The Colorado Avalanche continue building out their goaltending pipeline, signing rising Russian netminder Nikita Novosyolov to a two-year entry-level deal after a breakout season in the VHL and a brief KHL debut that put him firmly on the radar as an intriguing long-term prospect.
The Colorado Avalanche continue to invest in their future between the pipes, adding one of Russia's rising young goaltenders after announcing Monday that Nikita Novosyolov has signed a two-year entry-level contract set to begin in the 2026-27 season.
Breakout Season In The VHL
The Colorado Avalanche added another young goaltender to their pipeline on Monday, announcing the signing of Russian netminder Nikita Novosyolov to a two-year entry-level contract beginning with the 2026-27 season.
The 21-year-old Novosyolov arrives after a standout season in Russia's second-tier professional league, the VHL, where he spent most of the year with Gornyak-UGMK. The 6-foot-2 netminder appeared in 40 regular-season games and put together a strong 22-10-8 record while posting a 2.10 goals against average, a .932 save percentage and three shutouts.
Those numbers placed him among the league's most reliable goaltenders, as he finished sixth in wins and tied for 10th in save percentage across the VHL.
The young goalie also picked up valuable playoff experience, appearing in 11 postseason contests and recording a 2.76 goals against average and a solid .924 save percentage.
In addition to his success in the VHL, Novosyolov reached another milestone during the 2025-26 season when he made his KHL debut with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. He appeared in three games, getting his first taste of action in Russia's top professional league.
Climbing Through The Avtomobilist System
Novosyolov has spent the last four seasons developing within the Avtomobilist organization, steadily working his way up while producing impressive results at every stop. Across 67 career VHL games from 2023-26, he compiled a 36-15-13 record to go along with a 2.16 goals against average, a .932 save percentage and an impressive six shutouts.
Before establishing himself at the professional level, he appeared in 79 games in Russia's junior MHL league between 2022 and 2025. During that stretch, he posted a 39-26-7 record, a .925 save percentage and eight shutouts, showing early signs of the consistency that has followed him throughout his development.
His progress has earned recognition along the way. Novosyolov was named VHL Rookie of the Month in March 2025 and also earned MHL All-Star honors that season. The year before, he was recognized as the MHL East Goaltender of the Month in November.
The signing gives Colorado another intriguing option in its growing stable of goaltending prospects and adds more international talent to the organization's development pipeline. Novosyolov also has a familiar connection within the Avalanche system, having played alongside fellow Colorado prospect Nikita Ishimnikov in the Avtomobilist organization since the 2022-23 season.
While the Avalanche already have several young goaltenders progressing through the ranks, Novosyolov's track record of success in professional hockey, combined with his recent KHL experience, makes him an intriguing prospect to watch as he takes the next step toward a potential future in North America.
