SEA 1
WEN 0
SPO 3
TC 2
POR 3
EVT 2
LET 1
MH 5
KEL 2
VAN 3
CGY 4
EDM 3
REG –
BDN –
SAS –
PA –
MJ –
SC –
RD –
PEN –
KAM –
By Arik KrauseEditorEdited by Arik Krause
Artem Katsuro was one of the players I kept coming back to while watching the Calgary Hitmen face the Edmonton Oil Kings at Rogers Place on September 20.
The Calgary rookie scored his first WHL goal in the third period, but his impact was not limited to that play. He was active throughout the game, covered ground quickly and gave Edmonton’s defenders very little time to get comfortable when he was involved.
For a player just beginning his first WHL season, Katsuro already has an appealing foundation for the 2027 NHL Draft. I also saw an area of his game that will be worth following closely: whether his puck control can keep pace with his skating.
Player profile
Elite Prospects lists Katsuro at six feet, 174 pounds. He is a left-shot forward from Moscow, born January 2, 2009. Calgary listed his weight at 163 pounds when the club announced his signing in August, so those measurements appear to come from different points in his development.
Katsuro played in the CSKA Moscow system before joining the Hitmen. He recorded 57 points in 19 games with CSKA’s U18 team during the 2025-26 season. Calgary traded up to select him 82nd overall in the 2026 CHL Import Draft and signed him in August.
The production is impressive, though it should be viewed as background rather than a direct prediction of what he will do in the WHL. Katsuro is now facing older, stronger opponents in a new league while adjusting to a different style of play.
What stood out against Edmonton
Katsuro’s skating immediately caught my attention.
He was involved across the ice and was quick to get to loose pucks. When he accelerated, Edmonton’s defenders had to make decisions quickly. His ability to create that pressure without waiting for a perfect pass made him noticeable even on shifts that did not end with a scoring chance.
At six feet, he also has a useful frame to build on. I would like to watch more games before making a firm assessment of how effectively he uses it in battles, but the combination of size and pace is an obvious reason to keep tracking him.
His first WHL goal came at 4:39 of the third period, putting Calgary ahead 3-2. The WHL later named the play its highlight of the night.
He had already given Calgary a memorable opening-weekend moment by scoring the deciding shootout goal against Red Deer two days earlier. The Edmonton goal was his first in regular-season play.
The question: Can his hands catch up to his feet?
Katsuro created opportunities to attack with his speed against Edmonton. I thought there were also moments when his stickhandling and puck control looked less polished than his skating.
At times, his feet appeared to get him into space before he had fully settled the puck. That can turn a promising rush into a play with fewer options than he had earned through his skating.
This is a first-game observation, not a claim that Katsuro lacks skill. Elite Prospects has published reports praising his puckhandling during his time in Russia. The difference between those reports and what I saw in Edmonton is exactly why I want to keep watching. It may reflect the adjustment to WHL pace, or it may be an area he still needs to develop.
If Katsuro becomes more consistent with the puck while moving at his current speed, he could be a difficult player for defenders to handle.
What I will watch next
A goal clip tells us how Katsuro finished one play. His draft evaluation will depend on what he does across entire games.
I want to see whether he can carry the puck through the neutral zone at speed while maintaining possession. When he beats the first defender, I will be looking at the decision that follows: a pass into a better scoring area, a shot he has created for himself, or a play that keeps Calgary in possession.
His work without the puck matters too. Katsuro was active against Edmonton, and the next question is how consistently he supports teammates, tracks back and competes for pucks when the offence is not flowing.
Those details will become much easier to judge after a larger WHL sample.
An early 2027 NHL Draft projection
I have not found an established consensus draft range for Katsuro at this stage. My early projection is the third or fourth round of the 2027 NHL Draft, with a path into the second round if Katsuro’s puck control and decision-making at speed develop over a full WHL season. His CSKA production and opening-weekend impact warrant attention, but I want a larger sample against WHL competition before moving him higher.
That is a NetFront Sports projection based on a limited live viewing sample, his current physical profile and his production before coming to Calgary. I would not treat it as a fixed ranking in September.
For an NHL style reference, Brandon Hagel offers an example of how pace and constant involvement can make a winger effective across the ice. That comparison is limited to those traits. Katsuro has to establish his own game, and I want more evidence before drawing a closer comparison.
Katsuro has given me a reason to keep watching Calgary this season. His speed was evident against Edmonton, his size gives him a strong starting point and he has already made an impact in two close games. How much his puck control improves at WHL speed could have a significant say in where he lands on draft boards next summer.
