Exciting returns and a Swedish newcomer. Top transfers
Giovanni Fiore seeks the Gagarin Cup in Yaroslavl, Barys and the Shanghai Dragons strengthen their roster, and SKA inks Swedish champion Linus Weissbach. KHL.ru presents the best transfers of the last week.
Giovanni Fiore, F
From Avangard to Lokomotiv
Giovanni Fiore joins Lokomotiv on a two-year contract after two campaigns with Avangard, adding valuable experience to a roster aiming to become the first team in KHL history to win three consecutive Gagarin Cups. The 29-year-old recorded 26 (11+15) points in 62 regular-season games for Avangard in 2025-2026, then elevated his production in the playoffs with 7 (3+4) points in 17 games as the Omsk club reached the Gagarin Cup semifinals.
Fiore has now appeared in 217 KHL regular-season and playoff games, collecting 95 (42+53) points while reaching the postseason in his last couple of seasons in the league. Before arriving in Russia, he won back-to-back DEL championships with Eisbaren Berlin in 2021 and 2022, giving Lokomotiv another proven winner with extensive playoff experience.
Garret Pilon, F
From Belleville Senators (AHL) to Barys
Garret Pilon joins Barys after serving as captain of the Belleville Senators during the 2025-2026 season, bringing leadership and AHL experience to a club determined to return to the Gagarin Cup Playoffs after a four-year absence.
The 27-year-old recorded 31 (8+23) points in 56 regular-season games for Belleville, finishing among the team's offensive leaders while wearing the captain’s “C.” Over nine AHL seasons, Pilon has totaled more than 400 regular-season games and over 280 points, establishing himself as a reliable top-six forward.
Pilon was also a member of the 2023 Calder Cup-winning Hershey Bears, becoming one of several players from that championship roster to continue their careers in the KHL, like Dinamo Minsk’s Sam Anas or last year’s Barys forward Mason Morelli. Pilon’s combination of leadership, offensive production, and championship experience makes him an intriguing addition as the Kazakhs look to end their playoff drought.
Yegor Zamula, D
From Columbus Blue Jackets to CSKA
Yegor Zamula joins CSKA on a three-year contract after finishing the 2025-2026 season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, giving the Moscow club a defenseman with nearly 200 games of NHL experience.
The 25-year-old began the season with the Philadelphia Flyers before being acquired by Columbus ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Between the two clubs, Zamula appeared in 33 regular-season games, recording three assists. Across his NHL career, he has played 188 games, collecting 43 (8+35) points.
After developing in the Flyers organization and establishing himself as an NHL regular, Zamula earned a change of scenery in Columbus, where he finished the campaign before opting for a return to Russia. He also represented Russia at the 2020 World Junior Championship, recording 5 (2+3) points in seven games and helping the team win the silver medal.
Yegor Afanasyev, F
From San Jose Barracuda (AHL) to Avangard
Yegor Afanasyev returns to the KHL on a two-year contract with Avangard after spending the 2025-2026 season with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda, giving Omsk another young forward with both North American and KHL experience.
The 25-year-old recorded 40 (14+26) points in 64 regular-season games with the Barracuda, adding one goal in two Calder Cup Playoff appearances. Prior to returning to North America, Afanasyev played for CSKA Moscow in 2024-2025, where he collected 21 (7+14) points in 53 KHL regular-season games before adding 4 (2+2) points in six playoff contests.
Originally selected 45th overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2019 NHL Draft, Afanasyev has also appeared in 19 NHL games with Nashville while producing consistently at the AHL level, including a career-best 54 (27+27) points in 56 games for the Milwaukee Admirals in 2023-2024. Now returning to the KHL, he gives Avangard a proven scorer entering the prime years of his career.
Givani Smith, F
From Chicago Wolves (AHL) to Shanghai Dragons
Givani Smith joins the Shanghai Dragons after spending the 2025-2026 season with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, bringing size, physicality, and NHL experience to his first KHL contract. The 27-year-old recorded fie points in 25 regular-season games with the Wolves.
Across his North American professional career, Smith has played 168 NHL games split between the Detroit Red Wings, Colorado Avalanche, and San Jose Sharks, totaling 22 (9+13) points, alongside over 200 AHL games where he consistently provided physical presence and depth scoring. Smith becomes another notable power forward addition for Shanghai as the club continues to build size and experience into its KHL roster structure.
Scooter Brickey
From Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to Torpedo
Scooter Brickey joins Torpedo on a one-year deal after spending the 2025-2026 season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the AHL, bringing reliability and defensive stability to the blue line.
The 25-year-old defenseman appeared in 18 regular-season games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, recording two assists while averaging over 19 minutes of ice time per game in a top-four role. He also added three assists in five Calder Cup Playoff appearances, continuing his role as a dependable shutdown option.
Torpedo adds Brickey as a reliable, stay-at-home defenseman who can handle consistent minutes and strengthen their depth as he can potentially be a good option to be paired with fellow countryman, American blueliner Bobby Nardella.
Linus Weissbach
From Frolunda HC (Sweden) to SKA
Linus Weissbach joins SKA from Frolunda, becoming one of the first Swedish players to arrive in the KHL in quite some time as the club adds a fast, skilled winger with proven European success. The 28-year-old spent the 2025-2026 season with Frolunda, recording 17 (5+12) points in 33 games in the SHL while playing a key top-nine role. He also featured prominently in Frölunda’s Champions Hockey League-winning campaign, contributing 6 (2+4) points in 12 CHL games as the Gothenburg club captured the title.
Weissbach returned to Sweden after eight years in North America, where he played NCAA hockey with the University of Wisconsin before spending three full seasons in the Buffalo Sabres organization with the Rochester Americans in the AHL, totaling 117 (52+65) points in 191 games. Now heading to SKA, Weissbach brings European championship experience, North American development pedigree, and speed on the wing to a roster that has not featured many Swedish players in recent years, making his arrival a notable addition both stylistically and historically.
