With the Kontinental Hockey League season ready to get going later this week, a top Columbus Blue Jackets prospect is officially heading to a new organization for the 2026-27 campaign.
Pyotr Andreyanov, the Blue Jackets’ 20th overall pick during the 2025 NHL Draft, has been loaned to HK Sochi by CSKA Moskva. The move was announced by the KHL shortly before the season begins this weekend.
Roadblock in Moscow
Andreyanov has been a key part of CSKA’s MHL affiliate Krasnaya Armiya Moskva over the last three seasons. Last season, he even earned an opportunity in the VHL with their affiliate at that level, Zvezda Moskva.
In three seasons at the MHL level, Andreyanov had a record of 45-22-9 while registering a .928 save percentage and a goals against average of just 2.31.
Last season, Andreyanov’s numbers did regress from his prior performance, but that was to be expected as his statistics from the 2024-25 campaign were unsustainable for the long haul. During that season, he had a 1.75 goals against average and .942 save percentage in 37 games. Oddly, despite rarely giving up goals to the opposition, he recorded just three shutouts. In the 2025-26 season, those numbers came back down to Eart, as he had a 2.59 goals against average and .919 save percentage.
While Andreyanov’s numbers last season were certainly respectable, they weren’t quite as impressive as the prior season, when he finished second in the league in save percentage, fourth in goals against average, and fifth in wins. As a result, he didn’t do quite enough to justify an immediate move to CSKA Moskva’s main team.
Currently, CSKA Moskva, which is often referred to as the Red Army in the United States, are expected to run with a tandem of New York Islanders prospect Dmitri Gamzin and veteran KHL netminder Alexander Samsonov for the coming season. Gamzin was dominant for CSKA last season, going 22-10-6 with a 1.49 goals against average and .938 save percentage at the KHL level, while also picking up eight shutouts in the process. Samsonov, on the other hand, provides a steady, experienced hand when their main goaltender needs a night off.
The Road Ahead
For Andreyanov, there is considerable competition for the starting job with HK Sochi. The biggest threat to his playing time will be 31-year-old netminder Ivan Bocharov. Bochrov used to be a mainstay between the pipes for Dynamo Moskva, but has since become somewhat of a journeyman in the KHL. Last season, he had a disappointing season by his standard with Lada Togliatti, but will be looking to bounce back this time around.
Alexei Shchetilin and Damir Shaiardanov are also in the mix, but are much less likely to pose a threat to Andreyanov’s playing time.
Ultimately, it seems that CSKA’s plan is to get Andreyanov some KHL experience and see how he performs at such a high level before they give him the reins in their own organization. Unfortunately for Blue Jackets fans, Andreyanov is currently signed through the 2029-30 season and won’t be making the jump to North America any time soon. With that being said, they’ll certainly know what they’re getting when the move does finally come through at some point in the 2030s.
Columbus Blue Jackets’ Key Prospect Loaned to HK Sochi