If you weren’t familiar with the name Ilya Solovyov before Calgary Flames training camp this year, it’s hard to blame you. The 23-year-old Russian defender isn’t often discussed when it comes to this organization’s top prospects, as he lacks the flash and offensive upside which is what most typically look for in up-and-coming players.
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With that said, it has been impossible for anyone following the Flames through training camp not to have noticed Solovyov. The coaching staff appear to be big fans of his game and are giving him plenty of opportunities to showcase himself. He has not only suited up for several games already but has been given a ton of minutes.
Solovyov Providing Steady Presence on the Back End
Despite Solovyov not being brought up often when talking about some of the Flames’ better prospects, management appears to be well aware of the fact he impressed many last season with the Calgary Wranglers. As mentioned, he isn’t by any means a flashy player, as indicated from his four goals and 18 points in 68 games.
What Solovyov lacks in offence, however, he makes up for with his strong defensive play. He stands at 6-foot-3, 208 pounds, is physical, and can play on the penalty kill. He isn’t afraid to block shots, which he showed on Sept. 29 versus the Edmonton Oilers when he took a stinger off the inside of the foot in the first period. He made one other very notable play in that same first period, where he was able to break up an Oilers odd-man rush as the last man back thanks to a great sliding play.
Part of the reason Solovyov is so unknown amongst Flames fans has to do with his draft story. He was selected in the seventh round (205th overall) of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, proving there wasn’t a ton of NHL interest in him. That said, as we have seen with Dustin Wolf, players taken in the seventh round can generate plenty of hype if they drastically improve over a short timeframe. Solovyov has done that, though in a different way.
What makes Solovyov’s story different from Wolf’s and several other late-round picks is that he was passed over completely in his first year of draft eligibility. Obviously disappointed to not be taken, he chose to head overseas and suit up for the Saginaw Spirit in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), where he scored a solid seven goals and 40 points in 53 games, while having a plus/minus of plus-43. His 40 points that season were second amongst all Spirit defenceman, trailing only Mason Millman, a prospect for the Philadelphia Flyers.
Kylington’s Absence Has Opened a Spot
Prior to training camp beginning, it looked as though the Flames’ seven defencemen to begin the season would be MacKenzie Weegar, Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, Nikita Zadorov, Jordan Oesterle, and Oliver Kylington. Now that Kylington has stepped away from the team, a new position is up for grabs.
There are a number of defencemen competing for that spot, including Dennis Gilbert, who logged 23 games for the Flames a season ago. While being able to make a bit of a name for himself is certainly beneficial for Gilbert’s sake when it comes to making the team, Solovyov has been the one to really stand out to this point in camp. There is a real shot that he could make this team as the seventh defenceman and swap in and out of the lineup with Oesterle to begin the season.
Flames Finding Talent Late in Drafts
Regardless of whether or not Solovyov remains with the Flames past training camp, there is no doubt he is close. He will almost certainly get an opportunity to play some games later on in the season if he is re-assigned to the Wranglers, and in that case would be a name to keep an eye on at next year’s training camp.
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What makes Solovyov so exciting is the fact that he was a late-round pick. The Flames have had some major hits in the later rounds in more recent years. Wolf, as mentioned, may be at the top of that list, but others that come to mind are Andrew Mangiapane and Adam Ruzicka. The Flames’ scouting staff deserve some major credit, as it seems they found a diamond in the rough in Solovyov.
