New York Rangers’ Prospect Ivan Patrikhayev Speaks on Development, Playoff Hockey, and Learning From the Best – The Hockey Writers – New York Rangers

After a strong rookie season with CSKA Moscow in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), defenseman Ivan Patrikhayev was selected in the seventh round at the 2026 NHL Entry Draft with the 193rd overall pick. In this translated interview, originally appearing on KHL.ru, Patrikhayev talks about his development at CSKA, learning from Nikita Nesterov, his confrontation with Alexander Radulov, his first KHL playoff experience, and the lessons he has taken from his rapid rise through the ranks.

** You can read the interview in Patrikhayev’s native Russian by Alexander Petrich on KHL.ru by clicking here **

Before taking on the 2026/27 season with CSKA, Patrikhayev enjoyed his summer off. “I went to the seaside in Turkey with my brother and a friend,” he says. “I swam and played padel or volleyball almost every day. I wanted to physically and emotionally recharge during my vacation and miss hockey again, so I simply enjoyed my time without any serious training. Then I returned to Moscow for a couple of days to spend some time with my mother before going home to Yekaterinburg for almost a month, where I prepared for the season.”

Patrikhayev spent the entire 2025/26 season in the KHL after hitting the ice for 15 games for CSKA in 2024/25. He seems to be satisfied with his performance. “There were ups and downs, but that’s normal,” he confirms. “I gained a lot of experience playing alongside skilled players. You have to draw conclusions, work hard and move forward. This season, I want to help the team get better and continue developing as a player. You can’t stand still. Last season brought a lot of new things: a new coaching staff, tactics and so on. I had to adapt all over again, taking it one step at a time. Playing time was very important in that process because the more you play, the faster you get used to the pace, style and the league itself. It took me a couple of months.”

To confirm his hard-nosed style, the defenseman had a confrontation with Alexander Radulov in a September game against Lokomotiv. “It was just a normal confrontation,” Patrikhayev recalls. “Alexander is an emotional player, and we simply had a verbal exchange. Everyone is emotional during a game, so conflicts on the ice are normal. A professional athlete who wants to achieve a lot shouldn’t be intimidated by anyone. Obviously, Radulov has played hockey for a long time and has won a lot, but everyone has their own path. I just see opponents on the ice and don’t pay attention to their names.”

One of CSKA’s coaches is former NHL great Dmitry Yushkevich, who played more than 800 games for the Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, and Los Angeles Kings. Having such a player in the staff must be an excellent opportunity for the players, especially the younger ones. “I worked with Dmitry Sergeyevich throughout the season and talked after every game. I gained a lot of useful experience and picked up different details from our conversations. I’m still learning from him. Communication with coaches is very important to me.”

Two years ago, Patrikhayev said that he sees former Tampa Bay Lightning Nikita Nesterov as one of the top defensemen in the KHL, and now he spent last season alongside him. “I’m happy to be on the same team as someone who has won so many trophies,” he says. “I watch Nikita, pick up different details from his game and listen to his advice. It’s great to share a locker room with Nesterov. At CSKA, I can approach any teammate and they’ll be happy to help me.”

– Late in the regular season, Patrikhayev got into a fight with Sochi’s Max Ellis as it was his first fight at the KHL level. “We came to that decision together,” the defenseman recalls. “There was a play during the game, we agreed to fight and did it. It gave the fans and our teammates some extra emotions. When I was a kid playing NHL on PlayStation, my friends and I were constantly fighting. You don’t see many fights in the KHL these days, so spectators react very strongly to them.”

He talks about it so casually, as if you already had ten fights behind him. “Why overthink it? You either agree or you refuse – there’s no third option. I’m a guy from Yekaterinburg, and when we were kids, “I don’t want to” wasn’t an option before a fight. I want to play hockey, not fight, but different situations happen. I can drop the gloves, but that’s not my role – I’m not an enforcer.”

Then, he skated in the KHL playoffs as CSKA reached the second round. It was a good lesson for the defenseman. “The responsibility for your actions is much greater in the playoffs,” he explains. “One mistake can affect the outcome of a game, and that game can affect the entire series. You have to think not only about yourself but about the team, because everyone is working toward the same goal. As a defenseman, I tried to protect our net as much as possible in every game. I gained tremendous experience in the playoffs, although I was nervous at first and was trying to find my game. The nerves quickly went away and I adapted.”

Patrikhayev finished the season one vote short of the KHL’s top three rookies last season. Montreal Canadiens’ prospect Alexander Zharovsky walked away with the trophy. “Honestly, I didn’t even look at it. I saw that I wasn’t in the top three and thought, “So what?” It means I have to play better. Everyone understood that Zharovsky would be the Rookie of the Year anyway. Nobody had a chance to catch him or surpass him. Sasha is a very talented player – you only have to look at how many points he has scored at the professional level. Good for him.”

Being from Yekaterinburg, Patrikhayev played at the Datsyuk Arena as a kid. Pavel Datsyuk is a huge figure in his hometown. “Datsyuk is an important figure in Yekaterinburg,” he explains. “People in the Urals are proud of him. I met him when I was still a kid. When I saw him, I couldn’t believe my eyes – I was immediately overwhelmed with emotion. I ran over to him, shook his hand and even talked to him for a while. It was one of the first times I had seen a hockey star in person. Datsyuk is a true legend who made it to the highest level and showed everyone what he was capable of. It’s great that Yekaterinburg built an arena in his honor.”

Datsyuk was one of the players Patrikhayev was following in his youth. “I didn’t follow defensemen at all as a kid because I wanted to be a forward and loved playing offense. My idols were Alexander Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk and Artemi Panarin. I loved watching them play. When my coaches moved me to defense, I resisted for a long time, but eventually became a defenseman. Growing up, I always wanted to rush up the ice and score, and I still love playing with the puck. Eventually, I came to love my role and realized that defensemen have more options: you can win the puck, start an attack or even carry it into the offensive zone yourself.”

Patrikhayev is still a long shot to make it into the NHL, but he has all the tools for a good attempt. His deal with CSKA Moscow in the KHL runs out after the 2027/28 campaign – perhaps he’ll make the jump to the Rangers system right after.