Bruins Welcome Kolyachonok to the Team, ‘I Was Really Excited’

BOSTON –– Vladislav Kolyachonok slid to center ice atop the Spoked-B at TD Garden.

​His new Boston Bruins teammates surrounded him in a circle as he led the stretch following his first practice on Wednesday.

​The Bruins claimed Kolyachonok off waivers from the Dallas Stars on Tuesday and quickly welcomed the 24-year-old defenseman into the family.

“That’s all the guys. Once in a while, I say the name, but that was the guys today,” head coach Marco Sturm said of Kolyachonok getting pushed to the circle. “Whatever it is, we just try to make him feel good, welcomed. He has a wife and little one at home; it’s hard sometimes, especially before Christmas. So we just want to make sure [he’s comfortable].”

The movement of the NHL is something Kolyachonok knows well; he was a second-round pick of the Florida Panthers in 2019, got traded to the Arizona Coyotes in 2021, was transferred to the Utah Mammoth in 2024, claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Penguins in February and traded to the Stars in July before landing in Boston.

While a difficult lifestyle, Kolyachonok is taking each opportunity as it comes.

“I’ve been there before, so kind of used to it. Of course, I am very happy to join and can’t wait to get started,” Kolyachonok said. “Hockey is business, right? Not everything you can control, but I always try to be my best and stay with it.”

Kolyachonok logged three points (one goal, two assists) through 11 games with Dallas this year, and three assists through 10 games in the AHL with the Texas Stars. The left-shot defenseman will bring some relief to the Bruins’ backend, which has dealt with injury adversity this season.

“That’s why we kind of picked him up. We needed some extra help; we are running really thin right now, and didn’t want to get in trouble, getting one injury away,” Sturm said. “We felt like he will be a good addition to our D-group. [Don Sweeney] and his staff were scouting him for the last little bit. Seems like a good kid.”

Kolyachonok will have to earn a spot in the lineup, but is willing to do whatever it takes to have success in Boston.

“Whatever they tell me to do, I am going to do it,” he said.

Kolyachonok has some familiarity with both the Bruins’ system and players. He played the better part of three seasons with Victor Soderstrom in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners from 2021 to 2024; they were D-partners for a stretch in the minors, he said.

There will be a transition period for Kolyachonok to become ingrained in the flow of things, but he said the B’s D-zone is similar to what he played in Utah. He noticed differences in the details of Boston’s forecheck and neutral zone in his first practice, though, Kolyachonok said.

“He has a little bit of everything, I feel like he has a little bit of offense, he can defend,” Sturm said. “I think he played some PK as well. We look at him as a depth guy, and hopefully he is going to get a chance, too, I don’t know when.”

​Soderstrom is the latest B’s call-up from Providence to step in and fill a gap. Players like Alex Steeves, Jonathan Aspirot, Michael Callahan and Matêj Blümel have all been leaned on throughout the season and made themselves part of winning efforts. It has been a strength of this year’s squad.

​“First of all, it’s our leadership group, the guys in our room. I think they make those guys very comfortable right away, fill them in right away,” Sturm said. “Us coaching staff, our job is to get him used to the system. Might be a little bit of change, but overall, I think guys are just feeling good, and there’s no gray area, let’s put it that way.”

While the past 48 hours have been a whirlwind for Kolyachonok, he is ready to start his next chapter in the Black & Gold.

“I met everybody, and I knew a few guys before I came here, so it’s easy to get into it,” Kolyachonok said. “I know this team always competes hard and has the highest goals, so I was really excited.”