In drafting their potential goaltender of the future, the Blue Jackets took a look to their past.
The Blue Jackets surprised some by selecting netminder Pyotr Andreyanov with the 20th overall pick in the draft last week, but when the team’s brass watched the young Russian netminder on tape this past season, they saw a clear comparison in his size, movements, technical ability and improvisational talent.
“He reminds me a lot of Bob,” goaltending coach Niklas Backstrom said, referencing two-time Vezina Trophy-winning goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. “He’s a pretty technical goalie, reads the game well, moves well, is explosive. I think he’s closer to playing at this level than a lot of goalies.”
But for Andreyanov, it’s about charting his own path. The 18-year-old native of Volsk, Russia, follows countryman Andrei Vasilevskiy most, but his goal is not to follow in anyone's footsteps but to become the first Pyotr Andreyanov.
“People have been comparing me to Bobrovsky quite a bit, but I just try to do my own thing,” Andreyanov said through interpreter and agent Dan Milstein. “I want to play and I want to be known as me.”
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If his path to this point is any indication, he could be well on his way. While the Blue Jackets surprised some by making Andreyanov – and not fellow well-regarded netminders Joshua Ravensbergen and Jack Ivankovic – the first goalie taken in this year’s draft, his pedigree is quite impressive.
Andreyanov was ranked the No. 1 international goalie by NHL Central Scouting coming into the draft and was projected by many as a second- or third-round pick on the strength of an excellent season with CSKA Moskva’s junior team, Krasnaya Armiya. The 6-2, 207-pound goalie posted eye-popping numbers, going 23-6-6 with a 1.75 GAA and .942 save percentage in 37 games played.
In the eyes of Backstrom, CBJ goalie scouts – including Cleveland (AHL) goaltending coach Brad Thiessen and scouting coordinator Jim Viers – viewed him as the best goaltending prospect they’ve seen in the draft in the past few years.
“He’s really smooth in his movements,” Backstrom said. “There’s not a lot of extra movements. He understands the game really well. And then I think, like in every position but goal especially, you have to have that attitude. You have to be ready to work. There’s no freebies as a goalie. You’re not going to make it to the NHL just sitting back. You have to put in the effort.”
While general manager Don Waddell wouldn’t profess to be an expert in the technical aspect of scouting goaltenders, he also became convinced that Andreyanov was the right choice after meeting him during a visit to Florida a week before the draft to attend a camp run by Milstein.
By the time the Blue Jackets finished their predraft ranking of prospects, Andreyanov was not only the top goalie, he was the top player remaining on their list when the 20th choice came along.
“I'm not a goalie expert, but I can interview people,” Waddell said. “Our goalie guys, Nick and Brad Thiessen and Jimmy Viers all said, by far, they thought this was the best guy. You know, we came into the draft saying that we'd like to draft a goalie. So when we put our list together, it worked out two ways. It's kind of interesting, because he's our No. 1 goalie, but he was actually our next guy on our list, so we didn't have to debate at all.
“Every kid that we talked to down there ... we always ask them this question – if you had one player that you could take with you to your next team, (who would it be)? And 90 percent of the players said Pyotr."
That love from his teammates and friends was evident when the Blue Jackets made the selection, as Milstein posted video online of the celebration – which featured 2024 NHL draft picks Egor Surin and Matvei Shuravin – in Miami when Andreyanov was chosen.
“He seems to be a great, great teammate,” Backstrom said. “I just saw a video online about how excited he was about getting drafted. I think the biggest thing is all of his teammates were happy for him, and he has a little aura, like a little swagger. So we’re really excited.”
Considering the large number of Russian players on the Blue Jackets, Andreyanov said he’s watched the team play the past few seasons, and he noted he’s already a fan of the team’s colors and jerseys. While he remains under contract with CSKA for the next few seasons, he hopes to come to the NHL down the road to help the Blue Jackets reach the ultimate goal.
“I’m extremely grateful for the Columbus Blue Jackets to draft me, and I will do whatever humanly possible to bring the Cup to Columbus,” Andreyanov said.
