The past week in the Kontinental Hockey League saw several high-profile player movements. Evgeny Kuznetsov made his return to the Chelyabinsk region, Richard Panik rejoined Lokomotiv to complete their championship roster, and Nikita Tertyshny sought a career reboot under coach Leonid Tambiev. This report reviews the most notable transfers and their potential impact.
Evgeny Kuznetsov: From SKA to Metallurg Magnitogorsk
In 2014, a young Evgeny Kuznetsov left his native Traktor for the Washington Capitals. With the American capital club, he would go on to win the Stanley Cup and become a global star. His journey to North America was prepared by the esteemed domestic coaching legend Valery Belousov, under whom Kuznetsov played on Traktor`s top line alongside Jan Bulis and Stanislav Chistov. Eleven years later, an experienced Evgeny Kuznetsov returns to the Chelyabinsk region, but not to his home club Traktor, instead joining their arch-rivals, Metallurg Magnitogorsk. He will, however, work under a coach who continues Belousov`s traditions. Metallurg`s mentor, Andrei Razin, spent several seasons playing under Valery Konstantinovich, and their coaching philosophies are quite similar, albeit adapted for modern times. At his new club, Kuznetsov will also meet Vladimir Tkachyov, a skilled player with whom he himself admitted he wanted to play back in St. Petersburg. However, he will have to contend for a spot next to Tkachyov. In his first month of the championship, the star newcomer has already gelled with the Kanserov-Silantyev line. Nevertheless, Kuznetsov is crucial for Metallurg due to their issues with center forwards. Derek Barach sometimes plays on the wing, Ruslan Iskhakov`s adaptation to his new club has been slow, and while Roman Kanserov centers the first line, he is naturally a winger. The famous number 92 landed in Magnitogorsk after unsuccessful attempts to return to the NHL and a mixed season with SKA. His return to the KHL was complicated by penalties and injuries, yet he averaged a grandmasterly point per game. His move to Metallurg is a chance for Evgeny to prove he is still a top-tier master.
Nikita Tertyshny: From Torpedo to Admiral
Another Traktor alumnus also changed teams last week. Nikita Tertyshny didn`t play under Valery Belousov or conquer the NHL, but he once delivered one of the best goal-scoring performances in Traktor`s history. In the 2021/2022 season, Tertyshny scored 22 goals, which at the time was the second-highest tally for Chelyabinsk players in the KHL. Nikita was one of the leading players on the team that reached the Eastern Conference finals under Anvar Gatiyatulin. He found success as a sniper playing alongside Lukáš Sedlák and Tomáš Hyka. The big and impactful Sedlák freed up Nikita, while the more technical Hyka provided passes. It seemed a new homegrown star had emerged in Chelyabinsk, but after his Czech linemates left the KHL, his production declined. He couldn`t replicate his past numbers under Gatiyatulin, Zavarukhin, or Gru. Tertyshny was on the verge of being traded several times, and midway through last season, he finally moved to Nizhny Novgorod. A brief resurgence with Torpedo was followed by a coaching change, and Tertyshny didn`t make the cut during preseason tryouts under Alexei Isakov. Now, Leonid Tambiev, Admiral`s head coach, will attempt to revive the 27-year-old forward`s career. Under Tambiev, Daniil Gutik flourished, Pavel Shen became a regular KHL player, Dmitry Buchelnikov improved, and Nikita Soshnikov successfully rebooted his career. Only Dmitry Sokolov couldn`t reignite his form under Tambiev. The question remains which path Tertyshny, who like Sokolov and Gutik struggles with speed, will follow?
Austin Wagner: From Chicago (AHL) to Shanghai Dragons
The team that changed its name, moved from Mytishchi to St. Petersburg in the offseason, and first assembled in late August — missing almost the entire preseason — continues to take its final shape. For a team assembled on an express basis, the “Shanghai Dragons” are pleasantly surprising both with their position in the standings and their quality of play. However, this does not mean that Gerard Gallant doesn`t need reinforcements. For a team led by a North American specialist with many former AHL players, the Dragons aren`t tough enough. In terms of hits, the residents of “SKA Arena” are right in the middle of the league. Newcomer Austin Wagner will help Gallant`s team improve in this aspect. In his very first game for the Shanghai Dragons, he delivered three hits. It`s worth remembering that once, a freshly arrived NHL player, Kirill Kaprizov, never known for tough play, impressively laid out Wagner. Another Russian NHL player, Ivan Barbashev, has a fight with the Chinese team`s newcomer on his resume. All these memorable highlights in Austin`s career occurred during his time as a bottom-six player for the Los Angeles Kings, where he was quite useful. However, the 28-year-old Canadian forward spent his last two seasons bouncing between the AHL and Sweden. For a player who scored 8 goals in 34 games in the Scandinavian league, Wagner made a brisk KHL debut – with a double against Traktor and an assist to Ryan Spooner. And all this in a relatively modest 10 minutes of ice time.
Richard Panik: Returns to Lokomotiv
The work of Yaroslavl`s management in the post-championship offseason is largely unique. It seems never before in KHL history has a newly crowned Gagarin Cup winner retained almost its entire “golden” roster. Although initially, it seemed that the “railroaders`” losses would not be limited to the departures of young Daniil But and Dmitry Simashev to Utah. It was expected that two Slovaks – Martin Gernát and Richard Panik – would also leave Lokomotiv. A replacement for the leading defenseman was even found in Mac Hollowell, but when Gernát decided to return, the Canadian was traded to Lada. Panik`s comeback almost coincided with Yaroslav Likhachyov`s departure to Khabarovsk. The 24-year-old Yaroslavl product was supposed to take the experienced Slovak`s place but couldn`t convince Bob Hartley and was sent on his third loan spell. Panik, as if he never left, rejoined his familiar third line with Byron Froese and Nikita Kiryanov, with whom he spent most of last season. In his first two games back, Panik recorded two assists. There is, however, a problem associated with signing the Slovak. Even in his absence, Stepan Nikulin, Ilya Nikolaev, and the injured Daniil Tesanov couldn`t make the lineup. Competition in Lokomotiv`s offense is sky-high, and some players might now have to follow Likhachyov`s path.
Neville Woodall