With leagues around the world either in the midst of, or gearing up for, playoff season, attention naturally begins to shift toward notable free agents.

While additions from the European free-agent market don’t always pan out, as we saw with the Edmonton Oilers’ recent experiment with David Tomášek, it remains a low-cost, relatively low-risk avenue for NHL teams to uncover value and round out their depth charts.

This year, a handful of goaltenders have caught the attention of scouts, and the crown jewel of this class may be playing in Russia.

Alexander Smolin, a 22-year-old product of the Metallurg Magnitogorsk system, has quietly built an impressive resumé. After posting strong numbers over four seasons in the MHL, Russia’s top junior league, he made a brief stop in the VHL before breaking into the KHL last year.

Despite playing behind Colorado Avalanche prospect Ilya Nabokov, Smolin made the most of his opportunity. He finished the 2024-25 season with a 14-6-2 record, three shutouts, a 2.03 goals-against average, and a .927 save percentage.

That success carried into this season, where the two netminders have effectively split the workload. While Nabokov has made slightly more starts (37 to 35), Smolin has produced the stronger results. He holds a 23-8-0 record — tied for fifth in the league in wins — along with a 2.33 GAA and .915 save percentage.

Stylistically, Smolin is viewed as a quick, athletic goaltender. While he doesn’t fit the modern 6-foot-6 prototype, there’s a lot to like in his mobility and compete level — traits that could translate well to the North American game.

Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis offered this assessment:

Together, Smolin and Nabokov have backstopped Metallurg Magnitogorsk to the top spot in the KHL standings. With the playoffs set to begin, the club is widely expected to make another deep run at the Gagarin Cup. While that gives Smolin the potential to add to his stock ahead of a busy free-agent period, it could extend the period during which he could sign.

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