When asked about getting "bigger" after the Nashville Predators Future Stars Game, forward Egor Surin seemed surprised.
"I'm bigger and stronger? You didn't see the Russian players. I was small, he said.
Since being drafted 22nd overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, Surin has added five more pounds and grown an inch, now standing at 6-foot-2-inches and weighing 197 pounds. It may not seem like much, but the way Surin skated and handled his build on the ice stood out.
In Saturday's game, he scored a goal and assisted on another, with his conversion serving as the first of the game. Throughout the development camp, Surin has utilized his size and speed to his advantage, making it difficult for other players to push him off the puck.
During the 3-on-3 tournament, while the ice was cut in half, Surin had no issue maintaining possession end-to-end and creating his own scoring chances.
He wasn't the biggest player on the ice, but it was obvious that he was comfortable playing within his frame.
"I like this time [of year]," Surin said. "I like my new friends, Swedish, American and Canadian guys. Everybody is so good, and I think that shows for friends and for our coaches good skills."
The reason why Surin believes his game has spiked is cause he never really had a break.
After being drafted, he trained in Florida before joining the KHL with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv. In his first KHL season, he posted 14 points in 41 games and won the Gagarin Cup at just 18 years old.
Once that season ended, he arrived to development camp. He has a little bit of time off this year before KHL camp starts at the end of July.
"There's no relaxing at all. It's practicing all the time," Surin said.
Nashville was still on Surin's mind when playing in Russia, as former Predators forward Alexander Radulov was his teammate.
Radulov had a complicated time in Nashville, leaving the team before his contract expired to go play in the KHL before returning to play with the Predators for 17 games during the 2011-12 regular season and postseason.
However, Surin understood from Radulov what it was like to play in Nashville and what it was going to take for him to make the jump to the NHL.
"We [Surin and Radulov] talked about Nashville and the NHL, and I know what I must do to be better," Surin said. "He said that this is a great city and he liked playing in Nashville. He also told me about playing in the NHL. You need to be fast, strong, and you must be ready."
There's a lot of excitement around Surin's arrival to Nashville (or Milwaukee) but it likely won't happen until the 2026-27 season. He is in the final year of his KHL contract, which expires in May 2026.