By Dreams do come true.
Just Oleg Kulebiakin, the Lightning’s first selection in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Sometimes the NHL Draft delivers stories that seem almost too perfect to be true.
For the Tampa Bay Lightning, selecting Russian winger Oleg Kulebiakin with the 52nd overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft wasn’t just about adding another highly skilled forward to the prospect pipeline. It was about bringing home a player who has spent nearly half his life cheering for the very organization that now owns his NHL rights.
The reason behind that lifelong fandom has a familiar name to Lightning fans: Nikita Kucherov.
Kulebiakin revealed after the draft that he has been a Lightning fan since he was around 10 years old because of Kucherov’s brilliance on the ice. As one of the most creative offensive players in the world, Kucherov inspired a generation of young Russian hockey players, and Kulebiakin was among them.
When Tampa Bay announced his name on Friday, it wasn’t just another draft selection. It was the realization of a childhood dream.
“I was so happy and all draft I waited for the Tampa Bay Lightning’s pick. My family is so happy, and yeah, it’s just a dream.” Kulebiakin said on a video call with reporters.
Ironically, many scouts have noted similarities between Kulebiakin and his childhood idol. Not because they expect him to become the next Kucherov, but because both are undersized, highly creative Russian playmakers with elite vision and the ability to create offense out of seemingly nothing.
Tampa Bay’s scouting staff has also cautioned that comparing any young prospect to Kucherov sets an impossibly high standard.
Like Kucherov, Kulebiakin thrives with the puck on his stick. His creativity, passing ability, and offensive instincts helped make him one of the most entertaining players in junior hockey this past season.
Those offensive gifts are part of what convinced Lightning director of amateur scouting Al Murray and his staff to trade up and secure him before another team had the opportunity.
The Lightning have built one of the NHL’s premier development systems by identifying players who embrace the organization’s culture. Kulebiakin already understands what that culture looks like because he has watched it from afar for nearly a decade.
He has seen how Kucherov prepares.
He has watched Tampa Bay develop late-round selections into NHL Stars.
Now he gets to become part of that system.
The next few years will be critical for Kulebiakin’s development. He is expected to continue refining his game before eventually competing for a spot in Tampa Bay’s organization.
Scouts believe improving his strength, defensive consistency, and play away from the puck will determine whether his elite offensive talent translates to the NHL.
Last season with Halifax in the QMJHL, Kulebiakin finished with 73 points (29g, 44a).
His 73 points ranked him among the top offensive players in the QMJHL and as one of the league’s top rookies. Kulebiakin also put together an impressive 11-game point streak late in the season, recording 6 goals and 15 assists during that stretch.
If he reaches his ceiling, Kulebiakin could someday skate alongside the very player whose highlights inspired him as a child.
