With the 100th pick in the fourth round of the 2026 NHL Draft, the Calgary Flames selected Egor Barabanov out of the OHL.

Who is Egor Barabanov?

PositionHandednessHeightWeightForwardLeft6’0″ / 183cm181lbs / 82kg

Barabanov is a product of St. Petersburg, Russia. Despite being Russian, Barabanov had moved to the United States by the time he was 13-years-old. He developed in the New Jersey youth hockey system before joining the USHL with the Sioux Falls Stampede and eventually the Madison Capitals. This past year, Barabanov went to the OHL and became a part of the Saginaw Spirit.

Barabanov on-ice production

YearDraft RelativeLeagueTeamGPGAP2023–24D-0USHLSioux Falls Stampede60413172024-25D+1USHLSioux Falls Stampede / Madison Capitals561524392025-26D+2OHLSaginaw Spirit68286391

Since Barabanov is a 2006-born, he was actually drafted as a double overager, and his draft season was two years ago in 2023–24. Comparing the production from year-to-year, Barabanov’s production over doubled each season. This season, Barabanov would finish 2nd in team scoring and 4th in league scoring. The only teammate with more points than him was fellow draftee Nikita Klepov, who led the entire OHL.

Barabanov’s strengths

The best trait in Barabanov’s game is his ability to distribute the puck. Barabanov excels in finding his teammates in any type of situation. There will be situations where there appear to be no openings at all, yet Barabanov can still get the puck through onto his teammate’s stick. When the game is slowed down a bit, Barabanov has success with hitting his teammates with cross-ice feeds, setting up high-danger opportunities.

Although he typically sets up as a playmaker, Barabanov has shown an ability to rip the puck and find position to put the puck in the net. Whether it be settling the puck and firing a nice wrist shot or using his hockey sense to move into space and redirect a goal home. Barabanov also displays a good set of hands. When the puck is on his stick, he can move it swiftly around opponents, eliminating pressure they may have applied. Barabanov can also use his hands in tight to get out of sticky situations and generate opportunities.

Barabanov’s areas of improvement

For a more skilled player, it shouldn’t be too surprising that most of the concerns with Barabanov come from the off-puck game. Barabanov has moments where he struggles to engage on the physical side of the puck, whether it be a lack of effort or just a general lack of strength. His defensive game also has some inconsistencies. There are times when he’s getting his stick into lanes and moving his feet, while the rest of the time he feels disengaged and floaty. I think there could be some improvement in the possible consistency in individual production. Barabanov certainly benefited from playing with two offensive stars, and there were stretches where it felt the skill was shining through that and not an individual style.

Barabanov’s next steps

Heading into the 2026–27 season, Barabanov will be joining the University of Massachusetts, alongside other Flames prospect Max Curran. The NCAA will be another new opportunity for Barabanov to continue to prove his offensive talent and show this season wasn’t a fluke. Due to him already being 20-years-old, Barabanov’s NCAA career has the potential to be shorter than expected. A strong freshman year could see him in the AHL as soon as 2027–28.

Projection with the Flames

Barabanov likely won’t have the career trajectory of a typical draft pick. Being selected two drafts after his draft season, Barabanov will have to prove himself quicker than most of the 2026 selections. The hope would be for Barabanov to one day become a middle-six forward for the Flames. I think the path is definitely there for him to do so, and if his offensive skill stands out in the NCAA, we may be looking at a quality pick most probably wouldn’t be expecting.

Photo by David Pickering – Pick’s Pics/OHL

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