Blackhawks sign Roman Kantserov to entry-level contract

A highly touted prospect is officially coming to this side of the pond.

On Thursday, the Chicago Blackhawks announced that they had signed forward Roman Kantserov to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal, set to begin next year, will carry a cap hit of $1.075 million through the 2028-29 season.

The signing comes less than a week after Kantserov terminated his Kontinental Hockey League contract with Magnitogorsk Metallurg, paving the way for him to sign his first NHL deal.

Kantserov might not be the biggest player on the ice, standing at just 5-foot-9, but his skill and quickness make him a very exciting player to watch and a difficult one to track down. He has proven to have a knack for putting the puck in the back of the net, while being able to set up his teammates for great scoring chances as well.

The 21-year-old is coming off his best season in the KHL. In his third full year with Metallurg, Kantserov set career highs in goals (36), assists (28) and points (64) in 63 games, leading the league in tallies. He was a key part of Magnitogorsk finishing atop the Eastern Conference and winning the Continental Cup as the best team in the regular season. Kantserov added another eight points in 15 playoff games, as Metallurg made it as far as the conference finals, but were stunned by Ak Bars Kazan in five games.

In his time in the KHL, the Magnitogorsk native appeared in 164 regular-season games, scoring 57 goals and 60 assists for 117 points, with another 23 points in 23 postseason contests. He posted 13 points in the 2024 playoffs, helping Metallurg capture the Gagarin Cup, leading all skaters with three game-winning goals.

Kantserov was taken in the second round, 44th overall, of the 2023 NHL Draft.