While the NHL sits in a holding pattern while they decide what to do with the rest of the season, the draft and the playoffs, the KHL is moving along with their offseason. May is the major signing period for the Russian league and several interesting players have already moved around.
Today, a name very familiar to NHL fans was on the move. Nail Yakupov was traded away by SKA St. Petersburg in exchange for Pavel Koltygin, a sixth-round pick of the Nashville Predators, and the rights for Philadelphia Flyers prospect German Rubtsov. Yakupov scored ten goals and 20 points in 46 games for SKA this season.
- Four NHL games may be all that ever happen for former Carolina Hurricanes forward Sergey Tolchinsky. The 25-year old has signed a new two-year deal with Avangard, leaving CSKA Moscow after two seasons. The undersized forward was a strong offensive player in both the OHL and AHL, but failed to make an impact in his short time in Carolina.
- That may not be the case for Nikita Tryamkin, who could be returning to the Vancouver Canucks next season. There is a delay in any contract announcement however because of the current league situation and Rick Dhaliwal of TSN reports that the uncertain salary cap situation could complicate things for the Canucks. Dhaliwal suggests that this waiting game could test Tryamkin’s patience, given that KHL training camps are scheduled to open in July. The giant defender played 79 games with the Canucks between 2015-2017 before returning to Russia for the last three seasons.
Go figure. Nail Yakupov gets traded for 2 bags of pucks and some dirt, while the Giant Russian, Tryamkin, is lurking in the weeds, waiting to invade the western conference… Hey, it’s *almost* like getting back to normal, save for this ongoing pandemic crap!
Canucks may need him with Edler and Myers getting long in the tooth, and none of their prospects have panned out in the big show. Myers may stay longer ,stay safe Mac Yaku….. who?
Yaku-puck, kinda like a bad penny… Burkie said when they interviewed him at the Draft, he basically wanted to give him a beat down! The guys on OverDrive said the “tribute” video that Edmonton did had him skating around looking like he was being chased by a bunch of angry bees.
Be well, G! :)
Ya, because anyone is afraid of Tryamkin. Guy is a 6’8″ pylon. I’m sure McDavid, Gaudreau, McKinnon, Scheifle, Kane, ect are afraid of this guy and and his cement skates.
@wreckage – Cement skates and upper body, too! Just ask Brad Richardson how it feels to get low-bridged. Ouch!
Perhaps you should watch the video of the hit again. It was a fluke injury because Tryamkin winds up putting most of his weight on Richardson when Richardson ducks the hit. And not many players are the same speed as a 3-4th line guy on the Coyotes.
Not many guys are worried about a 4-6 dman in open ice. Yes he will crush a few guys and help clear the net, but in todays speed game not many are shaking over him being on the ice.