Vladislav Anatolevich Kolyachonok (also Uladzislau Anatolevich Kalyachonak, Belarusian: Уладзіслаў Анатолевіч Калячонак; born 26 May 2001) is a Belarusian professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Utah Hockey Club of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Florida Panthers, 52nd overall, in the 2019 NHL entry draft. He previously played for Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League, and made his NHL debut in 2022.

Vladislav Kolyachonok
Kolyachonok with the Tucson Roadrunners in 2023
Born (2001-05-26) 26 May 2001 (age 23)
Minsk, Belarus
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 203 lb (92 kg; 14 st 7 lb)
Position Defense
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams
Utah Hockey Club
HC Dinamo Minsk
Arizona Coyotes
National team  Belarus
NHL draft 52nd overall, 2019
Florida Panthers
Playing career 2020–present

Playing career

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Junior

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Kolyachonok played as a youth in his native Belarus, with Team Belarus at the under-17 and under-18 level in the second tier Vysshaya Liga as an affiliate to top Belarusian club, HC Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).[1] His development was noticed in North America, as he was drafted 102nd overall by the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in the 2018 CHL Import Draft.[2]

In his first major junior season in North America, Kolyachonok appeared in one game with the Knights to start the 2018–19 season, before he was claimed off waivers by the Flint Firebirds on 2 October 2018.[3] Showing potential on the blueline with the Firebirds, Kolyachonok collected 4 goals and 29 points through 53 regular season games and was named to the OHL's All-Rookie Team.[4] Finishing second in scoring from the blueline in his final junior season, Kolyachonok posted 12 goals and 21 assists for 33 points.[1]

Professional

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Kolyachonok was selected by the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the second round, 52nd overall of the 2019 NHL entry draft. He was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Panthers on 13 September 2019.[5] With the pandemic delaying the beginning of the 2020–21 season, Kolyachonok opted to remain in Belarus and was loaned by the Panthers to continue his development with HC Dinamo Minsk of the KHL.[1] In making his professional debut, he contributed with one goal and six points through 46 regular season games before he was reassigned by the Panthers to American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, registering two assists through ten games.[6]

On 26 July 2021, Kolyachonok was traded by the Panthers, along with Anton Strålman and a second-round draft pick in 2024 to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a seventh-round selection in 2023.[6] In the following 2021–22 season, Koylachonok was initially reassigned by the Coyotes to their AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. Placing third in scoring from the blueline for the Roadrunners through the early stages of the season, Kolyachonok received his first recall to the NHL on 11 January 2022.[7] The following day on 12 January, he made his NHL debut for the rebuilding Coyotes, in an upset 2–1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.[8] He scored his first NHL goal against Jacob Markström in a 4–2 loss to the Calgary Flames.[9] He finished the season with 32 games with Arizona.[10] Kolyachonok began the 2022–23 season with Tucson.[11] He was recalled by Arizona on 1 March 2023 and played two games before being returned to Tucson.[12]

Kolyachonok was assigned to Tucson to start the 2023–24 season.[13] On 16 November, Arizona recalled Kolyachonok from Tucson after defenseman Juuso Välimäki was injured.[14] He made one appearance, on 25 November, in a 2–0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. However, during the game he was injured, suffering a lower body injury.[15][16] After recovering from the injury he was returned to Tucson. He was recalled again in April 2024 to replace Maksymilian Szuber and scored his first goal of the season against the Vancouver Canucks in a 4–3 victory on 10 April.[17] He finished the season having played in five games with Arizona, scoring the one goal and four points and eight goals and 11 points for Tucson.[18]

Shortly after the end of the 2023–24 regular season, the Coyotes' franchise was suspended and team assets were subsequently transferred to the expansion Utah Hockey Club; as a result, Kolyachonok became a member of the Utah team.[19] He signed a two-year contract extension with Utah in June.[18] He made Utah's opening night roster, playing in the team's first ever game.[20]

International play

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Kolyachonok has played internationally at the junior and senior level for the Belarusian national team.[1]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2016–17 Team Belarus U18 BLR-2 6 0 0 0 4 3 0 0 0 0
2017–18 Team Belarus U18 BLR-2 43 5 15 20 24
2018–19 London Knights OHL 1 0 1 1 0
2018–19 Flint Firebirds OHL 53 4 25 29 44
2019–20 Flint Firebirds OHL 53 12 21 33 22
2020–21 HC Dinamo Minsk KHL 46 1 5 6 18
2020–21 Syracuse Crunch AHL 10 0 2 2 0
2021–22 Tucson Roadrunners AHL 33 2 12 14 10
2021–22 Arizona Coyotes NHL 32 1 2 3 6
2022–23 Tucson Roadrunners AHL 71 3 18 21 52 3 1 0 1 2
2022–23 Arizona Coyotes NHL 2 0 0 0 0
2023–24 Tucson Roadrunners AHL 36 8 3 11 14 2 0 0 0 0
2023–24 Arizona Coyotes NHL 5 1 3 4 2
KHL totals 46 1 5 6 18
NHL totals 39 2 5 7 8

International

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Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
2018 Belarus U18 5 1 1 2 4
2019 Belarus U18 5 1 4 5 6
2020 Belarus WJC-D1 2 0 1 1 0
Junior totals 12 2 6 8 10

Awards and honours

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Award Year
OHL
First All-Rookie Team 2019

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Достигнута договоренность о подписании контракта с Владиславом Колячонком" [Agreement reached in signing defenseman Kolyachonok] (in Belarusian). HC Dinamo Minsk. 18 July 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  2. ^ "Meet the OHL's 2018 CHL Import Draft Picks". Canadian Hockey League. 29 June 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  3. ^ "Firebirds claim Belarus native Vladislav Kolyachonok off waivers". Flint Firebirds. 2 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  4. ^ "Kolyachonok Invited to NHL Draft Scouting Combine". Flint Firebirds. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Florida Panthers agree to terms with Vladislav Kolyachonok". Florida Panthers. 13 September 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2019 – via NHL.com.
  6. ^ a b "Coyotes acquire Stralman, Kolyachonok and draft pick". Arizona Coyotes. 27 July 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Coyotes recall Soderstrom, Kolyachonok and Prosvetov". Arizona Coyotes. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Dzingel, Vejmelka lift Coyotes past Maple Leafs". ESPN. Associated Press. 12 January 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Gaudreau notches three points, Flames hand struggling Coyotes 4-2 loss". Vernon Matters. The Canadian Press. 25 March 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  10. ^ "Defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok Recalled by Arizona Coyotes". Tucson Roadrunners. 1 March 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  11. ^ "Arizona Coyotes claim former Flames D Juuso Valimaki off waivers". Arizona Sports. 9 October 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  12. ^ "Coyotes Assign Keleman, Kesselring and Kolyachonok to Tucson". Tucson Roadrunners. 4 March 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  13. ^ Mastey, Remy (2 October 2023). "Coyotes Assign Josh Doan to AHL". The Hockey News. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  14. ^ "Coyotes' Vladislav Kolyachonok: Summoned by Arizona". CBS Sports. 16 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  15. ^ "Connor Ingram makes 34 saves for 2nd NHL shutout, Coyotes beat Golden Knights 2-0". ESPN. Associated Press. 26 November 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  16. ^ Mastey, Rene (28 November 2023). "Coyotes Defenceman Listed on Injury Report". The Hockey News. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  17. ^ "Coyotes' Vladislav Kolyachonok: Earns two points after recall". CBS Sports. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Utah HC signs D Kolyachonok to two-year extension". TSN. 25 June 2024. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  19. ^ Ortiz, Jenna (17 April 2024). "Coyotes give fans a win in final Arizona game, fans show plenty of love". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  20. ^ Tumalip, Alex (7 October 2024). "Utah HC Unveils 2024-2025 Opening Night Roster". The Hockey News. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
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