Panthers’ Draftee Stepan Zvyagin Loaned to Kunlun Red Star – Hockey Writers – Panthers Prospects

Florida Panthers 2023 seventh-round pick Stepan Zvyagin has been loaned to Dinamo Minsk from Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), as announced by the Chinese franchise. The young forward only has 25 KHL games under his belt, and this move could be a great opportunity for Zvyagin to get playing time in a more competitive environment.

A native of Moscow who moved to Belarus as a teenager, Zvyagin made his KHL debut at age 18 in the 2022-23 campaign, when he scored his first league goal and appeared in 15 games for Dinamo. He also had 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists) in 37 games in the minors. The following season, he continued to impress in the MHL, Russia’s minor league, with 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in just 20 games. He also had an assist in 10 regular season games with Dinamo.

This season, the Panthers’ prospect failed to break into the Bisons’ top lineup, and he had 10 points (four goals, six assists) for Dinamo’s big team in the top Belarusian league. Making the Kunlun Red Star program should be easier for the young talent, who now has the opportunity to show his skills and continue to improve. His contract with Dinamo runs through the 2025-26 season.