The Tampa Bay Lightning traded up to acquire the 52nd overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and selected forward Oleg Kulebiakin from the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL. To move up six spots, they sent the 58th overall pick and the 133rd overall pick to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for the 52nd overall selection.

The Lightning have been Kulebiakin’s favorite NHL team since he was 10 years old, making it a dream come true to be selected by the organization he grew up cheering for.

“I watch maybe every game because of my (favorite) player Nikita Kucherov,” he said. “I was so happy and all draft I waited for the Tampa Bay Lightning’s pick. My family is so happy, and yeah, it’s just a dream.”

Kulebiakin showed reporters a signed Kucherov stick during his Zoom media availability. He and his father traveled to Tampa over Christmas break, where he purchased the stick from the Lightning’s team store. 

It was an emotional day for he and his family, who watched the draft together from Russia.

“After he said my name, all of my family was crying because it’s big moment for us. We were so happy," said Kulebiakin.

The 18-year-old began his North American hockey journey during the 2023-24 season, appearing in eight games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights before splitting the 2024-25 campaign between the Lincoln Stars of the USHL and the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes.

Kulebiakin made his QMJHL debut with Halifax during the 2025-26 season and quickly emerged as one of the league’s top offensive players. He recorded 29 goals and 44 assists for 73 points in 64 games during his first season.

He is expected to return to Halifax for the 2026-27 season before joining the University of Massachusetts in 2027-28.