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Klas Dahlbeck Signs In KHL

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June 1st: The contract is now official, as CSKA announced the signing this afternoon. It is a one-year deal for Dahlbeck, opening the door to an NHL return in the near future if his season goes well in Moscow. For their part, CSKA seems excited for the potential that the veteran defender brings in their efforts to strengthen the blue line next year.

May 22nd: According to Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer, Carolina GM Don Waddell has confirmed Dahlbeck’s departure to the KHL.

April 27th: It was a forgettable 2017-18 season for Klas Dahlbeck. The 26-year-old defenseman re-signed with the Carolina Hurricanes expecting an expanded role, only to lose his job to rookie Haydn Fleury. Dahlbeck proceeded to suit up for just 33 games, spending much of his time watching from the press box. In what little action he saw, Dahlbeck recorded just five points and had the worst possession numbers of any Hurricanes defenseman. It was a disappointing campaign for the 2011 third-round pick and former AHL standout who at one time carried much promise.

Now it seems Dahlbeck is looking to move on the next stage of his hockey career. According to the Sports Business Gazette out of Russia, Dahlbeck is preparing to sign in the KHL this season (link in Russian). Dahlbeck won’t be joining just any team, but one of the league’s most elite organizations, CSKA Moscow. CSKA is fresh off the second-best regular season record in the KHL and an appearance in the Gagarin Cup final. They’ve been collecting displaced NHLers in recent years, including the likes of Valeri Nichushkin, Mikhail Grigorenko, Nikita Nesterov, and Alexey Marchenko, and the Swedish-born blue liner Dahlbeck appears to be next in line.

While the contract has yet to be signed and neither CSKA nor Carolina have confirmed the move, this is a deal that seems logical and likely to happen. Dahlbeck has shown capable two-way play in the past and will likely step in and be a solid presence on the CSKA back end. Meanwhile, it’s no loss for the Hurricanes, who have one of the most talented young defensive corps in the league, with six bona fide starters under 27, and could still add to that group with top prospect Jake Bean next season.

Valeri Nichushkin Expected To Sign With Dallas Stars

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Recently, Sean Shapiro of The Athletic (subscription required) reported that Valeri Nichushkin and his agent were confident that a deal would be worked out with the Dallas Stars to allow the 23-year old forward to return to the NHL. After leaving for the KHL two seasons ago, Dallas has maintained that they would like Nichushkin to return one day when he’s ready to help the Stars win. Now the team, well known for their dramatic Twitter reveals, has tweeted out “Choo Choo” along with a picture of Nichushkin in a Dallas uniform and a quote from GM Jim Nill:

I think in the end, Val’s going to come back as a Dallas Star here this year.

If Nichushkin does return to the NHL he’ll have to sign a new contract after leaving as a restricted free agent in the summer of 2016. By extending a qualifying offer the Stars retained his exclusive rights, and would be able to sign him to any deal the two sides felt comfortable with (within the confines of the CBA, that is).

Selected 10th overall in 2013, Nichushkin got off to a brilliant start in Dallas by scoring 14 goals and 34 points in his rookie season. The big forward is a freight train on skates, and proved to be a difficult player to handle even at such a young age. Unfortunately, a hip injury robbed him of most of the next season and after a disappointing 2015-16 under Lindy Ruff—a head coach that reportedly clashed with the young Russian winger—he was off to the KHL. His return to the NHL maybe wouldn’t be as impactful as Ilya Kovalchuk’s impending signing, but would certainly give the Stars another impressive young talent to build around.

Finishing third on CSKA Moscow in goals this season, Nichushkin was held out of the Olympics as one of the banned Russian players. He had to watch as his countrymen took home the gold medal, before injuring his shoulder in the KHL playoffs and missing out on the IIHF World Championship as well.

Montreal Canadiens Agree To Terms With Rinat Valiev

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Fans worried that Rinat Valiev would be heading overseas in 2018-19 have nothing to worry about anymore. The 22-year old defenseman has agreed to terms with the Montreal Canadiens on a one-year two-way contract that will pay him $650K at the NHL level. Valiev had been involved in KHL rumors for the last few weeks, but agent Dan Milstein even tweets that his client was never considering heading to Russia.

Valiev was acquired by the Canadiens earlier this season when they sent Tomas Plekanec and Kyle Baun to Toronto at the trade deadline. Though the deal was mostly about getting a second-round pick for a few months of Plekanec—the veteran center has been clear about his desire to return to Montreal this summer—Valiev and fellow prospect Kerby Rychel both could see time in Montreal next season.

The 23-year old defenseman was a third-round selection of the Maple Leafs back in 2014, but was given just 10 games in the NHL while with the Toronto organization. After being dealt to Montreal, Valiev suited up for two games at the end of the season and could be in line for a more prominent role next year. The Canadiens are desperately looking for help on their blue line, and a player like Valiev is handy depth to have sitting in the minor leagues. Should the team experience injuries or ineffectiveness like in this past season, they won’t hesitate to call-up their latest signing.

That said, Valiev is no long waiver-exempt and won’t be able to pop up and down like in previous years. It’s unlikely Montreal will want to expose him very often, meaning there is a chance he could break camp with the team as a sixth or seventh option. We’ll have to wait to see how it all shakes out, but currently there doesn’t seem to be room for him on the NHL roster.

Poll: Where Will Ilya Kovalchuk Sign?

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One of the biggest question marks this summer is the potential return of KHL superstar Ilya Kovalchuk. Though he’s made it known he wants to return to the NHL this season, there isn’t a clear front-runner to sign the 35-year old winger. The teams in New York and Florida were reported as his preferred destinations last summer, but now that he is an unrestricted free agent there could be any number of teams reaching out. Indeed we heard recently that his new agent J.P. Barry has been discussing Kovalchuk with several teams, but don’t know who those are.

The Rangers were once believed to be interested, though now that they’re heading into a mini-rebuild could avoid going after the veteran forward. After trading Ryan McDonagh, J.T. Miller, Derek Stepan, Rick Nash and more over the last few years, New York is trying to get faster and younger to compete in the new NHL. Kovalchuk doesn’t really fit that mold, but would certainly be a big attraction at Madison Square Garden should he end up there.

Florida could use some more firepower up front and has former teammate Evgeni Dadonov under contract, but might be happy plugging in younger options like Henrik Borgstrom and Maxim Mamin. The Panthers also aren’t flush with cap room, unless Kovalchuk was one of their only moves of the summer. Still, they could be an enticing option if they believe that the team can compete in 2018-19.

The Islanders are probably the most interesting contender right now, as they’re in one of his preferred destinations and just hired Lou Lamoriello, the same man who signed Kovalchuk to a 15-year $100MM contract in 2010. Obviously Lamoriello felt strongly about Kovalchuk’s talent at that point, but there’s no telling what he thinks this time around. The Islanders are working to re-sign John Tavares and compete right away, and adding a five-time 40-goal man wouldn’t hurt either situation.

Where do you think Kovalchuk will land? Does he stay on the east coast as expected last summer, or will he end up out west? Is Lamoriello the one to bring him back to the NHL, or has that bridge been burned? Vote below and make sure to leave your explanation in the comments.

Where will Ilya Kovalchuk sign?
New York Islanders 22.62% (294 votes)
New York Rangers 22.08% (287 votes)
Other 21.31% (277 votes)
Vegas Golden Knights 10.00% (130 votes)
KHL 8.62% (112 votes)
Florida Panthers 7.38% (96 votes)
Dallas Stars 5.08% (66 votes)
San Jose Sharks 2.92% (38 votes)
Total Votes: 1,300

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Ilya Kovalchuk Changes Agency, Discussing NHL Future

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The ongoing saga of Ilya Kovalchuk took another twist yesterday, when Darren Dreger of TSN reported that the Russian winger had joined CAA Hockey and agent J.P. Barry. Barry, according to Dreger, is already in discussions with various clubs interested in signing Kovalchuk as he tries to make a return to the NHL. Kovalchuk has repeatedly stated his desire to return, and is now an unrestricted free agent. He can’t officially sign any contract until July 1st, but nothing prevents him from coming to terms with a team prior to that date.

Though Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweeted that he expects Kovalchuk to get a contract filled with performance bonuses, that may not be possible. While Kovalchuk is now 35 years old and could qualify for performance bonuses, he’d have to sign just a one-year deal to be eligible for any incentives. That doesn’t seem likely at this point, especially if there are several teams interested in bringing him back from the KHL.

The former Atlanta Thrashers draft pick has been playing in the KHL for the last five seasons, and had previously been represented by Jay Grossman. After winning the Gagarin Cup with SKA St. Petersburg in 2016-17, he followed it up with a gold medal (and MVP) at the Olympics and a league-leading 63 points in 53 games in the KHL. There’s no doubt that Kovalchuk still has something left in the tank, but after so many years away from the NHL some doubt whether he can be a real difference maker.

If he can’t, teams have to consider the possibility of him leaving for Russia once again. Now that he’s a 35+ player, Kovalchuk’s cap hit would be applied to the team’s salary cap regardless of whether he retired from the NHL or not. A multi-year contract could then be dangerous for a club that is already dealing with a precarious financial position, especially one that doesn’t include performance bonuses. So far we haven’t gotten much on where Kovalchuk could be headed, other than his statements last summer about preferring New York or Florida. While last year negotiations had to run through the New Jersey Devils, this time around Kovalchuk is a clear free agent able to sign with whichever team he chooses.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Karri Ramo Expected To Return To KHL’s Avangard Omsk

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Former NHL goaltender Karri Ramo has his sights set on a return, but not across the Atlantic. Instead, Ramo is expected to remain in the KHL, but sign with former team Avangard Omsk in Russia. Ramo spent this season with Jokerit, a KHL squad in his native Finland, but Russian source Championat reports that Omsk will soon announce that they have brought back the talented keeper.

Ramo, 31, is coming off of such a strong season that there was speculation that there could be interest in the NHL even though he made only 18 regular season starts for Jokerit. Ramo shared the net with U.S. Olympian Ryan Zapolski this year, but made less than half as many starts as the veteran American. However, in his limited action, Ramo was easily the best “backup” in the KHL with a .930 save percentage and 1.94 GAA. Appearances aside, those numbers were good enough for thirteenth and seventh respectively in the KHL, yet somehow just a shade worse than Zapolski. Ramo’s time came in the postseason though; he was the hot hand and made six starts to Zapolski’s five and posted an incredible .954 save percentage and 1.31 GAA.

With Omsk, Ramo will return to the team that he starred for from 2009 to 2013. A sixth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004, Ramo joined the Bolts as a rookie in 2006-07 and spent three years as the team’s primary backup. Ramo then left for the KHL in 2009 and quickly became on of the league’s top keepers, leading Avangard to four straight postseason appearances while posting a GAA of 2.11 or better in each season. Given his renewed value overseas, Ramo returned to the NHL in 2013 and split starts for the Calgary Flames for three seasons, but struggled to find the same success he had in Russia. In returning to Omsk, Ramo will be expected to solve the severe goaltending issues that plagued the team last season with the help of fellow new addition Igor Bobkov. Ramo will also reunite with former Calgary coach and recent Omsk hire Bob Hartley as the pair look to improve on a team that is lacking in high-end talent. A star goalie, strong defense, and experienced coaching could be all that Avangard need to make a run next season though.

Snapshots: Kulemin, Schmidt, Oil Kings

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Nikolai Kulemin’s NHL career is over for the time being, as the 31-year old has signed with Magnitogorsk in the KHL. As TSN relays, it is a multi-year deal worth around $3.2MM per season, which is actually a step down from the salary he’d been earning in the NHL. Kulemin signed a four-year $16.75MM contract with the New York Islanders in 2014, and was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ second round pick from 2006 played just 13 games for the Islanders this season, recording three points. A one-time 30-goal scorer, Kulemin was never able to repeat that kind of success and will leave the NHL with 274 points in 669 games. There’s no guarantee his career in North America is finished for good, but it wouldn’t be surprising if we never saw him on this side of the ocean again.

  • Nate Schmidt has turned into an elite defenseman for the Vegas Golden Knights, logging huge minutes on a nightly basis and controlling the game during the playoffs. If you were a Washington Capitals fan upset when they lost him in the expansion draft, know that GM Brian MacLellan tried (and failed) to get him back right away. In Isabelle Khurshudyan and Jesse Doughtery’s latest piece for the Washington Post, Vegas GM George McPhee reveals that Washington immediately tried to reacquire the young defenseman, but that the Golden Knights valued him so highly that they made a deal impossible for the Capitals to accept. Schmidt will take on his former club in the Stanley Cup Finals starting tonight, where he’ll be asked to shut down some of the most dangerous forwards in the league.
  • The Edmonton Oil Kings have relieved head coach Steve Hamilton and assistant coach Ryan Marsh of their duties, meaning a new staff will be taking over the WHL team next season. That staff might have to be hired by a new GM too, as the team also announced that GM Randy Hansch will be joining an NHL team as an amateur scout after July 1st. The Oil Kings finished dead last in the WHL this season with a 22-42-8 record, and scored the fewest while allowing the most goals in the league. It was a disastrous year, but as we’ve seen many times at the junior level before they could be in for a quick rebuild. The team selected 15-year old Dylan Guenther first overall in the recent bantam draft, and will hope he can lead the team back to prominence in the coming years.

Bob Hartley Hired By KHL’s Avangard Omsk

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Veteran coach Bob Hartley is headed back to the professional ranks. European hockey insider Igor Eronko reports that Hartley has been hired by Avangard Omsk of the KHL. This marks his first pro head coaching job since he was fired by the Calgary Flames back in 2016.

Hartley has had a highly successful coaching career and brings an immense amount of pedigree to Omsk. After working his way up through the QMJHL and AHL, Hartley was given his first NHL head coaching gig by the Colorado Avalanche in 1998. In his first four seasons with the Avs, Hartley guided the team to four straight conference finals and a Stanley Cup championship in 2001. When Hartley was fired mid-season by Colorado in 2002-03, he was hired almost immediately by the Atlanta Thrashers, where he coached for parts of six seasons. Hartley was out of the NHL for just one season – during which he won the NLA championship with the ZSC Lions – before he returned as the head coach of the Calgary Flames in 2012. Hartley won the 2015 Jack Adams Award as the best coach in the league for his work reinvigorating the Flames. Altogether, Hartley has a .568 winning percentage in the NHL and has reached the postseason six times.

For the past two years, Hartley has been working for the Latvian national team. He was the head coach for each of their past two World Championship entries and also consulted on their junior program. In this most recent World Championships, Latvia surprised many with a 3-1-1-2 record and seventh-place finish. Hartley’s coaching was back in the eye of the mainstream media and it is no surprise that he has landed a new job as a result. With Avangard, Hartley will take over a roster that has some good pieces, including a very solid defense, but is quite far from being a true contender. If he is able to turn the team around and improve on a twelfth-place finish last year without any further additions to the roster, it will be yet another impressive addition to his coaching resume. Don’t be surprised to see Hartley back in the conversation for an NHL job in the near future if he finds success during his KHL tenure.

Eemeli Rasanen, Viktor Loov Sign In KHL

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The KHL presents an opportunity for professional hockey players who can’t seem to get a chance in the NHL, as it will for Viktor Loov. The former Toronto Maple Leafs prospect has bounced around the AHL the last few seasons, but will now head to Finland to join Jokerit for the 2018-19 KHL season. Loov signed a one-year deal, though at 25 with just four NHL games under his belt it seems unlikely that he’ll get a real opportunity in the future.

It can also be a development league for players who find themselves somewhere between the CHL and AHL, and that’s what Eemeli Rasanen will use it as. The Maple Leafs second-round pick from 2017 has signed a two-year deal with Jokerit and will begin his professional career in the KHL. Rasanen, a towering 6’7″ defenseman with good offensive skills, will get to go home to Finland while continuing his development.

Though he was drafted out of the CHL, Rasanen’s rights are likely now owned by the Maple Leafs for four seasons. As CapFriendly points out, that depends on whether the Maple Leafs extended a Bona Fide offer over the last year, something we can’t be sure of just yet. Still, one can assume that the team had discussed everything with him lately as Rasanen began practicing with the Toronto Marlies after his junior season (and, as we now learn, career) ended earlier this spring.

Ryan Stoa, Andy Miele Sign In KHL

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Two veteran American forwards have signed new contracts to play in the KHL after strong 2017-18 seasons. Ryan Stoa remains in Russia for the fifth straight season since leaving North America but will be switching teams as Traktor Chelyabinsk announced that they have signed the power forward. Meanwhile, Andy Miele will make the jump over from the Swedish Hockey League in just his second season since crossing the Atlantic. Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod revealed their signing of the swift center in a team release this week.

Stoa gained significant visibility this year as a member of Team USA at the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. While Stoa was held scoreless through five games, he saw ample ice time for the Americans. He used his time much better during the KHL season, recording 30 points in 53 games for Spartak Moskva. Stoa formed a potent combination on Spartak’s top line with Boston Bruins prospect Alexander Khokhlachev and recent San Jose Sharks signee Lukas Radil. Now moving to Traktor, a team that made the conference final without him this past season, Stoa will join former AHL rival Paul Szczechura and dynamic young Vitali Kravtsov on an offense that should be impressive. A second-round draft pick of the Colorado Avalanche back in 2005, a member of the U.S. National Development Program, and the captain of the University of Minnesota, Stoa’s performance fell far short of his lofty expectations in the NHL, but he did manage to suit up for 40 games between the Avs and Washington Capitals before developing into a high-end player overseas.

Miele faced far fewer expectations than Stoa as a young player at the University of Miami, but that all changed when he scored 71 points as a senior and won the 2011 Hobey Baker Award as the best player in college hockey. An undrafted free agent who was highly sought-after, Miele signed with the Phoenix Coyotes and the team planned for the dynamic puck-handler to play a top-nine center role. Instead, Miele played in only 15 NHL games over his entry-level deal in Arizona despite dominating the AHL. Miele played another three minor league seasons, all among the AHL’s top scorers, but never got a legitimate chance at the highest level. As a result, Miele joined the Malmo Redhawks of the SHL last off-season and quickly became one of their top forwards. However, Miele’s ability really shined after he was acquired by the Vaxjo Lakers mid-season. With Miele’s help, alongside star Vancouver Canucks prospect Elias Pettersson, the Lakers went on to win the SHL Championship. Miele earned himself a step up in European pro hockey, as he now heads to Torpedo with a chance to help out a team that exceeded expectations in the KHL last year and has a chance to be even better next season.

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