Vsevolod Matveyev – 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profile – Hockey Writers – NHL Entry Draft

Vsevolod Matveyev

2025-26 club: MHK Spartak Moscow (Russian junior league)
Date of birth: December 28, 2007
Place of Birth: Sochi, Russia
Ht: 6-foot-2 Wt: 190 pounds
Shots: Right
Position: Defender
NHL Draft Eligibility: Eligibility for the first year of 2026

Levels

Vsevolod Matveyev has good skating skills and good size. He had a busy 2025-26 campaign, making his Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) debut, playing four games for Spartak Moscow. He also played 28 games for Spartak Moscow’s farm team in Russia’s first league, and spent most of his time in the junior league, splitting between Spartak’s two teams. He played a lot for MHK Spartak, reaching the MHL finals and logging heavy minutes for one of the best and most loaded teams in the league.

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

Matveyev scored eleven points for MHK Spartak, which was a step up from his five points last season, but he is not an attacking player, and his game should be evaluated based on other areas where he excels. The player from Sochi, Russia, showed great skating skills throughout the season. He can recover, pressure the puck, and cover lanes 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 showed a tendency to pick up bad passes in defense. However, he is still very young and has time to add maturity to his game. His size and skating skills alone should make him a desirable prospect in the draft.

In the past, the Carolina Hurricanes have been interested in adding Russian players to their system, and drafted several defensemen with big, smooth-smooth frames in the later rounds – perhaps the next one will be Matveyev.

Measurements

“Vsevolod Matveyev is a deep prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft. Russian blueliner with MHL team Spartak. Big and mobile with a tough image. Physical presence in the backfield. Needs to refine his offensive game, but raw tools are attractive. Vsevolod is a solid development prospect for a long-term NHL team. compare Vsevolod’s game to Nikita Zaitsev lite. – Hockey Mock Draft

Power

• Large size
• Excellent mobility and readiness in the defensive position
• He plays a direct game and stays out of the penalty box

Under Construction/Development To Be Done

• It needs to be more involved in the attacking part of the game
• He has to work on his shooting and pay more attention in the defensive area

NHL Power

Matveyev would be a project pick in the later rounds due to his mobility and large frame. The young blueliner showed poise, excellent skating, and good gap control, even if he has a lot to work on. He’s a tall player at this point, but with the right development and some patience, he could be a decent NHL defenseman.

Risk Reward Analysis

Risk: 2/5 Reward: 3/5

The Power of Fantasy Hockey

Offense: 4/10 Defense: 7/10

Awards/Achievements

• Won the Kharlamov Cup as MHL champion with MHK Spartak Moscow in 2024-25
• Relegated to KHL in 2025-26
• He played for four teams in one organization during this season’s campaign
• Under contract with Spartak in the KHL for another four years

Statistics of Vsevolod Matveyev