Yegorov's ability, personality make him commodity in Devils pipeline

Mikhail Yegorov arrived in North America from St. Petersburg, Russia, two years ago with dreams of getting an education and becoming a better-than-average goalie.

His ability and contagious personality have turned him into something much more.

"My parents always told me that if I play hockey well, I can potentially come over to North America and get a great education and now I'm at Boston University," Yegorov said after a practice session at New Jersey Devils development camp earlier this month. "I wanted to be in North America as fast as possible and just start climbing that ladder.

"Obviously, I want to be in the NHL one day, so being in North America and adjusting to this style, to the speed, is very important."

Yegorov (6-foot-5, 180 pounds) came to the United States from Russia in the fall of 2023, after playing in Russia's Under-17 and Under-18 leagues in 2022-23. He was chosen in the 16th round by Muskegon in the 2022 USHL Draft but was never rostered that season, so he reentered the draft and was taken by Omaha in the sixth round of 2023 USHL draft.

The 19-year-old tied for third among USHL goalies in games played (43) and tied for fourth in shots faced (1,262) as a USHL rookie in 2023-24. He was selected by the Devils in the second round (No. 49) of the 2024 NHL Draft, began the 2024-25 season with Omaha and then summoned to join Boston University for the second semester.

"It really was great to have him come in and see the way he kind of took the ball and ran with it," Boston University coach Jay Pandolfo said. "We didn't know exactly what to expect. We knew he was going to come in and compete and we were going to give him an opportunity, but we didn't know he'd be able to do what he did. I just think he just has an infectious personality, fun to be around. I think he really enjoys every moment, and he just embraced it."

He not only earned the starter's role but became a fan favorite and a regular visitor to the BU Dog Pound after each win.

"'Yegs' is the happiest guy on planet Earth," BU defenseman Cole Hutson (Washington Capitals) said. "He loves to have fun, chirps the guys and, in practice, is extremely hard on himself. That's a big quality of his ... how upset he gets with himself after letting in a goal. He sets himself to such a high standard."

Yegorov was a sponge during Devils development camp, taking in all he could and performing well when it was time to shine.

His recent success has turned him into a well-known commodity in the Devils pipeline.

"His name came up at the trade deadline and we know we have a good one there," New Jersey general manager Tom Fitzgerald said. "The thing about goaltending is you just don't know when they're going to arrive, but he's got a great personality. He loves the game and he's good ... that's exciting."

Yegorov went 11-6-1 with a 2.15 goals-against average, .927 save percentage and one shutout in 18 games (all starts) as a freshman last season.

"Obviously it was a big step for me, as it was not planned," he said. "I was planning on staying in USHL the whole year, but it was obviously a transition for me. BU was very supportive. I mean, it was all great just to start working and getting my feet wet right away. I was lucky to start playing there, getting time, getting wins. Trying to just get my job, and then slamming into the boards (near the BU Dog Pound) ... it was a great atmosphere."

Yegorov made his NCAA debut against rival Boston College on Jan. 25, allowing one power-play goal and finishing with a .958 save percentage in a 2-0 loss.

"Having my first college start at (Boston College) with 7,500 people chanting against you, it was amazing," he said. "I'm just athletic, that's my biggest strength. As I grow up, I'm trying to be more patient, more present. I want to use my size, but at the same time be very athletic and use my reflexes."

He won five of his first nine NCAA games, including two games to help BU win its 32nd Beanpot, a four-team tournament between Boston's top college hockey programs (BU, Boston College, Northeastern, Harvard). Yegorov also earned the Eberly award as the goalie with the highest save percentage, stopping 69 of 71 shots in two starts (.972 save percentage) in his first Beanpot.

"He's very focused and very competitive and wants to do well," Pandolfo said. "I can see it with how he acts ... he's grateful for the opportunity to be at Boston University and not just for the athletic portion of it. He's a very good student and really enjoys going to school.

"It's not easy coming in halfway through the college season, all the adjustments you have to make and the routines you have to get used to. He didn't just come in and take cupcake courses, either. He took some really difficult classes and did well on all of them. He just really enjoyed his time in the semester he was here, and we certainly enjoyed having him and are really looking forward to hopefully having him for some time."

Yegorov did share one interesting class he took in 2024-25.

"It was called Homeland Security, and people started calling me a Russian spy after that," he said with a wide grin. "But I'm majoring in Eco-mathematics. I like math."

At what point might Yegorov be ready to turn professional?

"He's committed to go back to college at least one, maybe two more years," Devils assistant GM Dan MacKinnon said. "He'll be a little bit behind (Devils goalie prospect) Jakub Malek, which is good because you want to stagger a little bit so not everyone is fighting for the net. That lays out really well for us to get a little more clarity of what our needs are going to be in a couple of years."