Traktor adds head coach and loads up, Avtomobilist retains its core. Top transfers
Some interesting moves added up last week, with Traktor finding a new head coach overseas, Amur signing a new import forward, and Avtomobilist re-inking several key players.
Benoit Groulx
New Traktor Chelyabinsk head coach
Benoît Groulx, who led Team Canada to a gold medal at the 2015 World Junior Hockey Championship, has accepted a new role with Traktor. The Chelyabinsk franchise announced last week that Groulx will serve as their head coach for the next two seasons. The 56-year-old coach previously spent seven seasons with the Syracuse Crunch, the AHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Groulx’s return to coaching comes after a year-long break, and he joins a select group of Canadian coaches in the KHL. Traktor finished sixth in the Eastern Conference last season, reaching the semifinals before being swept by Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, who eventually became the finalists. One of Groulx’s assistants will be Raphael-Pier Richer, who worked with him in Gatineau.
Andrei Svetlakov and Alexander Kadeikin
From CSKA, SKA to Traktor
Other than important changes to its coaching staff, Traktor decided to strengthen its central line signing two of the most interesting Russian players available on the market in Svetlakov and Kadeikin. While a change of scenery was more than likely for Kadeikin, who failed to produce at the desired level in St. Petersburg, few were expecting Svetlakov to leave CSKA after nine seasons and three Gagarin Cup triumphs in Moscow. Both players will bring size and experience to the Traktor’s lineup and signed multi-year deals in Chelyabinsk. It’s expected that both will have a key role in next year’s campaign for the Black-and-Whites.
Devin Brosseau
From Kunlun Red Star to Amur
The Quebec native forward spent his latest couple of seasons with Kunlun Red Star, moving up from 19 (14+5) to 35 (23+12) points as he improved his production and average time on ice for the Dragons. A versatile player who can play both in the middle and on the flanks, Brosseau will bring some goal-scoring ability and freshness to the Far East squad, who has also Alex Broadhurst in its lineup getting the second import slot. Brosseau had a very strong season last term, leading the Dragons in goals and points, and the team’s forwards in average time on ice and hits.
Brooks Macek, Curtis Valk, Nick Ebert
New contracts with Avtomobilist
The Motormen had a strong season last term, and as such they are trying to repeat their success retaining their top players. Earlier in the offseason, they re-signed leading Russian forward Anatoly Golyshev to a five-year deal. That was an important move for Avtomobilist, who later also re-inked three imports in Brooks Macek, Curtis Valk, and Nick Ebert. All three had a prominent role within the Motormen’s lineup, with Macek leading the team with 23 goals in the regular season, Ebert leading the team from points from the blueline in the playoffs, and Valk offering his usual strong two-way play in both stages. Avtomobilist surrendered to the eventual champions Metallurg in game seven of the semifinals, and the Yekaterinburg side will have once again a competitive lineup in the upcoming 2024-2025 campaign.
