Kirill Gerasimyuk did not come to North America expecting a direct path to the NHL.
The Florida Panthers already had Sergei Bobrovsky in net when the young Russian goaltender decided to cross the Atlantic. Daniil Tarasov later joined the organization, making an already crowded position even harder to navigate. But Gerasimyuk said on the Hockey on the Beach podcast that Florida’s goaltending depth did not affect his original decision.
“My decision was made before Tarasov signed,” Gerasimyuk said. “A year before my contract in Russia ended, we spoke with Florida. We decided that when the season and the contract were over, I would come here. Step by step, we keep moving forward.”
A year later, the picture had changed.
Neither Bobrovsky nor Tarasov is part of the Panthers’ 2026-27 season. Florida appears to have its NHL tandem in place with veteran Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid. Still, Gerasimyuk is one of five goaltenders invited to camp, along with Markstrom, Schmid, Cooper Black, and Tyler Muszelik.
The Panthers opened the preseason preparation process with a 51-player roster, including five goaltenders. With four games scheduled, several could get a chance to play and show the coaching staff where they fit within the organization.
That does not guarantee Gerasimyuk an NHL appearance. It does, however, hightlight the main takeaway: he now has a real chance to show how far he has progressed since arriving in the United States.
A rookie season that produced a franchise record
Gerasimyuk divided his first North American season between the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers and the ECHL’s Savannah Ghost Pirates. In Charlotte, he reached a milestone that separated him from every previous rookie goaltender in franchise history.
On March 14, Gerasimyuk stopped all 28 shots he faced to earn his fourth shutout of the season. The performance established a new Checkers single-season record for shutouts by a rookie goaltender.
At that point, the then-22-year-old had an 8-6-1 record through 16 appearances, a 2.35 goals-against average, and a .907 save percentage. Charlotte later noted that his four shutouts led all AHL rookies.
He also appeared in seven games for the ECHL’s Savannah Ghost Pirates, recording three wins, three regulation losses and one overtime loss, with a 2.22 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage.
Game difference
The four AHL shutouts stand out because they did more than lead Charlotte’s goaltenders. They showed Gerasimyuk could deliver complete, controlled performances while adjusting to a faster, more physical style of hockey.
“Everything is much faster, and there is much more contact,” Gerasimyuk said about North American hockey. “At first, we thought the Americans played dirty. But they are not dirty. They have played that style since childhood.”
The smaller ice, aggressive forechecking, and heavier traffic around the crease can make the transition difficult for European goaltenders.
Gerasimyuk’s previous experience competing against older players in Russia helped prepare him.
Before joining the Panthers organization, he spent four seasons in Russia’s second-tier professional league, the VHL, including time with SKA-Neva St. Petersburg and Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. During the 2024-25 season, he recorded a .933 save percentage, a 1.75 goals-against average, and three shutouts in 24 games for Yugra. He also played eight games for SKA-Neva, going 5-1-1 with a .924 save percentage and a 2.52 goals-against average.
Those numbers showed he could handle professional competition before leaving Russia, and his first season in North America proved his game could translate to a different hockey environment.
A prospect who has learned to be patient
The Panthers selected Gerasimyuk in the fifth round, 152nd overall, in the 2021 NHL Draft. Florida signed him to a two-year entry-level contract beginning with the 2025-26 season. The deal runs through 2026-27, after which he is scheduled to become a restricted free agent.
Waiting four years between being drafted and beginning his North American career required patience. Still, Gerasimyuk continued developing in Russia rather than rushing his move, gaining experience in both junior and men’s hockey.
Now 23, he is still young by goaltending standards, but he is no longer an untested prospect. He won MHL championships with SKA-1946 St. Petersburg in 2022 and 2024, played professionally in the VHL, and completed a full season within the North American development system.
His approach is built around calmness and consistency.
“I’m super calm,” Gerasimyuk said on the Hockey on the Beach podcast in his native Russian when describing his game-day personality. “Give me some space and let me listen to music. Of course, there are nerves before a game, but everything has to be balanced.”
He does not believe in changing a game day into something dramatically different from the rest of his routine.
“The game is an ordinary day,” he said. “You get up, follow your routine, and play in the evening. You don’t need to put too much pressure on yourself because you can get too excited.”
That composed approach is valuable in a position where one mistake can change an entire game.
Support from a Panthers legend
Gerasimyuk’s relationship with the organization began well before his first season in Charlotte, and after Florida drafted him, he remained in contact with the management team.
When Gerasimyuk arrived in South Florida, NHL legend and Panthers Special Advisor to the General Manager Roberto Luongo personally helped him with some practical steps of starting a new life in another country.
“He met me the day after I came to Florida,”
Gerasimyuk recalled. “He took me to get some documents. He is a world-class person. I have nothing but respect for him.”
The connection is especially meaningful for a young goaltender joining an organization that strongly values the position.
Gerasimyuk also grew up following Bobrovsky, particularly during the veteran’s years with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“Sergei Bobrovsky was my role model,” Gerasimyuk said. “I followed him for a long time. Then I ended up in the same organization. It felt like a fairy tale.”
A new life and new motivation
Gerasimyuk’s adjustment has spread beyond hockey, as he moved to North America with his wife and recently became a father. This fact adds extra motivation as he tries to build a long-term career with the Panthers.
He had already experienced moving away from home when he left St. Petersburg for Khanty-Mansiysk. That move gave him an early lesson in starting over, but relocating across the ocean introduced a new language, culture, and professional environment.
“Everything is new - the environment and people,” he said. “But I didn’t come alone. I came with my wife. She is a wonderful partner, and we go through all these challenges together.”
He also credited the Panthers’ staff with helping him settle into his new surroundings in his first year.
“When I came to the training facility for the first time, I was amazed,” Gerasimyuk said. “Everything is done for the players. Many people on the staff help, especially when you have just arrived and are trying to understand how everything works.”
His family responsibilities, professional experience, and openness to adapt add a maturity that is not always visible in statistics.
The next step
Markstrom and Schmid enter training camp as Florida’s projected NHL tandem. Gerasimyuk’s immediate competition is likely centered on preseason playing time and his position within the organizational depth chart.
Cooper Black already has significant AHL experience, while Tyler Muszelik is another young goaltender trying to establish himself professionally.
Every practice and preseason appearance will matter as the Panthers determine where each prospect should begin the season.
An NHL debut is still a major step, and injuries, performance, and roster decisions will all influence whether the 23-year-old goalie receives that opportunity in 2026-27.
Even so, the main takeaway is clear: he has already built a credible basis for continued consideration.
He arrived in North America with professional experience, adjusted to two new leagues, and set a Charlotte rookie record during his first AHL season.
His four shutouts showed he can stay composed, protect a lead, and finish games - qualities that matter at every level.
For a patient, hard-working goaltender who repeatedly describes his career as a step-by-step process, the next step now stands directly in front of him.
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