Stepan Shurygin, an 18-year-old goaltender who spent most of his youth career in Russia, was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the sixth round, 186th overall, in the 2026 NHL Draft. He made the jump to North America for his draft season after being picked 96th overall in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, and immediately took on a heavy workload as a rookie.
Shurygin played the most games of any goaltender in the OHL during his draft season, leading the league in saves as the primary starter for the Saginaw Spirit. Scouts describe him as a big, athletic goaltender who plays well at the top of his crease, following the play around the perimeter with smaller, controlled movements and tracking the puck effectively behind his own net. He’ll have the chance to develop alongside Andrei Vasilevskiy, one of the NHL’s most efficient goaltenders, as part of the Lightning organization.
Shurygin played his draft season with Saginaw, going 24-27-7 with a 3.79 GAA and a .888 save percentage across 59 games, continuing his development as one of the busiest rookie goaltenders to come out of the OHL this year.
Stats and info via other media reporting
Frequently Asked Questions
What team drafted Stepan Shurygin? Stepan Shurygin was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the sixth round, 186th overall, in the 2026 NHL Draft.
What team did Stepan Shurygin play for before the draft? He played for the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL, his first season in North America after coming up in Russian junior hockey.
How did Stepan Shurygin perform in his draft season? He led all OHL goaltenders in games played and saves, going 24-27-7 with a 3.79 GAA and a .888 save percentage across 59 games.
What’s Stepan Shurygin’s playing style? Scouts describe him as a big, athletic goaltender who plays well at the top of his crease, with smaller, controlled side-to-side movements and strong tracking behind the net.
Where is Stepan Shurygin from? He spent most of his youth career in Russia before moving to North America to play in the OHL.
