Canucks Acquire Rights To Ilya Safonov From Blackhawks
The Canucks announced Saturday they’ve acquired the signing rights to forward Ilya Safonov from the Blackhawks in exchange for future considerations. Vancouver will now presumably try to get the Russian center, who’s been on Chicago’s reserve list since they drafted him in the sixth round in 2021, signed to an NHL contract.
The 24-year-old was a sixth-round pick by Chicago back in 2021, going 172nd overall. At the time, Safonov had a minor role with Kazan in the KHL but in 2022-23, he had a breakout 37-point performance that suggested he could bring more to the table while also sparking hopes that he might come to North America.
Unfortunately for Chicago, Safonov’s production has gone in the wrong direction since then. He managed 20 points in 67 games in 2023-24 and while his point total (22) was marginally better this season, his seven goals were the lowest he had in a single season since being drafted. In the meantime, he signed a one-year contract extension with Kazan last month, keeping him signed in Russia through the end of next season. Unlike contracts in some other countries, his deal does not have an NHL out clause.
With this in mind, it feels like this is a longer-term no-risk move for the Canucks. If Safonov is able to rebound offensively next season, he could play his way into consideration for being signed and given a chance to crack Vancouver’s lineup. Meanwhile, if that doesn’t happen or Safonov decides he just wants to keep playing at home, it’s not as if they’ve given up anything to get his rights.
Central Notes: Marchessault, Taylor, Safonov
While there has been some speculation that Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault might be open to a trade after an underwhelming first year with Nashville, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggests it might not be quite that simple. In the latest 32 Thoughts podcast (audio link), he relayed that the list of teams Marchessault might actually be willing to go to is rather small. Having played exclusively in no-tax states, there’s a sense that Marchessault would prefer not to take a big hit to his bottom line in pay with a move while preferring to go to a legitimate contender, a combination that not a lot of teams can offer. That said, Marchessault can only control things to a certain point as he only has a 15-team no-trade clause in his deal, one that has four years remaining on it at a $5.5MM cap charge.
More from the Central:
- The Predators have signed AHL head coach Karl Taylor to a contract extension, reports David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period (Twitter link). Taylor helped lead Milwaukee to the Central Division regular season title for the second straight year and a top-two finish for the fourth straight season so the extension should come as little surprise. Taylor has been running Nashville’s farm team for the last seven seasons and has not yet had a chance to work at the NHL level.
- Blackhawks prospect Ilya Safonov has signed a one-year contract extension with Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL, per a team release. The 24-year-old center was a sixth-round pick by Chicago back in 2021, going 172nd overall. Safonov had a minor role with Kazan at the time but had a breakout 37-point performance in 2022-23, providing some enthusiasm that he could come to North America and push for a spot with Chicago. However, his production has dipped over the last two years; this season, he had 22 points in 51 outings and will now remain overseas for at least one more year.