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FlamesNation Top 20 Prospects #12: Yan Kuznetsov

The last time the Calgary Flames drafted a Russian prospect in the first two rounds of the NHL Entry Draft was June 2001, 19 years ago. To adequately express the sheer breadth of time elapsed from thence to the present, allow us to phrase that another way:

The last time the Flames drafted a Russian prospect in the first two rounds of the NHL Draft was June 2001, nine Fast & Furious movies ago—regrettable spin-offs included.

Less than a week after Vin Diesel donned his notorious tank-top and crooned grit and gravel about “family” and “good old American Muscle” for the first time, the Flames selected beefy centreman Andrei Taratukhin in the second round, 41st overall.