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Overseas Notes: Yakupov, Kovar, Erixon, Garteig

June 23, 2019 at 4:29 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 5 Comments

Former No. 1 overall pick Nail Yakupov won’t be joining any of the most recent draft class in the NHL next season. The bust of a former top prospect enjoyed his best season as a pro in the KHL last season and has decided not to press his luck. SKA St. Petersburg has announced a new three-year extension with Yakupov, keeping the 25-year-old in the KHL until 2022 at the earliest. Yakupov finally decided to move on from the NHL last summer and returned to home to Russia to ink a one-year “show me” deal with SKA. He did just that, recording 33 points in just 47 games and another eight points in the postseason for one of the KHL’s top clubs. Now, he has likely either decided to stay in Russia for the remainder of his career or that his best odds of being an impact player in the NHL down the road are to continue developing overseas. Either way, we won’t be seeing Yakupov in North America anytime soon. The top pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2012 from the OHL’s Sarnia Sting, Yakupov played three underwhelming seasons with the Oilers and last suited up in the NHL in 2017-18, a season split between the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche. Moving forward, he’ll suit up alongside Jori Lehtera, Sergei Plotnikov, Viktor Tikhonov, and recently drafted goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov in St. Petersburg.

  • Similarly, Jan Kovar is not messing around with an NHL return after a 2018-19 season that did not go as expected. The veteran Czech forward signed a one-year, $2MM contract with the New York Islanders last summer, but that contract was terminated before the regular season even began, once it became clear that Kovar would not crack the opening night roster. Yet, he still wound up in the AHL, playing for the Providence Bruins for two months in hopes of earning a contract with Boston. When that also failed to materialize, Kovar finally returned to Europe, signing with HC Plzen of his native Czech league. Rather than stay in the Czech Republic, return to North America, or even go back to the KHL, where he had spent the previous five seasons and found much success, Kovar has instead decided to try his hand at playing in the Swiss NLA. EV Zug, an NLA finalist last season, have announced a one-year contract with Kovar. The team is excited about the addition and expect Kovar to be a key piece for them next season. The contract does have a temporary NHL exit clause, but it expires on Tuesday and there has been no talk of any NHL interest in Kovar. It’s safe to assume that he’ll be joining Carl Klingberg, Raphael Diaz, and company next season.
  • Give Tim Erixon credit. The 2009 first-round pick out of Skelleftea in Sweden has not played in the NHL since 2015, but has remained in North America, grinding it out for another opportunity in the AHL. However, it’s finally become time to return home. The SHL’s Vaxjo Lakers have announced a two-year contract with Erixon and plan to use him in a major role, unlike the minor league depth capacity that he has filled for several years. A veteran of 93 NHL games 331 AHL games with six different organizations, Erixon is an experienced defenseman who also became a leader and mentor at the minor league level. He heads back to Sweden as a respected and capable veteran player who should be a difference-maker for the Lakers. Vaxjo continues a strong off-season, now adding Erixon to a list of additions that also includes Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Marcus Davidsson, Emil Pettersson, and Matt Bodie.
  • Fresh off of a Kelly Cup championship with the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers, goaltender Michael Garteig has decided to take his talents to Finland. The 27-year-old keeper has signed a one-year deal with Tappara, the Liiga club announced. Garteig was a former standout at Quinnipiac University and was briefly a prospect of the Vancouver Canucks. However, he has played the past two seasons on a minor league contract and altogether has only seen ten total games in the AHL in three pro seasons. Yet, Garteig was stellar for the Growlers last season, especially in the playoffs, where he posted a .928 save percentage and 2.19 goals against average. Tappara hopes those numbers translate to the Liiga, as the team seeks a replacement for former NHL veteran Niklas Backstrom in their tandem with young Christian Heljanko. Chicago Blackhawks prospect Wouter Peeters also hopes to push for some starts next season.
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AHL| Boston Bruins| Chicago Blackhawks| Colorado Avalanche| ECHL| Edmonton Oilers| Jan Kovar| Jori Lehtera| KHL| Nail Yakupov| New York Islanders| NLA| Sergei Plotnikov| SHL| St. Louis Blues| Tim Erixon| Vancouver Canucks

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Comments

  1. DarkSide830

    4 years ago

    might be the nail in the coffin of Yakupov’s NHL career.

    Reply
  2. DVail1979

    4 years ago

    I’m sure Yakupov is devastated … Rather than being a bottom line player in the NHL he gets to go home and be a top 6 player in the KHL … Hmmm play in a foreign country and be average at best or go home.and be terrific for good money … I’m sure it was a tough call

    Reply
  3. MacJablonski--NotVegasLegend

    4 years ago

    Yakupov should be sleeping on a bed of them. Maybe it will sharpen his deficient hockey sense…then he can go back to being chased by hordes of angry bees…

    Reply
  4. wreckage

    4 years ago

    Nail Yakupov, one name ruined by the hairpiece known as Dallas Eakins. Have fun Anaheim with your coach controlling your diet, playing style that got you to the bigs, and offseason training so you can become a more complete player. Media wants a donut or pastry while waiting for post game interviews? Not gonna happen, Dallas only wants his media guys who eat fresh fruit and veggies interviewing his team.

    Reply
  5. wreckage

    4 years ago

    Oh hey, its 4am local time and we just played a game, anyone who wants to be a long term piece of the team should join Dallas and Brad Ferrence for a early morning jog and btw, we are gonna invite the fans. Hope more than 3 show up this time.

    Reply

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