The Vancouver Canucks are “working on” bringing Russian defenseman Nikita Tryamkin to North America when his KHL season ends, according to News 1130 Sports.
Tryamkin, 21, was the 66th overall pick in the 2014 draft. His contract with Yekaterinburg Automobilist apparently doesn’t expire until April 30, but with the Gagarin Cup playoffs set to begin in a couple of weeks, the Canucks are hoping he’ll be released as soon as his team is out. He would then report to AHL Utica.
Tryamkin is an intriguing prospect. He’s big (6-6, 220 lbs) and has been described as a late-bloomer. He told the Canucks he patterns himself after Zdeno Chara.
“He’s going to be a player,” an NHL scout told Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
The Canucks sure hope so, given the blue line is arguably their most glaring weakness, with no blue-chip prospects to speak of.
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