The Muskegon Lumberjacks in the United States Hockey League (USHL) have just struck a big blow.
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The Michigan team announced that it had added Russian forward Ivan Ryabkin to its roster for the remainder of the 2024-2025 season. Ryabkin is seen as Russia’s best prospect and one of the best European skaters heading into the upcoming National Hockey League (NHL) selection session.
The 17-year-old center is expected to join the Lumberjacks in the coming weeks.
“We are excited about the opportunity to add Ivan to our program,” team president Steve Lowe said in a statement. “We expect Ivan to join our team in a few weeks after he plays matches with the Russian national team at the end of the month.”
Lowe also clarified that there were still a few steps to take before seeing Ryabkin in a Lumberjacks uniform, but that he was hopeful to see him arrive in the United States soon.
Since the start of the current campaign, Ryabkin has worn the Moscow Dynamo jersey in the KHL and in the MHL, the Russian junior circuit. He was shut out in two games in the KHL and had eight assists in nine games in the MHL.
Last season, Ryabkin broke the MHL record for most points in a season for a 16-year-old player with 58. The previous mark was set by none other than Matvei Michkov during the 2021-2022 season. .
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