The Montreal Canadiens continue to make waves in the hockey world, and their latest draft pick is already causing a stir among experts and insiders.

Arseny Radkov, selected 82nd overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, has quickly become the subject of glowing reviews and high expectations, but there’s much more to his story than meets the eye.

Behind the scenes, Radkov’s arrival in North America was set in motion months before the draft, thanks to a secretive agreement with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, and those who’ve seen him up close are raving about his unique qualities.

From his fiery competitiveness in net to his imposing physical presence, Radkov is making a strong impression on teammates and coaches alike.

But what exactly sets him apart from the long list of young goaltenders now filling the Canadiens’ prospect pool? And how does his arrival fit into Kent Hughes’ bold strategy to build the next generation of elite netminders in Montreal?

As TVA Sports journalist Nicolas Cloutier reveals, there are plenty of intriguing details and behind-the-scenes insights that fans won’t want to miss. Read on to discover what makes Arseny Radkov such a “really special” addition—and why his future could be game-changing for the Canadiens.

Photo of Arseny Radkov

Photo credit: IG/Canadiens

The excellent journalist from TVA Sports, Nicolas Cloutier, has just published an excellent article about young Arseny Radkov, a Montreal Canadiens prospect.

Radkov was the Canadiens’ 82nd overall pick in 2025, so he was indeed acquired in the third round of the most recent NHL draft.

Cloutier met with the general manager of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, Olivier Picard, and they discussed the young Radkov, who, incidentally, has had an agreement with the Armada since last January to come here.

“We had a deal with his camp since January,” reveals Picard.

And let’s just say he has not disappointed since his arrival.

Positive comments following the acquisition of Arseny Radkov by the Canadiens

As journalist Cloutier nicely sums up, the comments are already very enthusiastic.

“He’s really special,” sums up Matéo Nobert with a smile.

“Really good,” says Xavier Villeneuve. “He takes up space. He’s solid.”

“I see a goalie with a lot of fire in him,” observes Bill Zonnon. “He wants to make every save. Yesterday, we scored a few goals in a row against him in practice and he started to get mad. We need that kind of energy, it’s motivating.”

– Nicolas Cloutier, TVA Sports

Another added that the Canadiens’ new young goaltender is very “long” Well then!

Clearly, Kent Hughes and his associates are making it a priority to fill the goaltending pipeline as much as possible, and Jacob Fowler isn’t stopping them from continuing to add young talent in net.

After Fowler, Emmett Croteau, Yevgeni Volokhin, Quentin Miller, Mikus Vecvanags, Alexis Cournoyer, and company.. now comes Arseny Radkov!

The Tricolore is starting to build a very interesting bank of young goaltenders.