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On July 2, 2025, Klepov was drafted 35th overall by the [[Saginaw Spirit]] in the [[2024–25 OHL season#2025 CHL Import Draft|2025 CHL Import Draft]].[{{cite web |url=https://chl.ca/ohl-spirit/article/klepov-shurygin-rausa-selected-by-saginaw-at-2025-chl-import-draft/ |title=Klepov, Shurygin, Rausa selected by Saginaw at 2025 CHL Import Draft |website=CHL.ca |date=July 2, 2025 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] On August 7, 2025, he signed a standard player agreement with the Spirit.[{{cite web |url=https://www.wnem.com/2025/08/07/spirit-sign-first-round-chl-import-draft-selection-nikita-klepov/ |title=Spirit sign first round CHL Import Draft selection Nikita Klepov |website=[[WNEM-TV]] |date=August 7, 2025 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] During the [[2025–26 OHL season|2025–26 season]], he led the [[Ontario Hockey League]] (OHL) in scoring with 37 goals and 60 assists in 67 regular season games. In October 2025, he led all rookies in scoring with ten goals and 13 assists in 15 games. He was subsequently named the OHL Rookie of the Month.[{{cite web |url=https://chl.ca/ohl/article/ohl-announces-top-performers-of-the-month-for-october-2025/ |title=OHL Announces Top Performers of the Month for October |website=CHL.ca |date=November 1, 2025 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] In January 2026, he led all rookies in scoring with eight goals and 11 assists in 12 games, recording five multi-point games. He was subsequently named the OHL Rookie of the Month.[{{cite web |url=https://chl.ca/ohl-spirit/article/ohl-announces-top-performers-of-the-month-for-january/ |title=OHL Announces Top Performers of the Month for January |website=CHL.ca |date=February 1, 2026 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] In February tied for the lead in scoring with six goals and 17 assists in 12 games and was subsequently named the OHL Rookie of the Month for the second consecutive month.[{{cite web |url=https://chl.ca/ohl-spirit/article/klepov-takes-third-ohl-rookie-of-the-month-honors/ |title=Klepov takes third OHL Rookie of the Month honors |website=CHL.ca |date=March 1, 2026 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] He tied [[Marco Rossi (ice hockey)|Marco Rossi]]'s record of three OHL Rookie of the Month honors in a single season.[{{cite web |url=https://thehockeynews.com/ohl/latest-news/rookie-nikita-klepov-can-accomplish-something-that-hasn-t-been-done-since-patrick-kane |title=Rookie Nikita Klepov Can Accomplish Something That Hasn't Been Done Since Patrick Kane |work=[[The Hockey News]] |first=Jared |last=Brown |date=March 3, 2026 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] On February 14, 2026, he recorded his 75h point of the season, setting a new Spirit single-season rookie scoring record, surpassing the previous record of 74 points set by [[Cole Perfetti]] in 2019.[{{cite web |url=https://www.wnem.com/2026/02/15/klepov-sets-spirit-rookie-points-record-loss-spitfires/ |title=Klepov sets Spirit rookie points record in loss to Spitfires |website=[[WNEM-TV]] |first=Dillon |last=Clark |date=February 14, 2026 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] Following the season he won the [[Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy]], as the league's top scorer, and [[Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy]], as the league’s top-scoring right wing. He also won the [[Emms Family Award]] as Rookie of the Year. He became the first rookie within his first two years of OHL eligibility to claim the award since [[Jack Valiquette]] during the [[1973–74 OHA season|1973–74 season]]. He’s also the first American player to lead the OHL in scoring since [[Jason Robertson]] during the [[2018–19 OHL season|2018–19 season]].[{{cite web |url=https://www.mlive.com/sports/saginaw-bay-city/2026/04/saginaw-spirit-star-nikita-klepov-earns-ohl-rookie-of-the-year-honor.html |title=Saginaw Spirit star Nikita Klepov earns OHL Rookie of the Year honor |website=[[MLive.com]] |first=Hugh |last=Bernreuter |date=April 15, 2026 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] |
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On July 2, 2025, Klepov was drafted 35th overall by the [[Saginaw Spirit]] in the [[2024–25 OHL season#2025 CHL Import Draft|2025 CHL Import Draft]].[{{cite web |url=https://chl.ca/ohl-spirit/article/klepov-shurygin-rausa-selected-by-saginaw-at-2025-chl-import-draft/ |title=Klepov, Shurygin, Rausa selected by Saginaw at 2025 CHL Import Draft |website=CHL.ca |date=July 2, 2025 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] On August 7, 2025, he signed a standard player agreement with the Spirit.[{{cite web |url=https://www.wnem.com/2025/08/07/spirit-sign-first-round-chl-import-draft-selection-nikita-klepov/ |title=Spirit sign first round CHL Import Draft selection Nikita Klepov |website=[[WNEM-TV]] |date=August 7, 2025 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] During the [[2025–26 OHL season|2025–26 season]], he led the [[Ontario Hockey League]] (OHL) in scoring with 37 goals and 60 assists in 67 regular season games. In October 2025, he led all rookies in scoring with ten goals and 13 assists in 15 games. He was subsequently named the OHL Rookie of the Month.[{{cite web |url=https://chl.ca/ohl/article/ohl-announces-top-performers-of-the-month-for-october-2025/ |title=OHL Announces Top Performers of the Month for October |website=CHL.ca |date=November 1, 2025 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] In January 2026, he led all rookies in scoring with eight goals and 11 assists in 12 games, recording five multi-point games. He was subsequently named the OHL Rookie of the Month.[{{cite web |url=https://chl.ca/ohl-spirit/article/ohl-announces-top-performers-of-the-month-for-january/ |title=OHL Announces Top Performers of the Month for January |website=CHL.ca |date=February 1, 2026 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] In February tied for the lead in scoring with six goals and 17 assists in 12 games and was subsequently named the OHL Rookie of the Month for the second consecutive month.[{{cite web |url=https://chl.ca/ohl-spirit/article/klepov-takes-third-ohl-rookie-of-the-month-honors/ |title=Klepov takes third OHL Rookie of the Month honors |website=CHL.ca |date=March 1, 2026 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] He tied [[Marco Rossi (ice hockey)|Marco Rossi]]'s record of three OHL Rookie of the Month honors in a single season.[{{cite web |url=https://thehockeynews.com/ohl/latest-news/rookie-nikita-klepov-can-accomplish-something-that-hasn-t-been-done-since-patrick-kane |title=Rookie Nikita Klepov Can Accomplish Something That Hasn't Been Done Since Patrick Kane |work=[[The Hockey News]] |first=Jared |last=Brown |date=March 3, 2026 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] On February 14, 2026, he recorded his 75h point of the season, setting a new Spirit single-season rookie scoring record, surpassing the previous record of 74 points set by [[Cole Perfetti]] in 2019.[{{cite web |url=https://www.wnem.com/2026/02/15/klepov-sets-spirit-rookie-points-record-loss-spitfires/ |title=Klepov sets Spirit rookie points record in loss to Spitfires |website=[[WNEM-TV]] |first=Dillon |last=Clark |date=February 14, 2026 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] Following the season he won the [[Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy]], as the league's top scorer, and [[Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy]], as the league's top-scoring right wing. He also won the [[Emms Family Award]] as Rookie of the Year. He became the first rookie within his first two years of OHL eligibility to claim the award since [[Jack Valiquette]] during the [[1973–74 OHA season|1973–74 season]]. He's also the first American player to lead the OHL in scoring since [[Jason Robertson]] during the [[2018–19 OHL season|2018–19 season]].[{{cite web |url=https://www.mlive.com/sports/saginaw-bay-city/2026/04/saginaw-spirit-star-nikita-klepov-earns-ohl-rookie-of-the-year-honor.html |title=Saginaw Spirit star Nikita Klepov earns OHL Rookie of the Year honor |website=[[MLive.com]] |first=Hugh |last=Bernreuter |date=April 15, 2026 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] |
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Klepov is committed to play [[college ice hockey]] for [[Michigan State Spartans men's ice hockey|Michigan State]] during the [[2026–27 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2026–27 season]].[{{cite web |url=https://www.wilx.com/2024/11/18/michigan-state-hockey-lands-commitment-forward-nikita-klepov/ |title=Michigan State hockey lands commitment from forward Nikita Klepov |website=[[WILX-TV]] |first=Ben |last=Shockley |date=November 18, 2024 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}][{{cite web |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/other/2025/10/20/mondays-hockey-msu-commit-klepov-joins-mckenna-on-nhl-top-prospects-list/86808918007/ |title=Monday's hockey: MSU commit Klepov joins McKenna on NHL top prospects list |newspaper=[[The Detroit News]] |date=October 20, 2025 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] |
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Klepov is committed to play [[college ice hockey]] for [[Michigan State Spartans men's ice hockey|Michigan State]] during the [[2026–27 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2026–27 season]].[{{cite web |url=https://www.wilx.com/2024/11/18/michigan-state-hockey-lands-commitment-forward-nikita-klepov/ |title=Michigan State hockey lands commitment from forward Nikita Klepov |website=[[WILX-TV]] |first=Ben |last=Shockley |date=November 18, 2024 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}][{{cite web |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/other/2025/10/20/mondays-hockey-msu-commit-klepov-joins-mckenna-on-nhl-top-prospects-list/86808918007/ |title=Monday's hockey: MSU commit Klepov joins McKenna on NHL top prospects list |newspaper=[[The Detroit News]] |date=October 20, 2025 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}] |
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