Vsevolod Matveyev

2025-26 Team: MHK Spartak Moscow (Russian junior league)
Date of Birth: December 28, 2007
Place of Birth: Sochi, Russia
Ht: 6-foot-2 Wt: 190 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Defenseman
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2026 first-year eligible

Rankings

Vsevolod Matveyev has great skating abilities and good size. He had a busy 2025-26 campaign, making his debut in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), playing four games for Spartak Moscow. He also played 28 games for Spartak Moscow’s farm team in the Russian first league, and spent most of the season in the junior league, split between Spartak’s two teams. He mostly played for MHK Spartak, reaching the MHL finals and logging heavy minutes on one of the league’s better and most stacked teams.

Matveyev won the MHL title last year with MHK Spartak in a limited role. His impact skyrocketed this season, confirming his growth as a player and his progression, especially in the defensive zone. Playing with four different teams in 2025-26 speaks volumes about his adaptability and helped him to gain valuable experience, much-needed at his age. The young blueliner has a good chance to become even more involved with Spartak Moscow next season at the KHL level.

The Hockey Writers 2026 NHL Entry Draft Guide (The Hockey Writers)

Matveyev scored eleven points for MHK Spartak, which was a step forward after scoring five points last season, but he’s not an offensive player, and his game should be evaluated based on other areas where he excels. The Sochi, Russia, native showed excellent skating ability throughout the season. He can recover, pressure for the puck, and cover lines with speed and agility. He also has good size at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, with room to gain muscle.

On the less bright side, Matveyev lacks offensive skills and also showed a tendency to take bad passes in the defensive zone. However, he’s still very young and has time to add maturity to his game. His size and skating abilities alone should make him a coveted prospect in the draft.

In the past, the Carolina Hurricanes have been interested in adding Russian players to their system, and they drafted several large-framed, smooth-skating defenseman in later rounds – maybe the next one will be Matveyev.

Quotables

“Vsevolod Matveyev is a deep-tier prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft. Russian blueliner with Spartak’s MHL team. Big and mobile with a heavy shot. Physical presence on the back end. Needs to refine his offensive game, but the raw tools are appealing. Vsevolod is a prospect to watch for teams with strong development pipelines and patience for a longer NHL timeline. Scouts compare Vsevolod’s game to Nikita Zaitsev lite. The comparison reflects similar playing style, position, and the projected role at the NHL level.” – Hockey Mock Draft

Strengths

Great size
Excellent mobility and readiness in the defensive zone
Plays a disciplined game and stays out of the penalty box

Under Construction/Improvements to Make

Needs to be more involved in the offensive part of the game
Should work on his shot and be more attentive in the defensive zone

NHL Potential

Matveyev would be a project pick in the later rounds thanks to his mobility and large frame. The young blueliner showed composure, excellent skating, and good gap control, even if he has a lot to work on. He’s a long shot at this point, but with the right development and some patience, he could become a bottom-pair NHL defenseman.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk: 2/5 Reward: 3/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense: 4/10 Defense: 7/10

Awards/Achievements

Won the Kharlamov Cup as the MHL champion with MHK Spartak Moscow in 2024-25
Debuted in the KHL in 2025-26
Played for four teams in the same organization in this season’s campaign
Under contract with Spartak in the KHL for four more years