Daniil Pylenkov (Photo by dynamo.ru)
Daniil Pylenkov, one of the most reliable defensemen in the KHL, is considering moving to the NHL.
The 24-year-old Russian had his best career season, reaching the Gagarin Cup semifinals with Dynamo Moscow. Afterward, he decided to continue his career with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Although the contract is not signed yet, his decision is clear.
“I told Dynamo that I plan to continue my career in America,” Pylenkov said in an exclusive interview with RG. “But negotiations continue since Dynamo still holds my rights in Russia; I am a restricted free agent here. Everything depends on them—if they’re interested, they’ll act.”
Communication with Tampa
Pylenkov has already spoken with Tampa’s general manager, Julien BriseBois. “He said they’re waiting for me. Nothing specific yet, but we’re in contact,” Daniil confirmed. He hasn’t spoken yet with Lightning’s head coach Jon Cooper: “We were supposed to call each other, but I had a long playoff run, and Tampa had one too. Hopefully, we’ll speak soon.”
Pylenkov closely follows the team’s roster:
He is no longer worried about the language barrier, having improved significantly in English over the past two years: “At Dynamo, I communicated with foreign players, and they understood me. Once everything is settled with the contract, I’ll hire a tutor and study seriously.”
Pylenkov describes himself modestly as a player: “It’s hard to talk about myself. If they don’t know me in America yet—hopefully, they’ll know soon.” However, he agrees with being described as a mobile, attacking defenseman with good skating skills.
Draft Memories and NHL Idols
Pylenkov was drafted by the Lightning in 2021, in the seventh round as the 196th overall pick. The defenseman vividly remembers draft day, recalling a funny story:
“I remember that day clearly. I was at a training camp in Novogorsk, watching the draft broadcast late at night with a friend. Scouts called me and said there was a chance Tampa would pick me. I couldn’t fully believe it, though. It was my third year being eligible for the draft; I wasn’t 18 anymore. But hope was still there. Then suddenly, I saw my name—Tampa had drafted me. I got a call from an American number, speaking English, which I didn’t understand at all back then. I just understood they were congratulating me. I replied in Russian that I didn’t understand anything. They said they’d put a Russian scout on the phone.”
Tampa’s interest in him increased significantly over the past two years, coinciding with his stable play in the KHL. “When my contract with SKA was ending, talks began. We regularly spoke, but back then, I wasn’t ready to leave. That season, I barely played, only regaining form during three months with Severstal. It wasn’t enough,” recalls Pylenkov. Another factor delaying his move was the birth of his daughter, prompting him to postpone the NHL journey by two years.
Among NHL idols, Pylenkov admires Victor Hedman: “He’s the team leader. Excellent skating, a long reach, good shot—it’s a pleasure to watch him play.”
Pylenkov would also include Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes among the world’s top three defensemen. Surprisingly, as a child, he was inspired by goalies rather than defensemen: “I liked their appearance and playing style. It impressed me.”
Ready for NHL Challenges
Moving overseas is a serious step, especially given the pace, intensity, and physical nature of North American hockey. But Pylenkov feels ready: “The NHL has less space, higher speed, and more physical play. I understand that. I’ll need time to adapt, but hopefully, I can manage.” Daniil also admitted he’s prepared to start in the AHL if necessary to gain experience.
Everything now hinges on the contract, and if things go well, Pylenkov could soon wear the Lightning jersey.
Pylenkov’s vacation plans include traveling to the Maldives with his wife, then flying to Turkey together with their daughter, after which he’ll start preparing for the new season in Moscow. He doesn’t yet know when he’ll head to the U.S.; it all depends on the contract.
He considers last season successful despite exiting in the semifinals. The 24-year-old defenseman earned 31 points (6 goals, 25 assists) in 68 regular-season games and 7 points (1 goal, 6 assists) in 17 playoff games, not missing a single game during the KHL season.
“It feels like something was unfinished. Looking at the roster, we wanted more. But at this point, it was our maximum,” he said. Still, Pylenkov is satisfied with his play: “It was the best season of my career, but there’s always room to improve. I’m working with video analysts to enhance specific aspects. I want to get better every year.”
Daria Tuboltseva
