Bruins Reportedly Showing Interest In This Sought-After Forward

As the Boston Bruins look to build up their roster for the 2025-26 season, they might be looking internationally.

The Bruins reportedly are in touch with Maxim Shabanov of the Kontinental Hockey League, according to his agent Alexander Chernykh, as reported by Vladimir Laevsky.

The Russian forward is in touch with 12 NHL teams, including the Las Vegas Golden Knights, New York Islanders and Utah Mammoth. As Shabanov draws interest, he is looking for a team that will give him a roster spot right away.

“There is only one criterion,” Chernykh said, translated to English. “We just need to look at the team rosters and understand where he will really have his place, as it happened with other players. So that he comes there and plays in the NHL, so that he has time and a place in the roster.”

The 24-year-old scored 23 goals and 44 assists for 67 points through 65 games with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL. Shabanov finished third in scoring, just behind former NHL players Nikita Gusev and Josh Leivo.

The 5-foot-8, 157-pound forward is considered undersized, but has an offensive upside the Bruins have needed.

The Islanders seem to be a front-runner for Shabanov but other NHL teams aren’t out of the question.

“The Islanders left a good impression on him this season,” Chernykh said. “So in any case, we will first consider the conditions of the team he played for, and then everything else.”