After dominating the Russian MHL with a stellar .930 save percentage, towering netminder Kirill Zarubin inks a three-year deal to solidify his future in the Calgary crease.
The Calgary Flames have signed goalie prospect Kirill Zarubin to a three-year entry-level deal.
Zarubin was a third-round pick in 2024, and this past season in Russia was the first time he actually started to feel like a real prospect for the organization rather than just a player that the Flames had the rights to in Russia.
Most of his year was in the MHL with AKM Tula. He finished with a 26-13-3 record, a 2.17 GAA, and a .930 save percentage in 48 games. Which is good, but the true test will come if he can get some time in the KHL next season.
The playoffs were better than the regular season numbers. He had a 1.59 GAA and .944 in six games, and even if it’s a small sample, he didn’t look like the moment was too big for him. He also was given a chance to play in a VHL game. Where he stopped 40 of 41 shots.
At 6 foot 3 and 207 pounds, Zarubin already has the frame. With time, he could even gain a bit more weight, allowing him to fill out more and making it harder to get the puck by him when he comes out to cut off the angle.
At this point, the expectation for Zarubin is for him to improve overseas. Eventually, he will come over to North America and be more involved in the Flames' organization. But for now, the focus is for him to play in Russia and develop further.
