Vitalii Abramov

Playing career

In his rookie QMJHL season with the Gatineau Olympiques (2015–16), Abramov recorded 93 points in 63 games, earning the RDS Cup as Rookie of the Year and the Michel Bergeron Trophy as Offensive Rookie of the Year, along with a spot on the All-Rookie Team. Before the 2016 NHL entry draft, the NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked him 29th among North American skaters; he was taken 65th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets. On December 24, 2016, Abramov signed a three-year entry-level contract with Columbus. The following season he posted 104 points in 66 games, winning the Jean Béliveau Trophy as top regular season scorer, the Michel Brière Memorial Trophy as QMJHL MVP, and a First All-Star Team selection. On April 7, 2017, he began his professional career when assigned to the Blue Jackets' AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters. Abramov returned to the Olympiques for the next season; on November 17 he was traded to the Victoriaville Tigres along with a 2018 sixth-round QMJHL draft pick for four future picks. He recorded 78 points in 40 games and was named to the Second All-Star Team. After attending Columbus's 2018–19 training camp, he was assigned to the AHL's Cleveland Monsters, where he posted 12 goals and 22 points in 52 games. On February 22, 2019, the Blue Jackets traded Abramov, Jonathan Davidsson, and two conditional first-round picks to the Ottawa Senators for Matt Duchene and Julius Bergman. He scored his first NHL goal on October 10, 2019, against the St. Louis Blues. As an impending restricted free agent, Abramov paused his North American career on May 26, 2021, by agreeing to a two-year contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL. In the 2021–22 season he made 41 appearances with his hometown club, posting 8 goals and 17 points through the mid-point of the campaign. On December 27, 2021, Chelyabinsk traded Abramov to CSKA Moscow in exchange for Artyom Blazhiyevsky.