Russian winger Mikhail Ilyin climbs into the Top 10 ahead his fourth year with the Penguins organization as PensBurgh’s annual Top 25 Under 25 countdown continues.
Catch up on the previous entries for this year:
Pensburgh Top 25 Under 25: Graduates and Departed players in 2025 Top 25 Under 25: The best of the rest #25: Chase Pietila, D #24: Ryan Miller #23: Finn Harding #22: Peyton Kettles #21: Zam Plante #21: Brady Peddle #20: Melvin Fernstrom #19: Tanner Howe #18: Tomas Galvas #17: Pierce Mbuyi #16:
Jake Livanavage #15: Owen Pickering #14: Tristan Broz #13: Avery Hayes #12: Ville Koivunen #11: Hendrix Lapierre #10: Markus Ruck
#9: Mikhail Ilyin, RW/LW
2025 Ranking: No. 14
Age: 21 (February 15, 2005)
Acquired Via: 2023 NHL Draft, 5th round, 142nd overall
Height/Weight: 6’3”, 191 pounds
Ilyin is the top remaining player in Dubas’ first draft with the Penguins back in 2023 now that Brayden Yager and Emil Pieniniemi are no longer with the organization.
After seeing his ice time and production steadily increase over his three full seasons in the KHL, Ilyin got his first chance to make a major impact in North America during Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s playoff run.
Ilyin signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Penguins last May before rejoining the Severstal Cherepovets, for which he recorded a career-high 14 goals and 44 points through 68 games in Russia’s top league.
He was reassigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after Severstal was eliminated from the first round of the KHL playoffs.
Ilyin contributed in his AHL debut with a secondary assist on Atley Calvert’s goal against the Bridgeport Islanders.
He recorded seven points (one goal, six assists) in his first seven Calder Cup Playoff games.
Often while playing on a line with Tristen Broz and Ville Koivunen, Ilyin went on to tie Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty for second in the team scoring race with nine points (two goals, seven assists) across 15 playoff games.
His playmaking and speed were evident while setting up some key goals for his teammates during the Baby Penguins’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Ilyin, who turned 21 in February, already established himself as one of the most productive young wingers in the KHL.
Ranking as one of Wilkes/Barre’s top playmakers during the team’s postseason run indicated he could be ready to make a full-time move to the AHL next season.
As McGroarty told King Jemison of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about Ilyin during Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s playoff run, “He makes plays that I don’t even see when I’m watching from the bench.”
Penguins assistant general manager Jason Spezza said last year the organization expected Ilyin to come to the AHL in 2026, although director of player development Tom Kostopolous noted around the same time Ilyin would need to work on his skating first.
That improvement was seemingly visible in Wilkes/Barre’s playoff run, during which Ilyin was at times one of the fastest players on the ice.
There isn’t a clear path to Ilyin making a jump to the NHL in the near future because of the Penguins’ logjam at forward.
After signing Koivunen to an eight-year deal, the Penguins currently don’t have any immediate spots available for roster hopefuls like McGroarty, Broz, Avery Hayes or Ilyin.
Whether the Penguins make any more moves this offseason will impact the likelihood any of these AHL forwards get called up to the NHL at the start of the season. Until then, Ilyin could expect to start the second campaign of his entry-level deal in Wilkes/Barre.
