International Notes: Erat, KHL Rights Swap, Berglund, DEL
Veteran winger Martin Erat has spent the past five seasons playing overseas after a 13-year NHL stint but he told Zdenek Janda of iSport that he has decided to call it a career. Injuries limited the 38-year-old to just 16 games with HC Kometa Brno this season but he had been close to a point per game player in the previous three years in the Czech Extraliga.
Erat’s NHL time ended on a relatively quiet note (aside from being part of a trade that Washington would like to forget) but in his prime, he was a reliable and consistent top-six winger, collecting at least 49 points in a stretch of eight consecutive seasons, all with Nashville. Overall, his career winds up with a total of 163 goals and 318 assists in 723 games between the Predators, Capitals, and Coyotes.
Elsewhere around the international hockey world:
- A pair of NHL prospect goaltenders have seen their rights traded in the KHL. HK Sochi announced that they’ve acquired the rights to Jets youngster Mikhail Berdin from CSKA Moscow in exchange for Coyotes prospect Ivan Prosvetov. Both netminders are already under contract to their respective NHL teams for next season but with the start of the 2020-21 AHL campaign certainly in question as long as there are restrictions in terms of allowable attendance, it’s a real possibility that players that are a little lower down the depth chart (Berdin and Prosetov played exclusively in the minors this year) are loaned to the KHL to ensure a full season of development.
- Although he signed his entry-level contract back on Monday, don’t expect Bruins prospect Victor Berglund to play in North America next season. Reporter Mark Divver notes (Twitter link) that Berglund is expected to fulfill his previous commitment to play in Lulea of the SHL for the 2020-21 campaign and then come to North America after. It will be his first taste of action at the top level in Sweden after previously playing in their second-tier Allsvenskan.
- Earlier this week, Germany extended its ban on public events through the end of October due to the ongoing pandemic. Accordingly, as Szymon Szemberg of the Alliance of European Hockey Clubs notes (Twitter link), that places the start of the DEL in jeopardy and will also have an impact on other international events such as the Champions Hockey League which is set to begin its 2020-21 schedule in early October. A handful of NHL free agents (often those who have been in the minors for most of the year) sign in the DEL each year but that now may be one opportunity that they opt not to pursue this offseason.
Panthers Prospect Emil Djuse Signs In The KHL
After a good showing in the SHL the previous two seasons, Emil Djuse decided to try his hand at playing in North America this season and signed with Dallas back in April of 2019. However, after failing to reach the NHL with them or Florida (who acquired him in February), he has opted to head back overseas as Spartak Moscow of the KHL announced that they’ve signed the pending restricted free agent to a one-year contract.
The 26-year old spent the majority of the season with AHL Texas where he collected a respectable 29 points (4-25-29) in 48 games, more points than he had amassed in a single year over his seven professional seasons in Sweden between the SHL and Allsvenskan levels. That was enough for the Panthers to move a sixth-round pick (Buffalo’s 2020 selection) at the trade deadline to bring Djuse in for extra depth. He got into five games with their minor league affiliate in Springfield where he had a goal and two assists before the COVID-19 pandemic shelved the rest of the AHL season.
At 26, Djuse is eligible for restricted free agency this offseason but is only a year away from becoming an unrestricted free agent so a qualifying offer wouldn’t do much from Florida’s perspective. Meanwhile, with this deal, Djuse gives himself a guaranteed place to play next season with the fate of the AHL schedule in question and a good showing there could get him back on the North American radar in 2021.
Hurricanes Prospect Oliwer Kaski Signs In The KHL
Last offseason, defenseman Oliwer Kaski was one of the more sought after players in international free agency. He was coming off of a stellar performance with Pelicans of the SM-liiga that helped him earn a spot on Finland’s entry into the World Championships which helped lead him to a contract with Detroit, a team that had some vacancies on their back end to fill.
However, things didn’t go quite as planned. He was sent to the AHL during training camp and never made it up, even after a midseason trade to Carolina. As a result, Kaski has decided to head back overseas as Avangard Omsk of the KHL announced that they’ve signed the blueliner to a one-year contract.
The 24-year-old played in 19 games with Detroit’s AHL affiliate, collecting just five points before being dealt to the Hurricanes for minor league rearguard Kyle Wood. The swap seemed to get Kaski going offensively as in 35 games with the Checkers, he had 11 goals and nine assists. Having said that, Carolina has a very deep defense corps so the opportunity to get a chance to suit up in the NHL wasn’t likely coming.
As a restricted free agent this summer, Carolina can retain Kaski’s NHL rights this offseason by tendering him a qualifying offer. A strong showing in the KHL could certainly get him back on the NHL radar so with there being no downside to qualifying him, it’s a move that the Hurricanes should make when the offseason arrives.
Nikolay Goldobin Signs In The KHL
June 18: It took more than two months but the deal is now official, as CSKA Moscow announced that Goldobin has indeed inked a two-year contract with the club.
April 11: After spending the majority of this season in the minors, it appears that Canucks winger Nikolay Goldobin is heading overseas. Sport-Express’ Igor Eronko reports (Twitter link) that Goldobin is expected to sign a two-year deal with CSKA Moscow of the KHL. TSN 1040’s Rick Dhaliwal relays (via Twitter) a quick statement from Goldobin who confirmed that he is signing in the KHL (but didn’t specify which team) and that he’s looking forward to trying the NHL again at the expiration of his deal.
The 24-year-old cleared waivers at the beginning of the season and aside from a single NHL game in late November, Goldobin spent the entire year with AHL Utica. He was quite productive with the Comets, recording 50 points in 51 games. It was just a year ago that he spent an entire season with Vancouver as the 2014 first-round pick had 27 points in 63 contests back in 2018-19 but that wasn’t enough to generate any interest on the waiver wire or the trade market.
The Canucks can retain Goldobin’s NHL rights by issuing a qualifying offer. However, it’s at least worth noting that Goldobin told Dhaliwal that Vancouver had no interest in re-signing him for 2020-21, suggesting that a non-tender was probably coming. However, as he won’t be eligible for unrestricted free agency at the expiration of his KHL contract, they’re now likely to tender him the qualifying offer now in case he breaks out overseas. He’ll still count against the 90-player reserve list in that instance but every team is well below that particular threshold.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Sabres Sign Oskari Laaksonen To Three-Year, Entry-Level Deal
The Buffalo Sabres announced the signing of defenseman Oskari Laaksonen to a three-year contract, per the team. Laaksonen joins Buffalo on an entry-level contract after the team made him a third-round pick in the 2017 draft.
Since being drafted 89th overall by the Sabres, Laaksonen, 20, has spent the past three seasons with Ilves of the Finnish Elite League. Laaksonen recorded 12 points for the Ilves over 46 games this past season. He also won a gold medal with Team Finland at the 2019 World Junior Championship while skating alongside another Sabres’ youngster, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
Laaksonen’s stock jumped shortly after the draft, and the young puck-mover has continued to impress during his time in his native Finland. He had signed a two-year deal with the Ilves, putting doubt into whether he’d be ready to make the jump to the NHL. But evidently, he’s ready.
The deal comes on the heels of the Sabres learning that they’d lost defenseman Lawrence Pilut to the KHL. Pilut, 24, looked like a potential building block for the Sabres, who instead now transition the future of their defence to Laaksonen. Included in the press release announcing the signing was a comment from Sabres’ GM Jason Botterill, who said, “The work Oskari has put in to improve his game has paid off during his last two seasons. His success on the international stage and what he’s done as a 19- and 20-year-old playing in a professional league is impressive.”
The Sabres finished the year in sixth place of the Atlantic Division, on the outside looking in for the upcoming 24-team playoff. Buffalo hasn’t made the playoffs since the 2010-2011 season, the second of back-to-back losses in the quarterfinals to the Flyers and Bruins, respectively.
Ilya Sorokin Not Negotiating With CSKA Moscow
It has been an interesting last few months for Islanders goalie prospect Ilya Sorokin. The eventual cancellation of the KHL playoffs was going to pave the way to sign his entry-level contract this season. At 24, his contract would only be for one year so he’d be able to reach restricted free agency and a much bigger payday this offseason. However, the NHL’s insistence that no more current year contracts can be signed threw a wrinkle in those plans although the NHLPA is believed to be contesting that restriction.
As a result, knowing that the 2020-21 KHL season is slated to start in September while the beginning of the 2020-21 NHL campaign won’t be until December or even January, the idea of Sorokin returning to CSKA Moscow became more plausible. Earlier this month, CSKA’s team president indicated that the two sides were in early talks for a return, further adding fuel to the fire.
However, Sorokin’s Russian agent Shumi Babaev told Sport 24 in Russia that there have been no discussions with them about a contract for next season. Instead, all that has happened so far is an expression of interest on CSKA’s part to keep him around. It’s worth noting that the hiring of Dan Milstein earlier this week was only a change of Sorokin’s North American representation.
Sorokin had quite the year in the KHL, posting a 1.50 GAA and a .935 SV% in 45 games and those were technically a step back from his 2018-19 campaign. While the Islanders may not want him to make his NHL debut in the play-in round or the postseason, it’s safe to say he’s a big part of their future as soon as next season where veteran Thomas Greiss will likely not be retained to make room for Sorokin on their roster. They’ll certainly be pleased with this latest development while the waiting game will continue on whether or not he’s ruled as eligible to sign for this season or not. The end result there may ultimately determine where Sorokin winds up for 2020-21.
Dmitri Samorukov Nearing A Deal In The KHL
Dmitri Samorukov’s first foray into professional hockey had some tough moments and it appears he’s looking for a change of scenery. As first reported by Sport-Express’ Michael Zizlis and since confirmed by Sportsnet’s Mark Spector, Samorukov is closing in on a one-year deal with CSKA Moscow that would see him play there on loan from the Oilers for next season. Edmonton GM Ken Holland is aware of the plan and has given his approval.
Samorukov’s agent Pat Morris indicated that the current playing landscape in the NHL is playing a factor in this decision:
He wants to play. He doesn’t want to lay dormant for 8-10 months in this current situation. And he, unlike some other players, has this option. We’re exploring it long and hard.
While Edmonton will be participating in the play-in round against Chicago, it would take several injuries for the 20-year-old to get a look in their lineup. His last AHL action came back in early March before the COVID-19 pandemic suspended the schedule and eventually resulted in the cancellation of the remainder of the season and playoffs. While there’s no firm timeline on when the NHL or AHL 2020-21 seasons will begin, it’s looking like December or January could be the options. That’s a long time for any prospect to sit.
Samorukov had two goals and eight assists in 47 games with AHL Bakersfield this season and he may have an opportunity to make an immediate impact with CSKA. Veteran blueliner Nikita Nesterov is drawing NHL interest while Montreal prospect Alexander Romanov has already agreed on his entry-level deal; former NHL defender Alexei Marchenko has signed with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl so there are certainly some vacancies to be filled. A chance to get some guaranteed action (with the KHL schedule still on track to start in September) on a quality team may very well be the best move for his development next season.
Brendan Leipsic In Talks To Sign In The KHL
Former Capitals forward Brendan Leipsic appears to be on the way to the KHL. Sergei Isakov, his Russia-based agent, told Sport-Express in Russia that Leipsic is closing in on a two-year deal with CSKA Moscow.
The 26-year-old spent this season with Washington after signing a one-year, one-way deal for the league minimum salary of $700K last July. He played in 61 games primarily on the fourth line, picking up three goals and eight assists while logging just 9:10 per night, a career low by a considerable margin.
However, he was released back in May after he made misogynistic comments on social media while also disparaging his linemates with the Caps. The team wasted little time placing him on contract termination waivers which he cleared.
It’s no surprise that Leipsic will be heading overseas to continue his career, an outcome that may have occurred even without his recent comments. While he was a prolific scorer in junior and a productive player at the AHL level, that hadn’t materialized in the form of NHL production. Switching leagues should give him an opportunity to play more of an offensive-minded role which is something he hasn’t had a chance to do for a while.
Former Colorado Prospect Igor Shvyrev Signs In The KHL
June 12: Shvyrev has signed a two-year contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, the KHL team announced.
May 28: According to CapFriendly, Shvyrev has cleared waivers.
May 27: Though it won’t grab many headlines after the league’s announcement yesterday, there is a little bit of other hockey news today. The Colorado Avalanche have placed Igor Shvyrev on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a contract termination. Shvyrev’s entry-level contract was scheduled to expire at the end of the 2020-21 season.
The 21-year old Shvyrev was a fifth-round draft pick of the Avalanche back in 2017 and came over to North America after just one more season in the KHL. In 2018-19 with the Colorado Eagles he recorded 13 points in 57 games, but still showed enough flash and promise to excite Colorado fans. Unfortunately things stagnated this season, with Shvyrev often seeing only fourth-line duty with the Eagles. He scored just nine points in 49 games and now looks like he’s headed back home.
Technically he will become an unrestricted free agent allowed to sign with any other NHL organization for the 2020-21 season, but it seems likely that the young forward will return to the KHL. Colorado will not retain any exclusive rights but will gain a contract slot moving forward.
NHL Prospects Dealt In KHL Blockbuster
It has been a busy day for Traktor Chelyabinsk and Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL. The two teams each made trades with SKA St. Petersburg earlier in the day that at time seemed like independent deals. Magnitogorsk swapped the rights of NHL forwards with SKA, sending Vladislav Kamenev away in exchange for Nikolai Prokhorkin, who is already negotiating with the team. Chelyabinks also sent NHL rights to St. Petersburg, trading away Yakov Trenin, but in return received 22-year-old defenseman Vladislav Semin.
As if that wasn’t enough (potential) star power changing hands, it turns out that those deals were part of an even bigger plan. Semin is on the move again, traded to Metallurg for prospects Pavel Dorofeyev, Dmitri Sheshin, Semyon Buivan, and Gleb Babinstsev. For all intents and purposes, this completed a three-team, eight-player trade.
Of the prospects dealt today, Dorofeyev is certainly the centerpiece. A third-round pick of the Vegas Golden Knights last year, Dorofeyev was considered a steal by many as numerous draft boards ranked him as high as the first round. A skilled, versatile forward, some questioned Dorofeyev’s commitment and compete level, which may have send him tumbling down the board. However, he responded this season with 48 games and seven points in the KHL, a tough league for teenagers, and strong numbers on the international stage, including three goals and an assist in seven games at the World Juniors. Dorofeyev seems like the real deal and might be in for a major boost next season as he is expected to take on a key role for a poor Traktor team. How much longer he will remain in the KHL before jumping to the NHL after a potential breakout performance is the real question.
Like Dorofeyev, Sheshin also fell down the draft board in 2019. Except Shehin fell all the way out. A player who many considered to be a lock as a late-round pick, ranked in the fifth round even by some, Sheshin instead went undrafted. Size may have come into play for the 5’8” forward, but his talent exceeds the issues with his stature. He proved that again this season, posting 71 points in 61 games in the junior-level MHL, finishing in the top-five in scoring. Sheshin will re-enter the draft this fall and may have an even better case to be drafted this season, especially with the KHL on the horizon next year for a needy Chelyabinsk club.
Buivan may also be worth noting. The 18-year-old defenseman is preparing for his first go-round in the NHL Draft in 2020. While he has received nowhere near the buzz that Dorofeyev or even Sheshin got last year, Buivan has appeared on some draft boards as having an outside chance of being selected. The move to Traktor could boost his draft stock; Buivan was highly unlikely to see any KHL action next year with Metallurg but Chelyabinsk is a team in need. Buivan recorded 12 points and a +15 rating in the MHL this year and won gold at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup with Russia.