If you’re a team in the market for experienced defensive forwards this summer a new one might be hitting the market in the coming weeks. Ivan Telegin told Igor Eronko of Sport-Express that he is looking for an NHL contract after his deal with CSKA Moscow in the KHL recently came to an end. As CapFriendly points out, though the Winnipeg Jets currently own Telegin’s NHL rights, that changes at the end of June when he will become an unrestricted free agent.
While the rights of Russian draft picks who never sign are held indefinitely, Telegin has actually had an NHL contract in the past. The fourth-round pick from 2010 (actually an Atlanta Thrashers selection) signed his entry-level contract in 2011 but ended up playing just 34 minor league games for the Jets’ organization before concussion problems and contract disputes saw him return to the KHL in 2014.
Telegin has been there ever since, playing for CSKA in each of the last five seasons. He reached a career high of 22 points this season before helping to capture a Gagarin Cup. Over the years he has represented Russia on the international stage several times, including winning a gold medal as part of the “Olympic Athletes from Russia.” The 6’4″ forward has never been much of an offensive player, but has experience at center and on the penalty kill.
Now 27 there likely isn’t much more development possible for Telegin’s game, but a team looking for an inexpensive contributor for their bottom six might find exactly that in the Russian forward. He is currently playing in the IIHF World Championship, though hasn’t been used a ton by the powerhouse Russian squad.
Did anybody tell Telegin that he would be relegated to a bottom-six role? Or, was that going to happen after the start of the season, only to have him bolt back to the KHL (mutual contract termination) for browner pastures…?