Red Wings Prospect Into Kharlamov Cup Semifinals

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With the departure of forward Dmitri Buchelnikov to the St. Louis Blues in the Justin Faulk trade, defenseman Nikita Tyurin is the only Russian prospect remaining in the Detroit Red Wings system. And he’s still playing hockey this season.

The Kharlamov Cup is the playoff championship of Russia’s junior league, the MHL. Tyurin’s team, JHC Spartak, is facing Avto in the semifinals. The best-of-seven series is currently deadlocked 1-1.

Tyurin collected an assist in JHC Spartak’s 5-2 Game 1 victory. Avto claimed Game 2 by a 1-0 margin. Through 10 playoff games, Tyurin has accounted for four assists. He’s also a plus-six, which is ninth overall among playoff competitors.

The Red Wings chose the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Tyurin 140th overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. He’s a slick, puck-moving defenseman who likes to join the rush. During 48 regular-season games this season, Tyurin was good for four goals, 25 assists, and a plus-15 rating.

Tyurin also played seven KHL games this season for Spartak Moscow.

Familiar Names To Red Wings Fans Heading To Worlds

The IIHF World Championship is still weeks away, but countries are already beginning to assemble rosters. It’s already known that Red Wings defenseman Albert Johansson will be playing for Sweden. Joining him on the Swedish roster is Frolunda forward Theodor Niederbach. Niederbach was selected 51st overall by Detroit in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. However, he was never offered a contract.

Former Red Wings defenseman Olli Maatta of the Calgary Flames will be suiting up for Finland. Joining him on the Finnish roster will be defenseman Vili Saarijarvi of Switzerland’s Servette Geneva. He was chosen 73rd overall by the Wings in the 2015 draft. Saarijarvi played with both the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins and ECHL Toledo Walleye.

Liv Won’t Take Father’s Digit

Goalie Herman Liv, the son of 2000 Red Wings draftee Stefan Liv, is joining HV71 of Sweden’s SHL. It’s the same team his father tended goal for many years and became an icon of the club.

“It feels a little surreal, almost,” Herman Liv told Swedish website Sportbladet. “It’s been a bit of a dream since I started playing hockey, to play in front of these fans and in an HV jersey.”

Stefan Liv, who played for the AHL Griffins in 2006-07, won three SHL titles with HV71. He was also part of Sweden’s 2006 Olympic gold medal-winning squad. Liv died in the 2001 Lokomotiv plane crash. His No. 1 is retired by HV71.

There was some speculation that Herman, who backstopped Sweden to this season’s world junior gold medal, would be offered the chance to don his father’s jersey number, but he wouldn’t hear of it. He’ll be wearing No. 80 for HV71.

“I felt that taking it right away might be a bit cocky,” Herman Liv said. “He put it up on the ceiling anyway.”

Kaski On The Move Again

Defenseman Oliwer Kaski was the first European free agent signed by Steve Yzerman after he took over as Red Wings GM. But Kawski’s stay in the organization was brief. He played 19 AHL games with the Griffins and was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes.

That’s become Kaski’s trademark. He’s often a man on the move. The Finnish defender will be playing next season for Malmö of the SHL after departing Cologne of Germany’s DEL. Malmö will be Kaski’s eighth team since 2019.

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