Kirill Tankov Finds The Scoresheet Again After Hot Start Interrupted By Injury In The KHL
Krill Tankov started the 2025-26 KHL season with six points in 10 games for Severstal Cherepovets before missing six weeks due to injury injury. The 2021 seventh round pick went nine games without a point after returning to the lineup in late November but recorded two points–including the primary assist on the game winning goal–in a 4-3 overtime win for Severstal over HC Sochi on Christmas Day. Tankov currently ranks 17th on the team with eight points in 22 games.
Tankov recorded 21 points in 38 games in the VHL–the second tier of professional hockey in Russia–the year after being drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the first game of the 2022-23 season, Tankov suffered a broken neck and missed the entire season. The 6’2” forward rebounded with 24 points in 42 VHL games in 2023-24 but bounced around two leagues and four teams last season before finding a spot with Severstal for the 2025-26 season. At 23 years old, expect Tankov to remain in Russia barring a significant breakout season in the next two or three years.
Read This Week’s Full Prospect Report
Penguins Prospect Report: December 29, 2025
Kirill Tankov found the scoresheet again in the KHL after injury interrupted a hot start, Gabe Klassen continues to carve out a larger role with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and Vasily Ponomarev scores twice, including a clutch overtime winner, for Avangard Omsk, plus Wilkes-Barre/Scranton earned three of four points over the weekend while the Wheeling Nailers postponed three games due to a player strike.
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