The former third-overall selection of the 2012 NHL Draft won’t return to North America anytime soon. According to a public announcement from the Kontinental Hockey League, forward Alex Galchenyuk has signed a two-year extension with the Amur Khabarovsk.
Galchenyuk has played in the KHL for the last two seasons, scoring 16 goals and 42 points in 61 games with SKA St. Petersburg during his first year outside North America since the 2012-13 season. The Milwaukee, WI native’s time with Amur has been mutually beneficial, scoring 20 goals and 37 points in 53 games en route to a KHL All-Star appearance. Alex Broadhurst joins him as the only other American on the team’s roster.
Despite the strong offensive production in Russia, there’s likely little interest for Galchenyuk to return to any NHL organization. Less than two weeks after signing a one-year deal with the Arizona Coyotes in 2023, it was revealed that Galchenyuk had been arrested on multiple charges, leading the Coyotes to terminate his contract. He entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program shortly after.
Other international transactions:
- Another former first-round pick, Brendan Perlini, has signed a new contract overseas. The NL’s Lausanne HC announced they’d signed Perlini for the remainder of the 2024-25 season after his contract was mutually terminated with the KHL’s Spartak Moskva after only four games. It’ll be Perlini’s second attempt in the NL, scoring nine goals and 16 points in 21 games for HC Ambrì-Piotta in the 2020-21 season. He’s also a veteran of 262 NHL and 98 AHL contests scoring 81 and 72 points respectively.
- Former prospect for the Detroit Red Wings, Teemu Pulkkinen, is signing on with a third team this season. HC La Chaux-de-Fonds, a team in the second tier of professional ice hockey in Switzerland, announced a contract for Pulkkinen for the remainder of the season. Given that he’s already been mutually terminated from contracts in Germany and Slovakia this season, this appears to be one of the final seasons for Pulkkinen’s professional career.
- Forward Brayden Tracey’s professional career might be grinding to a halt. After flailing out of the Anaheim Ducks organization after being the 29th overall pick of the 2019 NHL Draft, Tracey signed a one-year deal with the Finnish Liiga’s Jukurit to rebuild his value. Instead, after scoring only one goal and five assists in 13 contests, Jukurit announced yesterday they’ve mutually terminated Tracey’s contract. Tracey was interested in returning to North America when he originally signed but could have difficulty finding a new landing spot with that production.