Nearly eight years ago, the Calgary Flames selected Russian defenseman Rushan Rafikov with the 187th pick of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
The 6’2″, 196-pound left-shot rearguard made his way up through Russia’s lower-tier leagues before eventually becoming a full-time KHL player with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the 2016-17 season.
Rafikov, the KHL player, was developing at a steady rate. Rafikov, the Flames prospect, was a “man of mystery.” Those were the exact words Flames general manager Brad Treliving used to describe Rafikov in a 2019 interview with The Athletic:
“He was sorta the man of mystery,” said Treliving, when asked about Rafikov’s status.