Yermakov to Sibir; Picard to Amur. October 7-10 transfer highlights
Defenseman Andrei Yermakov, a Gagarin Cup winner with SKA in 2015 and a Russian international at U17, U18 and U19 levels, has moved from Torpedo to Sibir. The Novosibirsk club has paid the Nizhny Novgorod Men a transfer fee for the 23-year-old.
Amur has recruited Canadian forward Alexandre Picard, once of the Columbus Blue Jackets (from 2005-2009. NHL totals: 67 games, 0 goals, 2 assists) and an AHL Calder Cup Champion in 2011-12 with the Norfolk Admirals. The 32-year-old left-winger arrives in the KHL via spells in Switzerland (for Geneve-Servette and HC Davos), and last season, with HK Hradec Kralove in the Czech Republic.
Amur also signed 20-year-old forward Danil Yurtaikin from Lokomotiv. The Railwaymen receive financial compensation in return.
Ir was a busy weekend for 22-year-old forward Stepan Khripunov, who departed Salavat Yulaev and signed on the dotted line for Spartak (in return, the Ufa club received the rights to 20-year-old forward Vladimir Bobylyov), and swiftly moved onward to Avtomobilist, who paid financial compensation to the Ufa Men.
The Yekaterinburg club clearly decided to mix experience with youth, and added to the ranks ex-Salavat Yulaev defenseman Denis Kulyash. The 34-year-old Russian international, who has played in every season of the KHL (former employers also include Avangard, Ak Bars, and CSKA), arrives on a one-way, one-year deal.
Salavat Yulaev, in turn, has enlisted experienced forward Mikhail Yunkov on a one-way, one-year contract. The 31-year-old is another veteran of every KHL season, having completed tours of duty for Spartak, Ak Bars (with whom he won the KHL Championship), Metallurg Magnitogorsk (where he claimed his second Gagarin Cup), CSKA, Avangard, and last season, HC Sochi.
Joining him in Ufa, on a two-way, one-year deal, is 20-year-old Vladimir Bobylyov, who has appeared in the WHL for the Vancouver Giants and the Victoria Royals.
Slovan has signed ex-Sibir forward Zach Boychuk. The 28-year-old Canadian has agreed a one-year, one-way contract with the Bratislava club.
The biggest non-transfer news of the past few days come from Vladivostok, where two Foreign Legion forwards – 27-year-old Canadian James Wright, formerly of Tampa Bay and Winnipeg (NHL totals: 146 games, 4 goals, 8 assists) and 29-year-old Slovenian international Robert Sabolic – have each extended their one-way contracts with Admiral by another 12 months.
