Seattle Kraken goalie prospect Semyon Vyazovoi, playing for Salavat Yulaev Ufa, has been named Best Rookie in a Playoff Series in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) following an excellent performance in the second-round series against Spartak Moscow. The 21-year-old goaltender stepped up when it mattered most, taking over the starting role from veteran Alexander Samonov and leading his team to a hard-fought seven-game series win.
Vyazovoi appeared in four games, winning three, and faced 136 shots — an average of 34 per night — while posting a 92.65 save percentage and a 2.36 goals-against average. In a do-or-die Game 6, he was outstanding, stopping 40 shots in a 2-1 overtime victory that kept Salavat Yulaev alive despite being down 1-3 earlier in the series. He followed that up with 36 saves in the decisive Game 7, helping Ufa clinch the series.
The goalie, who was selected by the Kraken 163rd overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, had a strong showing in his rookie season, appearing in 28 games, posting a 14-7-1 record and a whopping five shutouts. He’s 3-1-0 through five postseason matches, and he could be close to his first playoff shutout. Salavat Yulaev Ufa, whose coach is former NHL forward Viktor Kozlov, will face last year’s runner-up, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, in the semifinals, with the best-of-seven series kicking off on Sunday.
