- Sergei Skvortsov scored in his KHL debut at 17 years and 178 days old
- The Torpedo winger is projected as a top-five pick in the 2027 NHL Draft
- Read below for the goal video, the Torpedo record he just missed, and where scouts rank him
Sergei Skvortsov did not wait long to introduce himself.
The Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod winger scored his first KHL goal in his first KHL game on Saturday, burying it with 2:08 left in the opening period of a 1-0 win over Spartak Moscow. He is 17 years old and he is not eligible for the NHL Draft until next summer.
The league account had the video up within minutes. Here is the goal:
Nobody is putting that one in a highlight package. Skvortsov picked the puck up behind the Spartak net, tried to feed a teammate in the crease, and watched it bank in off a defender. They all count.
Reporter Daria Tuboltseva of RG put an age on the moment. At 17 years and 178 days, Skvortsov is the second-youngest player in Torpedo history to score in the KHL, sitting 20 days behind Devils prospect Anton Silayev:
Scouts were already circling. Draft analyst Dylan Griffing filed a report on Skvortsov four days before the debut and did not hedge on where he sees the ceiling.
“Sergei Skvortsov is one of the best prospects in the world. High intelligence, elite tools, and looks fully prepared to make an impact in the KHL. All the makings of a challenger for first overall.”
Daily Faceoff had him fourth on its July top-32 board for 2027, behind Landon DuPont, Nazar Privalov and Alexis Joseph. The scouting note called him a powerful skater who never stops moving, with some of the best hands in the class.
He earned that by wrecking the MHL as a 16-year-old. Skvortsov was an alternate captain and led Torpedo’s junior club in scoring with 43 points in 52 games, then added 18 points in 17 playoff games.
One thing works against him, and it is the obvious one. He is listed at 6-foot and roughly 155 pounds, and pro defensemen are going to test that all year.
DuPont is still the consensus name at the top of most 2027 boards. Skvortsov now has a full KHL season to argue about it.
