Ducks Sign Klepov to Three-Year Entry-Level Contract
The Anaheim Ducks signed forward Nikita Klepov to a three-year entry-level contract today. The 18-year-old was the team’s 15th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Klepov put up high numbers with the Saginaw Spirit during the 2025-26 season. He recorded 97 points in 67 games to lead the Ontario Hockey League in scoring as a rookie. This performance earned him the league’s Rookie of the Year award and a spot on the OHL First All-Star Team.
He joins a small group of players who have led the OHL in points while winning Rookie of the Year in the same season. Previous players to achieve this include Patrick Kane and Jack Valiquette. Klepov also holds the Saginaw Spirit record for the most assists and points by a rookie in a single season.
Before his time in the OHL, Klepov played for the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL. He also helped Team USA win a gold medal at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup by scoring the winning goal in the championship game.

