Colorado Avalanche prospect Mikhail Gulyayev, the club’s first-round pick from the 2023 NHL Draft, has drawn comparisons to some of the NHL’s best blue liners.
In an interview with RG Media’s Sergey Demidov published on August 26, Gulyayev was the subject of lofty comparisons. In particular, Demidov addressed the parallels Gulyayev drew to the Avalanche’s own Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar.
Gulyayev’s overall skill set has enabled him to play forward, in addition to defense. Gulyayev, a defenseman by trade, played forward for the Ovangard Omsk at the recent Blinov Cup in Russia. His stint on the wing was successful, as he scored twice.
That offensive talent has prompted comparisons to Cale Makar. Although the idea is not to needlessly pressure Gulyayev.
Guy Boucher, Avangard’s coach, had this to say about Gulyayev per RG:
“I don’t think you want to put pressure on a kid like that… Makar. I mean, this is a completely different level. This is a kid who has good potential to be himself. Over the years, this is what I realized kills players, kills youngsters, when they are compared to other people. He needs to grow his pace to be himself. Makar is a completely different type.”
It’s fine to lay off the hype. But when it boils down to it, Gulyayev could take the NHL by storm. Boucher touted “Guly’s” skill set by stating:
“He has terrific speed, he’s a great kid, he works extremely hard. He’s able to create something out of nothing. But to grow as an NHL defenseman, you need more. And he knows about it, we talked to him.”
Gulyayev seems on track to hit North America at some point in 2026. He still has one more year on his current KHL contract. Once the 20-year-old is done with it, he’ll be looking to transition to the NHL.
Colorado Avalanche hope Gulyayev can turn into the best version of himself
This upcoming season will be one more year of development for Gulyayev. While Boucher has nothing but praise for the up-and-coming blue liner, he’s also made it clear that Gulyayev needs to build the skills needed to thrive in the NHL.
Boucher added:
“Whether you are an offensive or defensive defenseman, you must be able to defend against MacKinnons, McDavids, those guys. He’s on his way there. He’s a great kid who wants to learn and is getting better.”
That message seems to have gotten through loud and clear. Gulyayev has put his best foot forward to make strides in getting to the level he needs to excel in the best hockey league in the world.
Boucher doubled down, stating:
“I’m looking at him at camp, and he’s already so much better than last year. I love his confidence and growth. So, my pressure won’t be giving names or models he has to follow. The pressure must be to be the best version of himself. That’s what we want from him.”
Boucher, Avangard, and the Avalanche are right to drop labels and comparisons. The aim is to build in Gulyayev the best possible work ethic that can lead to his success at any level. His dedication to learning the game has been patent. Gulyayev has admitted that he follows players like Erik Karlsson and Rasmus Dahlin.
As such, Gulyayev made his mindset clear by declaring:
“For smaller guys, it can be tough to defend against big forwards. In those cases, you need to rely on other qualities: skating, skill, and hockey IQ.”
The 5’10” Gulyayev is a good as they come. If his hockey IQ continues to grow, fans could be in for a two-headed hydra monster featuring Gulyayev and Makar. That’s something that should have Avalanche fans eagerly anticipating the future.