The Golden Knights made a splash in Russia earlier this month with the signing of winger Nikita Gusev. Now, it appears they have their sights set on winger Ilya Mikheyev. A report from Sport-Express in Russia suggested that he has agreed to terms with Vegas but Sport-Express writer Igor Eronko clarified (Twitter link) that they are interested in signing him but Mikheyev has other NHL offers on the table and has yet to make a decision.
The 24-year-old recently wrapped up his best season in the KHL, picking up 23 goals and 22 assists in 62 games with Avangard Omsk. He was even more productive in the postseason, collecting 11 points (4-7-11) in just 13 contests, good for fourth on the team in scoring. Eronko notes that he is also an effective penalty killer which would bode well for his chances for making it as a bottom six player in the NHL.
Mikheyev is still subject to the entry-level system but his initial contract can only be for one year with a maximum base salary of $925K, including a 10% signing bonus. As he isn’t eligible to play in the NHL this season since he wasn’t on a Reserve List before the trade deadline, he can’t sign a 2018-19 contract and burn it immediately since the regular season has already passed. (Gusev was able to do so since he was on Vegas’ Reserve List, making him postseason-eligible.) Mikheyev’s KHL contract doesn’t expire until the end of April so an official announcement on where he winds up isn’t likely to come for a couple more weeks.
No bottom-six guy should be fawned over by more than one NHL team…that speaks to mass stupidity… Do one of those “fawners” want Yakupov back, too???