The Edmonton Oilers will enter the 2026 NHL Draft later this month with only four selections in total. They are slated to pick in the second round, third round, sixth round, and seventh round. This leaves them with very few chances to add a meaningful player to their roster in the future, even more so given their lack of high picks. This causes many to feel the draft is irrelevant.
Despite this, there are certainly quality players available well into the later rounds with many of the star players in any given draft year coming from picks outside the top five, ten, or even the first round. This means that despite the lack of both quality and quantity of picks, the Oilers could still come away with a gem.
One player who has caught the eye of the scouting community as the season has gone on is none other than big-bodied Russian winger, Gleb Pugachyov and with the 52nd overall selection, that is who the Oilers should select.
Gleb Pugachyov
Although the Oilers have had some bad experiences with Russian prospects of late, it is still an incredibly viable place for NHL clubs to extract talent from. Throughout the year, Pugachyov has found himself rising up 2026 NHL draft boards and sits firmly as a second round pick among many outlets with Elite Prospects.com slotting him 47th overall on their consolidated rankings. This puts him in reach of the Oilers who pick at 52nd overall but given his profile, he may go even higher.
Pugachyov is listed at 6'3 198lbs and uses every bit of his size while playing the game, throwing huge hits and physically intimidating his opponents. His motor is constantly cranked up, forechecking and backchecking hard and using his body and intelligence to battle and create turnovers. On the offensive side, Pugachyov is a plus skater for his size and has the hands and passing ability to create plays for his teammates.
Gleb Pugachyov (2026) with a sweet move and pass to set up Timur Mukhanov (CAR), leveling the game at 1s. #2026NHLDraft | #Canes pic.twitter.com/dP5kmTKrbQ
— dylan griffing (@GriffingDylan) April 30, 2026
He played up-and-down at all three levels of Russian hockey playing in the Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod system from the junior ranks (MHL) to second tier men's (VHL) and top men's league (KHL). At all levels he was a competent scorer, scoring three in 13 in the KHL, five in 15 in the VHL, and 24 in 33 in the MHL.
NHL projection
When choosing which players could be good selections for the Oilers, I took into account various factors including NHL projection and how he fits with the club as a prospect and long term. Given his blend of size and skill, the sky is basically the limit for Pugachyov and as a March 2008 birthdate, the development curve is on his side.
Powerforwards have historically been players who take some time to develop. Tom Wilson, Brady Tkachuk, and Matthew Knies are examples of recent power forwards who took roughly four or more years post-draft to hit their potential. This means that Pugachyov may not be NHL ready until after the Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl era is over.
However, powerforwards who can produce offensively are incredibly valuable to NHL general managers. Pugachyov projects to be a capable top-nine forward who could realistically play up and down an NHL lineup if he hits. Luckily, his relative defensive tools, motor, and physicality could give him a safer floor as a bottom-six forward if developed properly.
The 18 year old Russian winger has his contract set until 2028. If he is available when the Oilers pick, their only concern should be whether or not he comes over or stays in Russia like fellow prospect Maxim Beryozkin.
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