As the KHL free agency market is set to open, several prominent forwards could be changing clubs. These players are currently unrestricted free agents, their contracts having expired, making a potential move quite likely.
Reid Boucher
This summer, Reid Boucher, the all-time leading sniper for Avangard with 158 goals, is hitting the free agent market. While he didn`t surpass his personal goal record in the 2024/2025 season, his effectiveness remained high, tallying 49 points (28 goals, 21 assists) in 52 regular season games, nearly a point per game. Boucher also performed strongly in the playoffs, adding 8 points (5 goals, 3 assists) in 13 games. He is a power play specialist, with over 40% of his KHL goals scored with the man advantage. Teams looking to boost their power play unit should pay close attention to the American forward, who has five seasons in the league under his belt.
Nikita Soshnikov
Nikita Soshnikov joined Admiral mid-season in 2024/2025, signing his contract in early October. By January, he was wearing the captain`s `C`, and in April, he recorded a hat-trick against Traktor in the playoffs, including the overtime game-winner. Soshnikov`s second-highest regular season points total (41) and a standout performance in the Gagarin Cup playoffs undoubtedly make him a valuable asset on the free agent market.
Alexander Volkov
Alexander Volkov had two outstanding seasons with Dinamo Minsk, scoring over 40 points in both. In the 2024/2025 season, Volkov was key in helping the “Zubrs” achieve a historic milestone: finishing fourth in the Western Conference during the regular season and reaching the second round of the playoffs for the first time. He set a personal best with 48 points (18 goals, 30 assists) in the regular season and added 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists) in seven playoff games. An injury sustained in the first game against Traktor in the playoff series prevented Volkov from fully showcasing his potential in the Gagarin Cup. “We missed this guy,” lamented Dinamo head coach Dmitry Kvartalnov after the season concluded.
Nikita Gusev
Nikita Gusev is known for typically deciding on his future contract relatively late, so it`s not surprising that there`s no news yet on where the star forward will continue his career. His two seasons with Dinamo were impressive. In his first season, Gusev broke Sergei Mozyakin`s record for most points in a single regular season (89). In the second, while scoring slightly fewer points, he set a new personal best for goals – 29 in the regular season and 34 overall. The KHL`s fourth all-time leading scorer has accumulated 691 points (252 goals, 439 assists) in 717 games in the league.
Alexander Radulov
Alexander Radulov`s one-year contract with Lokomotiv proved mutually beneficial, as number 47 became a crucial component of the Yaroslavl club`s championship-winning machine. With 34 points (18 goals, 16 assists) in the regular season, 16 points (7 goals, 9 assists) in the playoffs, and the title of the most valuable player of the 2025 Gagarin Cup playoff run, he had a magnificent season. As one of the best scorers in KHL history (751 points, third place behind Vadim Shipachyov and Mozyakin), the question now is whether Lokomotiv will manage to retain Radulov, especially since he expressed openness to staying in Yaroslavl on the championship ice, or if other clubs will compete for the star forward.
Vladimir Tkachyov
Traktor captain Vladimir Tkachyov`s contract is expiring. The experienced 31-year-old center hasn`t changed KHL teams very often during his career, having played for Ak Bars, Lokomotiv, and Traktor. Since the 2019/2020 season, Tkachyov has consistently recorded over 25 points per championship. The past season was no exception, as the Chelyabinsk captain earned 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) in the regular season and added another 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) in the playoffs. “He gave everything he had, was a team player, played a big role in the locker room, showed leadership,” said Traktor general manager Alexey Volkov about Tkachyov`s play for the team. The Gagarin Cup winner has a career total of 766 games and 381 points (160 goals, 221 assists) in the league.
Nathan Todd
Despite an injury that limited the Canadian to just four playoff games, the 29-year-old Nathan Todd had a bright debut season in the KHL. The right-handed forward was Salavat Yulaev`s fourth-leading scorer, accumulating 57 points (16 goals, 41 assists) in 72 games. He also became one of the most vital power play options for Viktor Kozlov`s team, scoring seven power play goals, which was also the fourth-best result on the team.
Gareth Tenby 
Neville Woodall