International action and another new coach
From success for Russia’s rising stars in Petersburg to a new head coach for Barys, a week without KHL games did not mean a week without KHL news.
Russia 25 wins Channel 1 Cup
In a season of limited international action, last week saw the KHL take a rare pause to accommodate the Channel 1 Cup. This year’s event saw Russia 25 – a team of prospects – face Belarus and Kazakhstan. The fourth contender was the VHL Stars, a combination of rising stars from the second tier seasoned with a few more established KHL players. Team Russia came out on top, winning all three games in St. Petersburg to avenge last year’s loss against Belarus. The Belarusians were close to a repeat triumph, but lost the key game against Russia 25 after allowing two late power play goals. Kazakhstan edged VHL Stars into third.
Gritsyuk returns to action
SKA forward Arseny Gritsyuk made his return from injury on home ice at the Petersburg Ice Palace. He joined the VHL Stars team for his first appearances since Nov. 20 and played a key role in securing his hastily-assembled team’s only victory. Gritsyuk scored twice, including the OT winner, in Sunday’s 5-4 success against Belarus.
Bolyakin to Barys
Barys is not having an easy season. The Kazakhs are stuck at the foot of the Eastern Conference standings, and the dismissal of head coach Andrei Skabelka early in the campaign did not deliver any major improvement. Now, the Astana club has decided on another coaching change, with Oleg Bolyakin taking charge in place of Galym Mumbetaliyev. Bolyakin, a 58-year-old Karaganda native, played as a defenseman at various levels of the Soviet and Russian championship. Later he moved into coaching, working almost exclusively with Kazakh clubs competing on both sides of the Russian border and winning a championship with Saryarka Karaganda. This season he took on a new role as Barys’ GM and is now stepping back behind the bench for the closing stages. Bolyakin’s arrival did not prevent Mumbetaliyev from taking charge of Team Kazakhstan at the recent Channel 1 Cup.
Spartak signs one, extends another
Mikhail Maltsev is back in the KHL. The SKA graduate joins Spartak on loan through the end of this season. Drafted by the Devils, Maltsev moved to North America in 2019. Since then, he made 53 KHL appearances for New Jersey and Colorado but spent most of his time in the AHL. This season he was traded to the Kings, and now the 25-year-old returns to Russia after playing 21 games for Ontario Reign, scoring 14 (4+10) points. The Red-and-Whites also agreed a contract extension with Shane Prince. The 31-year-old U.S.-born Belarusian international has 18 (10+8) points from 36 games this term, and 173 points from 261 career appearances in the KHL with Sibir, Dinamo Minsk and Avtomobilist. His new deal runs to the end of next season.
Dea to Neftekhimik
Another import is on the move. Jean-Sebastien Dea is swapping Metallurg for Neftekhimik partway through his first KHL season. The 29-year-old center played 18 games for Magnitka after joining Andrei Razin’s team, but managed just 6 (3+3) points in that time and struggled to establish a clear role for himself on the team. Previously, the Quebec native had 37 NHL appearances through six seasons on the bubble, but played most of his career (10 seasons, 517 games, 341 points) in the AHL. Dea’s arrival sees Neftekhimik continue to reshape its imports. Earlier in the season, Anthony Camara departed for Barys and more recently, former Kunlun Red Star defenseman Zac Leslie signed up for the club but departed for Switzerland without playing a game for the Wolves.
Coming up
The KHL returns in full swing this week. There’s a nine-game card on Tuesday to welcome us back into action, with a Moscow derby between Dynamo and CSKA topping the bill. And there will be plenty more attention on the capital later in the week when Spartak takes on Dinamo Minsk on Friday evening – with Ilya Kovalchuk in line for a potential debut, 22 years after he left the club.
