During the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Florida Panthers traded its fifth-round pick (141st overall) to the Seattle Kraken for a sixth and seventh-rounder and used the first of those two selections (169th overall) on center Stepan Gorbunov, a towering project who could turn out to be a late-round steal.
During his draft season, Gorbunov appeared in 40 MHL games for Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk and finished with 10 goals and 22 points to catch the attention of Bill Zito and his scouting staff.
In 2024-25, Gorbunov got off to a lightning fast start against his peer group, racking up six goals and 11 points in eight games to earn a promotion to Chelmet Chelyabinsk of the VHL.
In 48 games with Chelmet, Gorbunov collected 11 goals and 25 points, which put him sixth on the team in scoring. Not too shabby for a 18-year-old. He also appeared in six postseason games and had one assist.
He played in one additional MHL contest with Belye Medvedi and drew two helpers, giving him a stat line of six goals and 13 points in nine games. He also appeared in four playoff games with the team and was credited with one assist.
Gorbunov put in an appearance at Florida’s 2025 Development Camp and after going back to Russia earned another promotion. Playing with parent club Traktor, he scored a goal against HC Sochi and collected an assist versus Amur in the Chelyabinsk Governor’s Cup and opened the regular season on the organization’s KHL roster.
While he didn’t spend the entire season the KHL, Gorbunov did appear in a total of 29 games with Traktor, scoring his first two goals at the top of the Russian pyramid.
He played 22 VHL games with Chelmet and saw an increase in production, finishing with 8 goals and 19 points.
Gorbunov also suited up in four junior level games with Belye Medvedi and picked up three assists against his peers. He played in a total of five postseason games split across the three divisions.
One of the younger players selected in the 2024 draft, Gorbunov doesn’t turn 20 until August and already has KHL experience under his belt. Being a 6′-5″ teenager, I did not expect to see a polished puck-handler at development camp last summer, but Gorbunov impressed. He was able to possess the puck in traffic and tight spaces, and showcased strong vision and creativity. I’ve watched many of his shifts from his KHL stint last year and came away impressed with his 200-foot game. He has also been a defenseman at times early in his career and his attention to positioning and utilizing an active stick was noticeable. Right now, his developmental path is wide open, but the size and skill combination is tantalizing. It’s too early to forecast if he’s a top six or bottom six or AHL player, but I’ve really liked what I’ve seen. If he can earn a full-time role in the KHL this year, that would go a long way towards determining what type of player he could be for the Panthers.