The Tampa Bay Lightning and Syracuse Crunch have announced that the team has signed center Nikita Pavlychev to an AHL contract for the 2020-21 season. Pavlychev was drafted in the seventh round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Originally from Yaroslavl, Russia, Pavlychev has been playing in the United States since the 2011-12 season. He played for the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Knights 14U, 16U, and 18U, winning the AYHL 16U Championship in 2012-13. He made his USHL debut with the Des Moines Buccaneers for four games in 2013-14 recording one assist in four games.