Enroth to Minsk, Gilroy to Jokerit. July 11-14 Transfer highlights
The working week was quite a busy one and on the transfer market, with Dynamo Moscow’s revolving door still active and Avtomobilist on a recruitment drive. Several of the week’s trades had an international flavor.
Swedish international goaltender Jhonas Enroth, a World Championship winner and Olympic Silver medalist, has signed a one-year contract with Dinamo Minsk. The highly experienced goalie’s resume also includes 154 games in eight seasons in the NHL, in spells with the Buffalo Sabres, Dallas Stars, Los Angeles Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs and the Anaheim Ducks.
Another newcomer to the KHL is former Washington Capitals forward Stanislav Galiev, who has joined Ak Bars on a two-year deal. The 25-year-old, who has represented Russia at U18 and U20 level, enjoyed 26 NHL outings (1 goal, 3 assists) in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, but spent the 2016-17 campaign in the AHL with the Hershey Bears.
Jokerit has signed former New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Ottawa Senators, and Florida Panthers defenseman Matthew Gilroy (NHL stats: 233 games, 12 goals, 37 assists). The 32-year-old USA international, who spent the past two seasons at Spartak, has agreed a one-year deal.
Unsurprisingly, there have been a number of comings and goings at Dynamo Moscow.
Among the arrivals last week was the three-time Gagarin Cup winner Dmitry Kazionov, who has joined on a one-year deal. The much-traveled 33-year-old forward played for Dynamo back in the 2005-06 season, before extended tours of duty at Ak Bars and Metallurg Magnitogorsk plus a short shift at HC Sochi.
Also returning to Dynamo is forward Mikhail Anisin. He left in 2012-13 after winning the Gagarin Cup with the Blue-and-whites the previous season, since when he has donned the colors of Severstal, Neftekhimik, Donbass, HC Sochi and Metallurg Novokuznetsk. The experienced 29-year-old, who has played in every season of the KHL, also agreed a one-year deal.
A third prodigal son, but one returning on a two-year deal, is 25-year-old goaltender Alexander Sharychenkov, who spent last season with Ugra.
The club also gave two-year deals to a number of players who were granted Unrestricted Free Agent status the previous week, including three forwards with KHL experience: 22-year-old Andrei Alexeyev, 22-year-old Vladimir Bryukvin, and 26-year-old Daniil Tarasov.
After four seasons with Dynamo Moscow, 35-year-old center Alexei Tsvetkov has agreed a move south to HC Sochi for one year.
Forward Ilya Shipov, who spent the last two seasons at Dynamo Moscow, has joined Sibir. The 23-year-old has signed a two-year deal with the Novosibirsk club. Joining him is 21-year-old forward Stanislav Butuzov, formerly of Metallurg Novokuznetsk.
Avtomobilist has agreed a one-year deal with 30-year-old Canadian international forward Francis Pare, formerly of Medvescak, Slovan, Traktor and Metallurg Magnitogorsk, with whom he won the Gagarin Cup in 2014. He is joined by another ex-Dynamo Moscow man, 20-year-old forward Kirill Pilipenko, who has put his name on a two-year contract.
The Yekaterinburg club also signed two players who spent the 2016-17 season at Metallurg Novokuznetsk. In comes 22-year-old forward Vladimir Ionin on a one-year contract and 21-year-old forward Konstantin Parkhomenko on a two-year deal.
Neftekhimik has signed 25-year-old forward Alexander Kuznetsov, who appeared for both Dynamo Moscow and Admiral during the 2016-17 season.
Amur has given a tryout contract to 36-year-old forward Oleg Gubin, a veteran of every KHL season after tours with Avtomobilist, Sibir, Spartak and Severstal.
Defenseman Vladimir Denisov has returned to Dinamo Minsk after an absence of four years, during which time he turned out for Ak Bars, Torpedo and Traktor. The 33-year-old has agreed a one-year deal.
Finally, the biggest non-transfer news of the week was Nikita Gusev’s agreement to remain at SKA Saint Petersburg. The 25-year-old forward has extended his deal with the Gagarin Cup champion by two years.
