Bruins’ Matvei Kotkov Is a Diamond in the Rough of the 2026 NHL Draft – The Hockey Writers – Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins general manager (GM) Don Sweeney may be on the receiving end of criticism from the fanbase on a regular basis, and some of it is deserved. When it comes to prioritizing veterans over prospects who are NHL-ready and refusing to rebuild when it’s time, he’s failed there too.

2026-27 looks to be a season where the Bruins change their direction. Michael DiPietro is being promoted, and Frederic Brunet is another prospect whose NHL aspirations could become a reality.

One future Bruins forward was selected 104th overall in the 2026 NHL Draft: Matvei Kotkov. The Russian-born forward has played the majority of his short career for the Yaroslavl Lokomotiv Jr with whom he won a Kharlamov Cup in 2025-26. After last season, he earned a call-up to the big club. He took advantage of his promotion by getting on the scoresheet early in his first Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) game.

If there’s any indication of what his future could look like, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound forward is showing situational awareness. Instead of relying on perimeter shots, he’s unafraid of getting in the areas you need to be to score.

He rushed to the slot to take advantage of a juicy rebound after a shot-on-goal from his teammate, giving Lokomotiv their first goal of the season. While other outlets proselytize the greatness of first-round picks from this draft class, whose elite skill cannot be denied, diamonds in the rough such as Kotkov deserve attention too.

Dobber Prospects gives us a nice illustrative description of Kotkov’s skills and flaws, which the Bruins will need to address in the future.

Kotkov is a lethal shooter who is very good at getting lost in the offensive zone coverage. He finds quiet areas of the ice, which allows him to receive passes in shooting areas. His shot is heavy and his release is quick. Kotkov’s strength is his biggest flaw; he gets muscled off pucks and loses quite a few board battles. – Zak Egan

The ability to find the back of the net in the second-best hockey league in the world bodes well for the Russian forward, but he’ll need to add some size and learn how to win board battles if he’s truly going to win Cam Neely and Sweeney’s hearts down the road.

Matvei Kotkov’s 2025-26 MHL Season

Last season, Kotkov was a fixture on Yaroslavl’s junior team. He played 36 games, scoring 14 goals and 17 assists for 31 points, and a plus-24 rating. He would continue his domination of the MHL in the playoffs, playing 18 games and scoring six goals and nine assists for 15 points.

“Undersized” Is Undervalued

While we’ve seen the banter surrounding “undersized” players in the NHL being of the particularly negative variety, players like Kotkov have shown that they’re undervalued and overlooked.

At 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, he may not have the size or muscle that fans want in a forward, but he brings skills and abilities that can cut through defenses and create offense, per Dom Hockey.

Kotkov is an undersized winger, but the flashes are exactly what the Bruins said they’d be hunting. He brings legitimate speed, the kind that creates instant separation, and his edgework is a real asset — sharp cuts, quick changes of direction, and clean starts and stops that let him shake pressure and stay elusive.

We should expect Kotkov to add strength to his frame, especially if he wants to maintain puck possession in a league that thrives on speed and physicality.

Kotkov has shown flashes of real playmaking touch — the vision is there, and he can thread difficult passes when the game opens up for him. He plays a fast, skilled style and capped it with a standout postseason, earning playoff MVP honors while finishing second in scoring.

The Bruins have the foundation to build something greater around Kotkov’s abilities and turn him into a star in the NHL.