Florida Panthers’ 2023 seven-round pick Stepan Zvyagin has been loaned from Dinamo Minsk to the Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), as announced by the Chinese franchise. The young forward has only 25 KHL games under his belt, and this move may be a fantastic chance for Zvyagin to get some playing time in a more competitive environment.
A native of Moscow who moved to Belarus at a young age, Zvyagin had his KHL debut at 18 years old in the 2022-23 campaign, when he potted his debut goal in the league and skated in 15 games for Dinamo. He also had 33 (14 goals, 19 assists) points in 37 games in the juniors. The next season, he continued impressing in the MHL, the Russian junior league, with 30 (10 goals, 20 assists) points in just 20 games. He also had an assist in 10 regular-season games with Dinamo.
This season, the Panthers‘ prospect failed to make it to the Bisons’ main roster, and he had 10 (four goals, six assists) points for Dinamo’s senior affiliate in the Belarusian top-flight league. Making the Kunlun Red Star roster should be easier for the young talent, who has now a chance to showcase his skills and continue to develop. His contract with Dinamo runs through the 2025-26 season.
