Born Jun 28, 2008 — Drafted 2026 · Rd 5, #32 overall
| SEASON | GP | W | GAA | SV% | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 38 | 20 | 1.96 | .939 | 2 |
| CAREER | 38 | 20 | 1.96 | .939 | 2 |
Matvei Nikonovich
Pittsburgh Penguins
2026 NHL Draft · No. 160 overall
2025-26 Season
Career Statistics
| Season | Team | GP | W | L | OT | GAA | SV% | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Lada Togliatti (MHL) | 38 | 20 | 14 | 4 | 1.96 | .939 | 2 |
| Career | 38 | 20 | 14 | 4 | 1.96 | .939 | 2 |
Matvei Nikonovich is a goaltender selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the final pick of the fifth round (160th overall) of the 2026 NHL Draft. Born June 28, 2008, the 6-foot-2 Belarusian netminder catches with his left hand and carries one of the best stories in the class.
Raised for roughly five years in the Dinamo Minsk system, he was released in 2024, then invited to Lada Togliatti after a spring tournament and moved to Russia on his own at 16 while his parents stayed in Belarus. Within a year he climbed from third-string to the starter — and one of the MHL's best goaltenders, posting a .939 save percentage and a 1.96 goals-against average with two shutouts over 38 games, numbers that ranked near the top of the league. He has also been called up to Belarus's U20 national team.
Scouts describe him as an impressive mover with powerful strides who uses strong tracking and intentional hand positioning to cut down shooting angles. InGoal Magazine will expand its coverage as his career develops.
People Are Asking About Matvei Nikonovich
Who drafted Matvei Nikonovich?
Matvei Nikonovich was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2026 NHL Draft (Round 5, No. 160 overall).
What team does Matvei Nikonovich play for?
Matvei Nikonovich plays for the Lada Togliatti in Russia’s junior MHL.
How big is Matvei Nikonovich?
Matvei Nikonovich is listed at 6’2″, 187 pounds, and catches left.
What did Matvei Nikonovich give up to chase the NHL?
A great deal, at 16. He moved from Minsk to Russia alone — his parents stayed for work and visit about once a year — and he openly misses the toy poodle he left behind (“I even dreamed about walking with him,” he told hockey.by). Released by Dinamo Minsk, who told him they did not see him in the MHL or the national team, he answered with a .939 save percentage and a place on the MHL’s Symbolic Team of the Season.
What is Matvei Nikonovich's story?
A Belarusian raised in the Dinamo Minsk system, he was released in 2024 and moved to Russia alone at 16 to join Lada Togliatti. Within a year he went from third-string to the starter and one of the MHL’s best goaltenders, posting a .939 save percentage.
How good was Nikonovich in 2025-26?
Excellent — a .939 save percentage and 1.96 goals-against average with two shutouts over 38 games for Lada Togliatti, ranking among the MHL’s top goaltenders by save percentage.
Where was Matvei Nikonovich drafted?
The Pittsburgh Penguins selected him with the final pick of the fifth round, 160th overall, in the 2026 NHL Draft.
How old is Matvei Nikonovich?
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Sources & credits: This profile is compiled from club, league and local-media reporting — among them NHL.com and the NHL clubs, the CHL and its member leagues (OHL, WHL and QMJHL), the USHL, NAHL, USA Hockey, Hockey Canada, the IIHF and national federations, plus regional and club outlets. Any direct quotes belong to their original publishers; career data via Elite Prospects.