New faces in new teams

KHL.ru presents the top transfers involving imports players in these first days of free agency.

Robin Press

From Severstal to Metallurg

The Swedish defenseman, who was Severstal’s second-leading scorer and top defenseman last year, has decided to stay with the coach under whose wing he spent two seasons in the KHL. He has signed a contract with Metallurg, which is led by Andrei Razin, also moving in from Severstal. Press is a prolific offensive defenseman with 126 games and 69 points (20 goals and 49 assists) over the last two seasons. The Swede is also known for his accurate passes and puck control. In the regular season, he was the league’s undisputed leader in that regard.

Michal Cajkovsky

From Sibir to Spartak

The large-framed defenseman enters his eighth season in the league and has found himself a new team by signing a two-year deal with Spartak. Cajkovsky, who helped Slovakia win a bronze medal at the 2022 Olympics, had a good regular season with Sibir, scoring 17 points (7 goals and 10 assists) and adding a goal in the short-lived playoff series against Avangard. With Cajkovsky, Spartak adds a solid defensive option to its lineup who is not only a big body, but also a player capable of creating havoc with his slapshot during man advantage situations.

Cedric Paquette

From Dinamo Minsk to Dynamo Moscow

The former Stanley Cup champion had an excellent debut season in the KHL with Dinamo Minsk, posting 27 (14+13) points in 57 regular-season games and two goals in the six-game series against SKA. Last year, Paquette made a name for himself as a hard-working, two-way forward with a good sense of the offensive zone. He also led all Dinamo Minsk forwards in time on ice and hits. In Moscow, he will most likely have a chance to compete for higher standings and perhaps play alongside his fellow Canadian countryman Jordan Weal.

Libor Sulak

From Admiral to Avangard

One of the top-scoring defensemen in the league last year, Sulak recorded 40 points (13 goals and 27 assists) for Admiral, leading the league with 13 tallies from the blue line. It’s quite obvious why this transfer happened – Sulak moved to a more renowned team after two excellent seasons in the Russian Far East, while Avangard got one of the finest players available on the market. The Czech defenseman can become a key piece of the puzzle for the Omsk franchise, who will need to sign more players to complete its roster after the departure of several high-profile performers.

Anthony Camara

New contract with Neftekhimik

The Toronto native had already spent last year with Neftekhimik, producing 31 (14+17) points in 65 regular season games, adding a couple of assists in the first-round series against Ak Bars. The Tatarstan squad decided to part ways with the forward following the elimination from the postseason stage, but in the end signed him back to return for another season. Camara, 29, is the first import signed by Neftekhimik, who has recently traded the restricted free agent Pavel Poryadin to Spartak and will need new leaders for the upcoming 2023-2024 campaign. The forward can become one of them.