# Canadiens Russian prospect development > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/canadiens-russian-prospect-development > Updated: 2026-07-30T11:00:00.000Z. Sources: 9. Developments: 5. In mid‑June 2026 the Montreal Canadiens began a focused effort to integrate Russian talent, inviting 19‑year‑old forward Alexander Zharovskiy to a summer development camp and later drafting Russian forward Gleb Pugachyov in the first round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. Both prospects remained under KHL contracts, with the club signaling they could attend the camp pending visa clearance. By early July trade‑deadline speculation linked the Canadiens to a possible move involving Zharovskiy, which his agent publicly denied, confirming the team’s ongoing commitment to developing its Russian assets. On 10 July 2026 the Canadiens officially signed 23‑year‑old Russian defenseman Bogdan Konyushkov to a two‑year entry‑level contract covering the 2026‑27 and 2027‑28 seasons. The agreement allows the club to retain his rights while he continues with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod for the 2026‑27 season, giving Montreal flexibility to bring him to North America later. A week later, on 15 July, analyst Scott Wheeler’s annual prospect rankings highlighted three Canadiens players, placing Russian forward Alexander Zharovskiy at #33 and praising his elite skill set despite a light frame. The list also noted that first‑round Russian pick Gleb Pugachyov did not appear among the top‑100 prospects, underscoring that his development remains a work in progress. On 30 July 2026 the Canadiens issued an updated prospect ranking that put forward Tyler Thorpe at No. 13 and gave attention to defensemen Owen Protz and Arber Xhekaj. The release also referenced ongoing interest in Russian forward Kirill Marchenko as a potential roster addition, indicating the club’s continued pursuit of Russian talent. Later that day, reports confirmed that forward Zachary Bolduc—acquired in a trade for Logan Mailloux and who posted 12 goals and 30 points in his first full NHL season—was close to a new contract. ## Timeline ### 2026-07-30: Montreal Canadiens Near Contract Deal with Forward Zachary Bolduc Zachary Bolduc, acquired for Logan Mailloux, posted 12‑30 in his first full season and is set to sign a new contract with the Canadiens, likely worth $4.5‑5 M annually on a 2‑3 or 5‑6‑year term. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/montreal-canadiens-prospect-rankings-and-roster-rumors-highlighted ### 2026-07-15: Scott Wheeler's NHL Prospect List Spotlights Canadiens' Rising Stars Analyst Scott Wheeler released his 2026 NHL prospect rankings, naming three Canadiens players—Michael Hage (#21), Alexander Zharovsky (#33) and David Reinbacher (#48)—and ranking goalie Jacob Fowler as the top‑ 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/scott-wheelers-nhl-prospect-list-spotlights-canadiens-rising-stars ### 2026-07-10: Montreal Canadiens sign Russian defenseman Bogdan Konyushkov The Montreal Canadiens signed 23‑year‑old Russian defenseman Bogdan Konyushkov to a two‑year entry‑level contract (2026‑27 to 2027‑28) and will loan him back to his KHL club Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod for the 2026 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/montreal-canadiens-sign-russian-defenseman-bogdan-konyushkov ### 2026-07-07: Montreal Canadiens celebrate 2022 draft as Zharovsky trade rumors emerge The Canadiens laud Slafkovsky's rise after the 2022 draft while trade talks involving prospect Alexander Zharovsky failed to materialise. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/montreal-canadiens-celebrate-2022-draft-as-zharovsky-trade-rumors-emerge ### 2026-06-12: Montreal Canadiens bring Russian forward Alexander Zharovskiy to summer development camp Montreal Canadiens have invited 19‑year‑old Russian forward Alexander Zharovskiy, a 2023 34th‑overall draft pick, to a summer development camp in Montreal to train with fellow prospect Ivan Demidov and prepare, 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/montreal-canadiens-bring-russian-forward-alexander-zharovskiy-to-summer-development-camp --- Cite as: Canadiens Russian prospect development. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/canadiens-russian-prospect-development