June 01, 2026

Flyers sign Russian wing prospect Ilya Pautov to entry-level deal

Pautov was a late-round 2024 draft pick with a lot of puck-controlling upside on offense to develop.

By Nick Tricome
PhillyVoice Staff

Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images

Danny Brière and Keith Jones are starting to see the Flyers' prospect pipeline shape up.

The Flyers signed sixth-round Russian prospect Ilya Pautov to a three-year, entry-level contract on Monday morning.

The small but skilled winger, taken 173rd overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, is now the fifth out of the Flyers' seven picks from that class to sign, which is a promising sign of its collective progress and the overall health of Philadelphia's prospect pipeline under general manager Danny Brière.

Pautov is expected to play in North America next season following his signing.

A quick glance at how the 2024 draft haul has turned out so far:

• Rd 1 (13) – C Jett Luchanko, signed (w/Phantoms, AHL)
• Rd 2 (51) – C Jack Berglund, signed (w/Phantoms, AHL)
• Rd 2 (59) – D Spencer Gill, signed (w/Phantoms, AHL)
• Rd 4 (107) – C Heikki Ruohonen, unsigned (w/Harvard, NCAA)
• Rd 5 (148) – RW Noah Powell, signed (w/Phantoms, AHL)
• Rd 6 (173) – RW Ilya Pautov, signed (coming to North America)
• Rd 7 (205) – D Austin Moline, unsigned (w/Michigan Tech, NCAA)

Luchanko, as that summer's top pick, is still a polarizing choice whose development went a bit sideways this past season, but the Flyers have otherwise been increasingly bullish about where this class of prospects is headed.

Pautov, now 20, brings a lot of puck-handling and offensive upside to that mix, albeit as a greener prospect split between the junior (MHL) and second-tier pro (VHL) levels of Russian Hockey.

MORE: Flyers' recent hits and misses in the NHL Draft

Pautov scored 15 goals and 45 points in the junior MHL for his draft season, with some impressive, heads-up control of the puck, along with a willingness to chase and fight after it that can be seen below:

Here's two minutes of Ilya Pautov dodging, ducking, dipping, dangling, and dodging.

One of my favorite picks of the draft at 173 by the Flyers, there's a long road ahead, but this is one of the craftiest MHL players I've watched.#LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/dOXF4q7AVy
— dylan griffing (@GriffingDylan) July 7, 2024

He scored 17 goals and matched his 45 points the next junior season.

Then, split between the two levels this past year, Pautov tallied 10 goals and 23 points through 30 games in the junior MHL, along with a 10 points in nine games showing for the playoffs, and put up a goal and five points across 25 games in the step up to the VHL.