Nikita Klepov is headed back to Saginaw after becoming the youngest player in Anaheim Ducks history and appearing in four NHL games to begin the season. He returns as the reigning OHL scoring champion.
SAGINAW, Mich. (WJRT) – One of the Ontario Hockey League’s top players is returning to Saginaw after getting his first taste of NHL action.
The Anaheim Ducks announced Friday that forward Nikita Klepov has been reassigned to the Saginaw Spirit after appearing in four NHL games this season.
Klepov made his NHL debut Oct. 7 against the Edmonton Oilers at 18 years and 102 days old, becoming the youngest player in Ducks history to appear in a game.
He averaged 13:03 of ice time during his four games with Anaheim.
Klepov returns to Saginaw as the reigning OHL scoring champion following a record-setting rookie season with the Spirit.
He led the league with 97 points during the 2025-26 season, scoring 37 goals and adding 60 assists in 67 games to win the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the OHL’s leading scorer.
Klepov also won the Emms Family Award as the league’s top first-year player. He became the first rookie within his first two years of OHL eligibility to lead the league in scoring since Jack Valiquette of the Soo Greyhounds accomplished the feat in 1974.
His 2025-26 season also earned him the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy as the OHL’s highest-scoring right winger.
Klepov was named to the OHL First All-Star Team and First All-Rookie Team, along with the CHL All-Rookie Team and CHL Second All-Star Team. He also was a finalist for the Red Tilson Trophy, which is awarded to the OHL’s most outstanding player.
Klepov also made his mark in the Spirit record book during his first season in Saginaw.
He surpassed Cole Perfetti’s previous Spirit rookie record of 74 points in February. Klepov’s 60 assists also set a new franchise rookie record previously held by Perfetti.
Klepov has also represented the United States internationally, winning gold with Team USA at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He recorded one goal and five assists in five games during the tournament.
He also recorded six points in six games with Team USA at the U18 World Championship.
Anaheim selected Klepov with the 15th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft.
He became the fifth Spirit player selected among the top 15 picks of the NHL Draft since 2020, joining Michael Misa, Zayne Parekh, Pavel Mintyukov and Perfetti.
Klepov will now return to Saginaw as the Spirit continue their 2026-27 OHL season.
