This move could be Lou Lamoriello’s most interesting under-the-radar acquisition

Artyom Kudashov following in his father’s footsteps

Alexei Kudashov, Artyom’s father, was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fifth round of the 1991 draft. He suited up for a handful of games with the Leafs during the 19993-94 seasons.

Following some more time in the AHL, the senior Kudashov returned to Europe. Now, it’s Artyom’s opportunity to make his NHL dreams come to fruition.

However, there’s a catch. The Islanders can’t offer the junior Kudashov a contract this season. There are two main reasons:

First, his KHL team would need to agree to terminating his contract before Kudashov could sign with the Islanders. If an agreement could be worked out, Kudashov could sign a two-way deal, allowing him to head to Bridgeport. Unfortunately, such a deal would have to wait until Kudashov is at least 22 years old.

Second, Kudashov is 19, meaning he’s draft-eligible. As The Hockey News pointed out, European players can enter the NHL draft till 21. That means Kudashov could enter his name into the 2025 draft. If that's the case, the Isles stand to miss out on him unless the club gets a chance to draft him.

If that’s the case, the Isles keep Kudashov. Otherwise, any other organization could potentially scoop him up in the draft. Thus, all of the Isles’ legwork would be done in vain.

Nevertheless, expect the Isles to make a push to sign him if he goes undrafted. It's not uncommon for NHL teams to work out transfers from the KHL to the NHL. So, Lamoriello and company could make arrangements to see Kudashov in an Islanders' uniform sooner rather than later.

Ultimately, Islanders fans could see Kudashov become a factor in next season’s training camp. Perhaps Artyom Kudashov could squeeze his name into the Isles’ lineup sooner than most may believe.