Dynamo Moscow has enlisted the services of Russian international forward Mikhail Varnakov, The 32-year-old, who has agreed a one-year contract with the Blue-and-Whites, spent the past three seasons with Ak Bars Kazan.
Neftekhimik has strengthened its offense with the addition of American forward Chad Rau, who spent the 2016-17 season with Kunlun Red Star. The 30-year-old won U18 World Juniors gold with the USA in 2005 and has made 9 NHL appearances, for Minnesota Wild during the 2011-12 season, scoring 2 (2+0) points. The Nizhnekamsk men also recruited 30-year-old goaltender Ilya Ezhov from Lada Togliatti. Ezhov, part of the SKA team which won the 2015 Gagarin Cup, has played for the Russian national team but has dual Russian-Canadian citizenship, and started his career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the St. John's Fog Devils. Both players have joined the club on a one-year deal.
While Dynamo and Neftekhimik were in search of experience, Metallurg Magnitogorsk opted for youth and brought back two players who last appeared for the club during the 2015-16 season. Returning to “Magnitka” are 21-year-old forward Dmitry Arsenyuk, from Rubin Tyumen of the VHL in exchange for financial compensation, and another 21-year-old, defenseman Pavel Medvedev from Amur Khabarovsk, also for a transfer fee.
