Blog

Jun182010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Dynamo’s GM: Avtsin is under contract with us

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

Dynamo's GM: Avtsin is under contract with us (Photo © khl.ru) In spite of the recent news it looks like Alexander Avtsin will spend the 2010-11 season in the KHL with Dynamo Moscow. Dynamo's General Manager Andrei Safronov declared through the team's official site that all the young players remain property of the new formed OHC Dynamo and all contracts are valid. "At the end of May the KHL confirmed that all the contracts with our players are valid. Our youngsters will stay. Avtsin and Dvurechensky have a contract up to April 2011 and 2012 respectively. Anton Krysanov (Phoenix Coyotes) and Andrei Plekhanov (Columbus Blue Jackets) are among the group of players that will skate in the team's training camp in Belarus. We will part with Pavel Valentenko. He has a big contract and we can't aff...

Jun152010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Nikita Nikitin signs with St. Louis Blues

Russian Players In NHL

Nikita Nikitin signs with St. Louis Blues (Photo © Ilya Korneev) 24 years old Nikita Nikitin has been signed to an entry level contract by the St. Louis Blues, as reported by the team's official page. Nikitin played his whole career with Avangard Omsk. Last season he scored four goals and 13 points in 43 regular season games. "His top feature is his excellent first pass. He can launch a forward one-on-one against the goalie directly from his own zone", Russian reporter Ilya Elchaninov based in Omsk said to RussianHockeyFans.com. "He's got a very strong shot, but he lacks accuracy." Nikitin played with team Russia one of the stages for the Euro Hockey Tour, even if he couldn't score a single point in the three games he wore team Russia jersey. "He's a fairly fast skating and is very good on...

Jun112010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Agent Ilya Moliver: “Kabanov’s problem is his father”

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

Agent Ilya Moliver: "Kabanov's problem is his father" (Photo © saintjohnseadogs.com) As widely reported in the last few days, and his agent JP Barry parted ways. "I wish Kirill all the best", Barry told The Hockey News. "It just wasn’t a fit. We advised him to seek other representation." The collaboration between Kabanov and Barry (whose agency works with, for example, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Sergei Gonchar) lasted a few months only. They helped Kabanov in the preparation toward the upcoming NHL Draft and the NHL Draft Combine. But they refused to work with him any longer. Before Barry there were three agents with whom Kabanov had parted ways, Don Meehan (and his Russian representative Sergei Isakov), Jay Grossman and Scott Greenspun (Alexei Kovalev's agent). Russian p...

Jun72010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

SKA offers Kovalchuk $14M per year

Russian Players In NHL

SKA offers Kovalchuk $14M per year (Photo © nj.com) SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL has offered Ilya Kovalchuk a $42M, 3-year contract (which makes its $14M per year), as reported by Russian newspaper Sport-Express. In case Kovalchuk accepts the offer, he will also get a huge signing bonus. SKA has long been trying to get Kovalchuk (we wrote about this in November, December and February).

Jun62010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Sergei Gaiduchenko traded to CSKA Moscow

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

Sergei Gaiduchenko traded to CSKA Moscow (Photo © khl.ru) Florida Panthers' prospect Sergei Gaiduchenko has been traded to CSKA Moscow prior the 2010 KHL Entry Draft in exchange of a first round pick. Gaiduchenko, 21, spent the last year with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, playing 20 regular season games as back up of Georgi Gelashvili. His contract run out on Aprl 30st and wasn't renewed by Lokomotiv, thus making him a RFA. As he's going to join CSKA, most likely he won't transfer to the Panthers this summer. Read also: - Sergei Gaiduchenko: "You can't judge me by one game only" - Sergei Gaiduchenko: I have a chance to move on as Florida drafted me

Jun62010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Dominik Hasek signs with Spartak Moscow

KHL News and Interviews

Dominik Hasek signs with Spartak Moscow (Photo © Alexander Safonov, Championat.ru) Legendary goalkeeper Dominik Hasek signed a one year deal in the KHL with Spartak Moscow. "I'm happy to be in Moscow. I think that the both sides will benefit from this agreement," said Hasek to Rossiya-2. His salary is reported to be around $600,000. "I know what Hasek is capable of. We did not sign a jersey with his name, we signed Hasek himself," said Spartak's head coach Milos Riha to Rossiya-2. Hasek, 45, has recently won the Czech Extraliga champions title with Pardubice. The Dominator, who has two Stanley Cups and six Vezina Trophies under his belt, will soon join Spartak in order to prepare for the 2010-11 season.

Jun32010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

2010 KHL Entry Draft

KHL News and Interviews

2010 KHL Entry Draft (Photo © khl.ru) On June 4th the second ever KHL Entry Draft has been held. With the first overall pick, Sibir Novosibirsk picked forward Dmitry Yashkin, who plays for Slavia Prague in the Czech Republic. KHL teams choosen a total of 188 players from 13 countries during the seven rounds of the draft. Three selections have been voided as they were players with an NHL contract. They are John Tavares (Lokomotiv Yarloslavl), Philip Larsen (Sibir Novosibirsk) and Mikael Backlund (CSKA Moscow). Finn defenseman Sami Vatanen went second overall, whith the third selection being Dmitry Ismagilov, picked up by Amur Khabarovsk. Goalie Michael Vishnevetsky was the first North American player picked, by Spartak Moscow. Teams could use a draft pick and protect their own j...

Jun22010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

ISS Final Rankings: Tarasenko #4, Burmistrov #14, Kuznetsov #19, Galiev #24

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

ISS Final Rankings: Tarasenko #4, Burmistrov #14, Kuznetsov #19, Galiev #24 (Photo © sportbox.ru) The International Scouting Services announced its final rankings for the upcoming 2010 NHL Entry Draft. , playing for Sibir of the KHL, is the highest ranked European, having the 4th spot in the rankings. There are three more Russian prospects in the Top 30, they are: 14. (OHL, Barrie Colts) 19. (KHL, Traktor Chelyabinsk) 24. (QJMHL, Saint John Sea Dogs) The notorious has fallen out of the Top 30.

Jun12010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Jori Lehtera signs with Lokomotiv… and Blues?

KHL News and Interviews

Jori Lehtera signs with Lokomotiv... and Blues? (Photo © mtv3.fi) On the 31st of May the official Lokomotiv site announced signing for a two-year contract Jori Lehtera, the 22-year old forward from Finland, who lead this past season the SM-League in points. Today, on the first of June the official site of the St. Lois Blues announced signing Lehtera to an Entry Level Contract. “Jori had an excellent year this past season as he led the entire Finish League in points,” said Blues' President John Davidson to NHL.com. “Our scouts are very high on him and expect him to be a solid NHL player in the future.” This signing came just two weeks after the KHL and the NHL signed a Memorandum of Understanding. According to a sports writer from Finland (@tomppaaax), the Blues signed him to maintain the r...

May312010 by Gary Laws1 Comment

Vyacheslav Bykov will remain head coach of Team Russia

Russian National Hockey Team News

Vyacheslav Bykov will remain head coach of Team Russia (Photo © Associated Press) Today the Russian Hockey Federation announced that the team coaches Vyacheslav Bykov and Igor Zakharkin will continue working with the Russian National team. "Their work with the team was found to be satisfactory," said Vladislav Tretiak to Sovetskiy Sport. "Soon we will meet to discuss the details of the new contract." This season was very unsuccessful for Russia as it suffered two major losses: in the Olympics' quarterfinal against Canada (3:7) and in the World Championship final against the Czech Republic (1:2). Like Russian hockey? Join our forum and get involved!