Vladislav Kolyachonok

Vladislav Anatolevich Kolyachonok (Уладзіслаў Анатолевіч Калячонак; born 26 May 2001) is a Belarusian professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Tucson Roadrunners in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Utah Hockey Club of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Florida Panthers, 52nd overall, in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. He previously played for Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League, and made his NHL debut in 2022.

Junior
Kolyachonok played as a youth in his native Belarus, with Team Belarus at the under-17 and under-18 level in the second tier Vysshaya Liga as an affiliate to top Belarusian club, HC Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). His development was noticed in North America, as he was drafted 102nd overall by the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in the 2018 CHL Import Draft.

In his first major junior season in North America, Kolyachonok appeared in one game with the Knights to start the 2018–19 season, before he was claimed off waivers by the Flint Firebirds on 2 October 2018. Showing potential on the blueline with the Firebirds, Kolyachonok collected 4 goals and 29 points through 53 regular season games and was named to the OHL's All-Rookie Team. Finishing second in scoring from the blueline in his final junior season, Kolyachonok posted 12 goals and 21 assists for 33 points.

Professional
Kolyachonok was selected by the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the second round, 52nd overall of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. He was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Panthers on 13 September 2019. With the pandemic delayed the beginning of the season, Kolyachonok opted to remain in Belarus and was loaned by the Panthers to continue his development with HC Dinamo Minsk of the KHL. In making his professional debut, he contributed with one goal and six points through 46 regular season games before he was reassigned by the Panthers to American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, registering two assists through ten games.

On 26 July 2021, Kolyachonok was traded by the Panthers, along with Anton Strålman and a second-round draft pick in 2024 to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a seventh-round selection in 2023. In the following season, Koylachonok was initially reassigned by the Coyotes to their AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. Placing third in scoring from the blueline for the Roadrunners through the early stages of the season, Kolyachonok received his first recall to the NHL on 11 January 2022. The following day on 12 January, he made his NHL debut for the rebuilding Coyotes, in an upset 2–1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. He scored his first NHL goal against Jacob Markström in a 4–2 loss to the Calgary Flames. He finished the season with 32 games with Arizona. Kolyachonok began the 2022–23 season with Tucson. He was recalled by Arizona on 1 March 2023 and played two games before being returned to Tucson.

Kolyachonok was assigned to Tucson to start the 2023–24 season. On 16 November, Arizona recalled Kolyachonok from Tucson after Juuso Välimäki was injured.

International play
Kolyachonok has played internationally at the junior and senior level for the Belarusian national team.