Swedish international defenseman David Rundblad has joined Gagarin Cup champion SKA Saint Petersburg on a one-year deal. The 26-year-old has played for the Ottawa Senators (2011: 24 games, 1 goal, 3 assists), Phoenix Coyotes (2011-2014: 26 games, 5 assists), and Chicago Blackhawks (2014-2016: 71 games, 3 goals, 13 assists), but since 2016 had been playing for the ZSC Lions in Switzerland.
Spartak has signed veteran forward Stanislav Chistov, a free agent whose contract with Avtomobilist had expired, on a one-year contract. Chistov was part of the Anaheim side which lost in seven games to New Jersey in the 2003 Stanley Cup final, and from 2002 to 2006 made 157 appearances for the Mighty Ducks, recording 18 goals and 36 assists. There followed a spell with the Boston Bruins (2006-07: 60 games, 5 goals, 8 assists) after which he returned to Russia. The 34-year-old has also turned out in the colors of Salavat Yulaev, Lokomotiv, Traktor, and Metallurg Magnitogorsk in a career which has seen him participate in every season of the KHL.
30-year-old American defenseman Nick Schaus has agreed a one-year contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk. His resume includes spells at three AHL teams - Worcester (2010-11), Syracuse (2011-12), and Norfolk (2012-13) – since when he has plied his trade in Norway (Stavanger), Germany (Wolfsburg), Austria (Innsbruck) and the Czech Republic (Pardubice).
Another player moving from the Czech lands to the KHL is forward Dominik Kubalik, who has joined Salavat Yulaev on a two-year deal. The 21-year-old Czech Republic international has spent most of his career playing for his home town club, HK Plzen, but from 2012 to 2014 he spent two seasons in the OHL, first with the Sudbury Wolves and then the Kitchener Rangers.
Former Russian Juniors international goaltender Andrei Makarov is already well-traveled, despite his 24 years, having already enjoyed spells at Lewiston, Saskatoon, Rochester, Fort Wayne, and in 2014-15, a solitary NHL performance for the Buffalo Sabres. On Wednesday, he moved all the way from Beijing (Kunlun Red Star) to Moscow (Spartak), for financial compensation, and then onward to Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, who also paid a transfer fee.
Admiral agreed to pay financial compensation to Medvescak for the return of 23-year-old forward Kirill Voronin, who had moved from Vladivostok to Zagreb during the 2016-17 season.
With the expiry of his contract after two seasons with Sibir, highly experienced defenseman Georgy Misharin has joined Avtomobilist on a two-year deal. In a colorful career, the 32-year-old former Russian junior and senior international has also donned the colors of CSKA, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Dynamo Moscow, Neftekhimik, and back in 2003-04, Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League.
