When the Columbus Blue Jackets drafted Pyotr Andreyanov with the 20th pick in the NHL Draft, lots of Jackets fans were left asking, "Who?" But there were plenty of eagle-eyed fans who knew exactly who he was.
Last week, Andreyanov signed a 5-year deal with CSKA Moskva that will keep him there through the 2030 season.
His agent, Dan Milstein, gave an interview with the Russian site RB Sport and answered questions about Andreyanov.
Milstein was asked if he was surprised that Andreyanov was the first Russian taken. Milstein said:
"For the second year, since no North American scouts came to Russia, we bring guys to the camp. This year, the most promising goalies were clients of our agency. Andreyanov had interviews with all 32 teams, including the general manager of Columbus. Don Waddell almost never travels anywhere, but he flew to Miami to our camp for one day to meet specifically with Petya. So we talked to many teams. The work was not easy because Andreyanov decided to follow in the footsteps of Ilya Sorokin and signed a contract with CSKA for five years. Thus, he made it clear that he should not be expected in North America before he was 23. He decided to fully develop in the KHL and then go play overseas. The situation was also complicated by the fact that Petr had not been seen on the international arena, and in general, almost no one had seen him. So it was doubly difficult for our agency to get him drafted and have him go where he needed to go, despite the long-term contract."
He was then asked if Columbus was ready to wait five years for Andreyanov. "Yes. We had a lot of conversations, and 15 minutes before the start of the draft, the general manager of Columbus called me. The club made it clear to me that they are ready to wait for him for five years so that Petya can help the team in the future," said Milstein.
Don Waddell has said that once they saw Andreyanov, they were ready to make him a Blue Jacket. He also stated that since he didn't have a second or third round pick, it made sense to get the guy they wanted, because he would most likely be gone by the time Columbus had another pick.
It was a smart move if you believe that Waddell really liked him, and by what Milstein is saying, Waddell was telling the truth that he really wanted him.
Let us know what you think below.
Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!
Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.
