The Calgary Flames have completed their final pick at the 2020 NHL Draft. With their seventh round pick, 205th overall, they have selected Belarusian defenseman Ilya Solovyov.

A third-year draft eligible player – he’s a July 2000 birthday – Solovyov is a big (6’2″, 187 pounds) left shot defender and currently plays in the KHL with Dynamo Minsk. He spent the 2019-20 season with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit, where he had seven goals and 40 points in 53 games. He would’ve been a two-spotter – an overager and an import – in the OHL, so he headed back to Europe.

He’s been a fixture internationally for Belarus, capturing silver and bronze at the Division 1 World Juniors over the past two seasons.

He’s a little old, but he’s big, has shown the ability to generate offense, and is currently playing a regular shift against grown men. Late in the 2020 draft, you can understand why the Flames may have felt he was worth the gamble.