New York adds size and depth to their pipeline, banking on the Belarusian playmaker’s two-way vision to strengthen their prospect pool late in the draft.
In the sixth round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Islanders selected center Artyom Matyuk from Chaika Nizhny Novgorod of the MHL.
Matyuk scored 13 goals with 26 assists in 39 games in Russia’s premier junior hockey league. He was the third-leading scorer on a team headlined by other prospects, including Montreal Canadiens first-round pick Gleb Pugachyov.
First and foremost, the Russian center is an agile skater with a high motor and compete level. Despite being listed at 6’0” and only 165 pounds, Matyuk logged 53 penalty minutes last season and has a reputation for outworking opponents in puck battles.
Matyuk has above-average offensive instincts, using his hockey sense and vision to whip up plays. He was ranked as the 58th-best EU skater by NHL Central Scouting before the draft.
Matyuk is the first forward to be selected by the Islanders, who chose three defensemen prior to their sixth-round pick.
The Islanders are slated to select once more in round seven. Day 2 of the NHL Draft is available to watch on NHL Network, Sportsnet, and ESPN+.
Kai Russell wrote this story.
