Russian prospect for the Red Wings dazzles with three goals through KHL pre-season.
Detroit Red Wings prospect Dmitri Buchelnikov is off to a strong start in KHL preseason action after joining powerhouse CSKA Moscow this offseason.
The 2022 second-round pick (52nd overall) scored in his pre-season debut for CSKA, burying a first-period goal set up by teammate Vladislav Yeryomenko in a matchup against Russian club Dinamo Minsk. While CSKA fell 4–1, Buchelnikov’s performance stood out, marking his arrival with one of Russia’s most storied hockey clubs.
After a second pre-season on Monday, Buchelnikov added two more goals, bringing his total up to three in exhibition play.
Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) on X
Dimitri Buchelnikov(2nd round’22)
🚨🚨x2 Buch is cooking in preseason #LGRW
His preseason play has been so impressive that he’s already climbed up to the team's first line and will hopefully lead to more minutes in the regular season. He finds himself ahead of names like former Red Wing Daniel Sprong, who has slid down to the second line in CSKA’s lineup. Despite Sprong’s NHL pedigree and recent experience in Detroit, it’s Buchelnikov who has earned a more meaningful role through early exhibition games.
Reports from first hand accounts watching the pre-season games note Buchelnikov's energy, offensive creativity, and play without the puck have all caught the attention of the coaching staff and fans watching. It begs the question of if Buchelnikov is growing into one of Detroit's top prospects?
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When Steve Yzerman returned to the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings">Detroit Red Wings</a> in April 2019 to take over the role of general manager, he didn’t have much to work with in terms of enticing prospects, but since then he has built one of the most highly regarded prospect pools in the NHL.
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Buchelnikov joined CSKA after a breakout 2024–25 KHL season with Vityaz Moscow Region, where he tallied 15 goals and a record-breaking 39 assists for 54 points in 65 games. He was named team MVP and also won the fastest skater event at the KHL All-Star Game.
Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) on X
Dimitri Buchelnikov(2nd round’22)
Goal🚨 he’s got 2 goals in 2 preseason games. #LGRW
His move to CSKA Moscow was triggered by financial issues at Vityaz, reportedly due to the loss of their main sponsor. In June 2025, CSKA acquired Buchelnikov’s rights for an undisclosed sum and will remain in the Russian pro league for the upcoming season.
Detroit GM Steve Yzerman has mentioned Buchelnikov by name and has expressed interest in bringing him over once his contract in Russia is completed.
Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) on X
Dimitri Buchelnikov(2nd round’22) scores 🚨 the first goal of CSKA preseason. Catches Minsk in a bad change rips it. #LGRW
Detroit fans over Reddit have done their own statistics on Buchelnikov and have come up with underlying numbers that are quite impressive. Their numbers indicate that Buchelnikov last season led the KHL in intercepted passes with 75 and posted the second-highest point total ever by a U22 player in league history, behind only Kirill Kaprizov.
It's hard to say when he will make his North American debut, but one thing that is for certain is that Red Wings fans have a new name to look out for and get excited about in the near future.
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