Hunter Shinkaruk Headed To KHL

After spending the first 20 games of the season with the Charlotte Checkers, former top prospect Hunter Shinkaruk is taking his talents overseas. The 25-year old was released from his AHL contract with the Checkers last night, with head coach Ryan Warsofsky explaining that he “got a good offer in the KHL.”

Originally selected in the first round of the 2013 draft by the Vancouver Canucks, Shinkaruk was the piece that went to the Calgary Flames in exchange for Markus Granlund in 2016. After he still failed to catch on with his second team, another trade took him to the Montreal Canadiens organization (in exchange for another struggling first-rounder, Kerby Rychel) before he was non-tendered last summer.

Even with some offensive success early on in the minor leagues, Shinkaruk never could make the leap to the NHL and show the skill that got him into the first round of the draft. He’ll now try to keep his professional hockey career alive by testing the KHL, where that offer is from Kunlun Red Star, according to Igor Eronko of Sport-Express.