Prospect Update: Vyacheslav Buteyets

By Thomas Harrington

Drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in the sixth round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, goaltender Vyacheslav Buteyets played in both the AHL and ECHL this past season.

Buteyets started the season in the ECHL, playing for the Tulsa Oilers. He appeared in 36 games for the Oilers and had a record of 19-13-3 with a 2.82 goals against average, a .905 save percentage, and four shutouts. Buteyets split time in net with Rangers prospect Talyn Boyko but was their primary starter when the postseason began. He appeared in five playoff games and won two games with a 3.03 goals against average and a .906 save percentage. 

Buteyets was first called up to the AHL in late December and returned to the ECHL a couple of days later. He bounced back and forth between the two leagues about a half dozen times during the season, but only played in two games with the Gulls, with one start. He had a 0-1 record with a 5.56 goals against average and a .800 save percentage. He also served as San Diego’s backup over 15 times.

I was surprised when Buteyets came to North America last summer. I thought he’d spend at least one more year in Russia before coming stateside. With a new team and on a new continent, I had only a simple expectation for him a year ago: put up solid numbers, regardless of whether or not he was in the ECHL or AHL.

For the ECHL, he was partially able to do that. His numbers weren’t stellar, but good enough to finish tied for 13th in the league in wins. However, he failed to do that in the AHL. In fact, when both the Gulls and Ducks were dealing with multiple injuries in net, it was clear San Diego didn’t trust him in the crease, leading to him being the backup so many times. It’s a small sample size with the Gulls, but it’s also telling how often he was the backup and wasn’t able to get playing time.

This coming year, Buteyets will once again split time between the AHL and ECHL. The Gulls should be very deep in net. Tomas Suchanek will be returning from injury, Calle Clang was extended for a year, and Ville Husso was given a two-year extension. There’s also the possibility that Damian Clara could suit up for San Diego as well.

I have two expectations for Buteyets this coming season. First, regardless of AHL or ECHL, I want him to put up better numbers in either league than he did this past season. For the AHL, that should be very doable. For the ECHL, that will be difficult, but Buteyets needs to show that he’s improving from last year. Second, for him to play in more than two AHL games and start more than one game. The Gulls didn’t trust him in net last season; he needs to play better and regain that trust.

Buteyets is still a number of years away from the NHL, if he makes it there at all. He first needs to establish himself as an AHL starter, and with a crowded crease in San Diego this season, that could prove difficult this year. However, if over the next few years he can establish himself in San Diego, first as their backup and then eventually starter, then he could get a shot at the NHL after that. But it likely will be at least three or four more years before that happens.

Buteyets has one year left on his entry-level deal, and he’ll be a restricted free agent next summer. If he can improve on his numbers from a year ago and get decent playing time in San Diego, he’ll likely be re-signed on another two-way contract. However, if he continues to struggle in the AHL and spends most of the season in the ECHL, the Ducks will probably let him walk as a free agent.

The next prospect update will be on forward Judd Caulfield.

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July 24th, 2025