his body more to his advantage.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk: 3/5 Reward: 3/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense: 3/10 Defense: 6/10

Awards/Achievements

• Had his KHL debut in the 2025-26 season with HC Sochi
• Played with three teams in two leagues last time around
• Named MHL Defenseman of the Month back in November

Alexander Sapozhnikov Stats

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