Key Transfers Shaping KHL Teams

The Kontinental Hockey League transfer market is currently buzzing with significant player movements. Among the notable deals, Sibir acquired a player who recently caused them trouble in the playoffs, while Vyacheslav Voynov made a return to Avangard. Other key transfers include Scott Wilson potentially stepping into Taylor Beck`s role at Sibir, goaltenders Maxim Dorozhko and Adam Huska heading East, Nikita Korostelyov returning to Moscow, and Daniil Misyul back in Yaroslavl. Here`s a closer look at some of the top recent transfers.

Nikita Korostelyov. From Traktor to Spartak

Alexei Volkov had pursued Korostelyov for years, but acquiring him at the trade deadline didn`t fully meet expectations. After joining Traktor, Nikita put up 11 points in 16 regular-season games, but his performance dipped in the playoffs. Unable to fully integrate into the Traktor system, he became a free agent upon his contract`s expiry. This move represented a loss for Chelyabinsk, who had traded Artyom Shchuchinov and Mikhail Kotlyarevsky to Severstal in December to get him. After a five-year absence, Korostelyov now returns to Moscow, where he previously played for CSKA. With Spartak`s top scorer, Adam Ruzicka, an RFA and Ansel Galimov unsigned, Korostelyov becomes a crucial piece of the team`s offense.

Scott Wilson. From Salavat Yulaev to Sibir

Less than three months after Salavat Yulaev decisively defeated Sibir in Game 2 of their first-round series, Wilson, the hero of that match, joins the opposing side. Ufa won that game 8:2, with Wilson registering a remarkable six points (3+3), becoming only the second player after Nikita Gusev to achieve this in a KHL playoff game. Wilson finished that seven-game series with 11 points. Now, he crosses the “barricades” to Sibir, tasked with the challenging job of replacing none other than Taylor Beck. Which version of Wilson will Sibir get: the sniper from Vityaz, the ideal complement to star players as seen at Salavat Yulaev, or the less impactful legionnaire from his time at Metallurg?

Dean Stewart. From Vityaz to Salavat Yulaev

Before last season, Stewart played for Manitoba in the AHL. Upon arriving in Russia, he recorded 15 points (5+10) in 52 games for Vityaz. He wasn`t a primary leader for Vityaz like Jeremy Roy, but he consistently performed his duties effectively on both ends of the ice. When Vityaz faced financial issues, Roy was among the first to leave, joining CSKA. Stewart was one of the last assets the team offloaded. He now moves to Salavat Yulaev, a team that recently lost key defenseman Mikhail Naumenkov.

Maxim Dorozhko. From Vityaz to Amur

One of Vityaz`s most valuable assets was their starting goaltender. Bursting into the KHL in the 2022-2023 season, Dorozhko was one of the league`s top rookies and remained Vityaz`s number one goalie for two more years. He now heads to Khabarovsk along with Amur`s own prospect, Matvei Zaseda. Dorozhko is expected to solve Amur`s persistent goaltending issues, a position that has seen several netminders depart in recent seasons, including Janis Kalnins, Dmitry Lozebnikov, Igor Bobkov, and Matt Djurudic. Currently, his main competition within the system will come from younger goalies.

Adam Huska. From Lugano (Switzerland) to Admiral

Admiral will also have a new goaltender. With Andrei Mishurov`s loan ending and only Ilya Konovalov remaining, Admiral acquired the rights to Huska, who previously shared the net for Torpedo with Ivan Kulbakov before moving to Switzerland, by paying monetary compensation to the Nizhny Novgorod club. In Lugano, which finished second-to-last in the regular season, Huska played only 13 games before joining the Slovak national team for the World Championship.

Pavel Koledov. From Avangard to Admiral

In addition to Huska, Admiral made another notable acquisition last week. They traded forward Yegor Stepanov, who hadn`t become a key player in Leonid Tambiev`s system over six months, to Avangard for a veteran defenseman. Koledov was one of the most sought-after defensemen on the free-agent market last summer, joining Avangard from Salavat Yulaev. Statistically, he performed at his usual level, but after the coaching change, he was no longer needed by Guy Boucher and was made available for transfer. At Admiral, Pavel is expected to receive significant ice time alongside Mario Grman and Libor Shulak, the latter also having previously played for Avangard.

Vyacheslav Voynov. From Torpedo to Avangard

Following Avangard`s playoff loss to Lokomotiv, which highlighted weaknesses in the defense, the team`s management is actively restructuring the blue line. Not only were Koledov and Alexei Solovyov sent East, but Voynov has also joined Avangard, following Artyom Blazhiyevsky. Voynov previously played for Avangard in the 2019-2020 season, finishing as the team`s third-leading scorer and the league`s second among defensemen, a season where the Omsk team reached the Gagarin Cup final. While competition for spots on the power-play unit is currently intense among defensemen, Boucher likely needs the experienced newcomer more for defensive depth and balancing the roster between right- and left-handed shots.

Daniil Misyul. From Providence (AHL) to Lokomotiv

Lokomotiv saw Martin Gernat depart, replaced by another import, Mac Hollowell. Young players Daniil But and Dmitry Simashev, who didn`t play key roles in the Gagarin Cup victory, have gone overseas. Yaroslav Likhachyov, who spent the last six months on loan at Kunlun, will replace But. Competition on the defense will increase not only from Mark Ulyev but also from Misyul, who returns from North America. During his two years away, Daniil played only one NHL game. Now he must re-earn his place in Lokomotiv`s highly-regarded defensive corps.