Egor Vinogradov is certainly one of the most intriguing attendees at this week’s Detroit Red Wings development camp. The 23-year-old forward is under contract to Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of Russia’s KHL. His status in relation to the Red Wings, therefore, is unclear.

Evgeny Zabuga, general manager of Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, sought to clear up that status in a statement on the club’s website.

“Egor Vinogradov has not been drafted by any NHL club, and his current visit to the Detroit training camp means the possibility of signing a contract with this club. In the meantime, Egor has an agreement with Torpedo – until 31.05.2027.” #LGRW pic.twitter.com/U5cds8piOC

— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) July 1, 2026

“Egor Vinogradov has not been drafted by any NHL club, and his current visit to the Detroit training camp means the possibility of signing a contract with this club,” Zabuga said. “In the meantime, Egor has an agreement with Torpedo until [May 31, 2027].”

Zabuga further allowed that he intended to convince Vinogradov to sign a longer-term deal with the KHL club.

We’d like to re-sign him with a one-year extension so we can count on him for the 2027-28 season,” Zabuga said. “We’d really like him to build on his performance in this first full season in the KHL. Our goal is to keep Egor as long as possible.

“I’m interested in him right now.”

Vinogradov is a Fan of Red Wings Icon

Vinogradov led Torpedo in goals (23) and points (54) during the 2025-26 KHL season. If the Red Wings determine that they are interested in him, they will likely want to sign Vinogradov sooner rather than later.

As for Vinogradov, he took a shine to the Red Wings years ago. His childhood hero was a Detroit star and fellow countryman.

He’s signed through the 2026–27 season, but Yegor Vinogradov is another interesting KHL player to keep tabs on. A 6’3”, 203-pound centre (though his faceoff numbers aren’t great), he uses his size well and skates well.

A natural producer, he finds the scoresheet in a variety of… pic.twitter.com/GQaokQkrsV

— Dave Hall (@davehall1289) March 14, 2026

“I really liked Pavel Datsyuk,” Vinogradov said on the team’s website. “The way he beat the opposition, the way he played.

“He was a magician. What can I say?”

Vinogradov insists that from a young age, he knew his future would be in hockey.

“I had one goal – hockey,” Vinogradov said. “I remember going for a walk with my older brother. He was 13 or 14, I was six or seven. Everyone was playing in the yard, and after 11 (pm) I was like, ‘Take me home, I have practice tomorrow.’

“Hockey was my number one priority. If it weren’t for hockey, I think I would have stayed in the yard. Maybe I would have started smoking too, but I don’t know what I would have done.

“I lived in Avtozavod, a working-class neighborhood, not exactly a sports one. Many people around me were already smoking and hanging out. I could have easily walked down that road with them and never made it to the big hockey game.”