Eric Tulsky, General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, has announced the recall of goaltender Ruslan Khazheyev from the Chicago Wolves, an AHL team.
Khazheyev, aged 20, has accumulated a 5-13-0 record with a .876 save percentage and a 3.49 goals-against average over 20 games this season with the Wolves. Earlier, he made a single appearance for the Bloomington Bison in the ECHL on October 20. During the 2023-24 season, Khazheyev played in 28 games for Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk in the MHL, Russia’s premier junior hockey league. He recorded a 16-5-2 record, a 2.19 goals-against average, a .927 save percentage, and accomplished two shutouts. Within the same season, he debuted with Chelmet Chelyabinsk of the VHL, Russia’s second-highest professional league, achieving a 1-0-0 record, 1.00 goals-against average, and a .958 save percentage.
Khazheyev’s record in parts of three seasons (2021-24) with Belye Medvedi includes a 27-16-10 record, a 2.34 goals-against average, a .923 save percentage, and four shutouts in 61 MHL games. In 17 career MHL postseason games, he held a 7-10 record, a 2.44 goals-against average, a .921 save percentage, and had one shutout to his credit. Hailing from Chelyabinsk, Russia, he was drafted by the Hurricanes in the fifth round as the 158th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
The announcement stirred excitement among fans, as noted by a social media post from the Chicago Wolves: “Can we talk about these saves for a minute though??? Atta way Ruslan!”
