Maple Leafs Prospect Officially Makes Surprise Move Overseas After Limited Season
Photo credit: KHL Images
Maple Leafs goaltending prospect Timofei Obvintsev has decided to sign with Gornyak-UGMK in the VHL; getting one step closer to playing professional hockey.
With the Toronto Maple Leafs gearing up for the 2025-26 season, they added a slew of signings to their AHL roster, while also giving auditions to several NCAA players during development camp.
However, they have a ton of prospects in their system, especially goaltenders, seemingly stocking up over the past few seasons to bring in some pretty intriguing talents.
Timofei Obvintsev ascends to higher Russian pro league
One of those, Timofei Obvintsev has decided to make the leap to Russia's second-biggest professional hockey league, meaning he is one step closer to playing with some of the top talent in the world.
The news was broken by Kyle Cushman on X, with Elite Prospects also confirming the move with Obvintsev's name officially on Gornyak-UGMK's roster page.
In limited games with the MHL last season (Russia's equivalent to junior hockey) Obvintsev had a 6-4-0 record with a 2.78 GAA and .908 SV% with Krasnaya Armiya Moskva.
Obvintsev's future bright, but still a ways away
Drafted 157th overall by the Maple Leafs in 2024, Obvintsev is one of several high-profile Russian goaltenders who Toronto has targeted, with Artur Akhtyamov and Vyacheslav Peksa the others.
There isn't a clear path to North America just yet for Obvintsev, considering he's only 20 and has a few years to get his footing underneath him against tougher competition.
But much like his fellow Russians who came over to North America, he should be able to translate well to the different style and pace of the game, and his transition here will be easier knowing he has some friends here already.
He also fits the bill of being tall, and standing 6'3; plus according to an interview he gave to the MHL; he's got a pretty charming personality and a sense of humor:
Goaltenders are quite a different breed. Pucks strike us in the head, after all.
If Obvintsev can translate a solid pro season in Russia into an audition to the KHL, he may be one step closer to reaching the Maple Leafs one day.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 12 | 2606 ANSWERS Maple Leafs Prospect Officially Makes Surprise Move Overseas After Limited Season Do you think Timofei Obvintsev will ever play in the NHL? | ||
| Yes | 699 | 26.8 % |
| No | 1907 | 73.2 % |
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