Monday: Official now, the Stanley Cup hero will be heading overseas to join Kunlun.
Friday: After failing to land an NHL contract this summer, Devante Smith-Pelly may be taking his talents overseas. A report out of Russia has Smith-Pelly signing with Kunlun Red Star of the KHL, though the team has not confirmed it yet. It wouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as Kunlun already has plenty of former NHL talent with names like Wojtek Wolski, Gilbert Brule, Adam Cracknell, Ryan Sproul and Griffin Reinhart on the roster among others.
Smith-Pelly was released from his professional tryout with the Calgary Flames before the start of the season and wasn’t able to find work elsewhere around the league. The 27-year old played 54 games with the Capitals last season after his 2018 playoff heroics.
Never much of an offensive player in the NHL, Smith-Pelly recorded seven goals during the Capitals Stanley Cup run and earned himself a place in Washington sport lore. Should this signing go through, he’ll try to continue his hockey career in a new country and league, a difficult challenge to be sure.
I’m honestly pretty surprised he couldn’t find a bottom 6 role anywhere or at the very least a 13th forward role