Latest news with #ex-NHLers
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jake Chelios Retires From Chinese KHL Team
Defenseman Jake Chelios, 34, has announced his retirement via video on the Instagram page of the Chinese-based KHL club that he's played for the past six seasons. Chelios, the son of Hockey Hall-of-Fame defenseman Chris Chelios, was born and raised in the United States but became a naturalized Chinese citizen through playing for Kunlun Red Star, which is nominally based in China but has played its home games in the greater-Moscow area since the onset of the pandemic in 2020. 'I want to thank everyone I've had the privilege of working with over the last six years,' said Chelios, who is shown holding his young daughter. 'Fans, I appreciate you guys showing up and supporting us, no matter where our home city was.' Chelios was born in Chicago while his father played for the Chicago Blackhawks, and played youth hockey in Illinois and Michigan, after his father moved to the Detroit Red Wings. He played four years of college hockey for the Michigan State Spartans. Undrafted, he eventually signed with the Carolina Hurricanes but played only pre-season games for them. In 2018, he signed with Detroit and played his only five NHL games with them that season, recording no points and one minor penalty. Carolina draft pick Hudson Elyniuk joins several ex-NHLers on KHL's Kunlun Red Star KHL club Kunlun Red Star has announced the signing of 26-year-old Canadian center Hudson Elyniuk to a one-year contract. Between 2014 and 2019, Chelios had 109 points and 216 penalty minutes in 305 AHL regular-season and playoff games. Between 2019 and 2025, he had 72 points and 182 penalty minutes in 277 KHL games. Chelios was one of several Kunlun import players who were granted Chinese citizenship for the purpose of building a competitive team for the 2022 Winter Olympics, which China was hosting in Beijing. Chelios had two assists in four games at the Olympics, and 15 points in nine games at two IIHF World Championships at the Division 2-A and 1-B levels. When representing China internationally, Chelios was given the Chinese name Kailiaosi Jieke. 'To my teammates and their families, thank you,' Chelios continued. 'My wife and I were given the rare opportunity to play and travel the world with a core group of great people for six years and made lifelong friends in the process. From our first training camp in Beijing to the last five years spent in Moscow, we did it all and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I also want to send 'Nihao' to the guys in China who I haven't seen in a couple years. I hope you are doing well and I will see you again soon.' Kunlun Red Star has rebranded itself as the Shanghai Dragons for the 2025-26 season, but it doesn't appear that the team will return to playing in China. 2018 First-Rounder Ty Smith Heads To KHL Canadian defenseman Ty Smith, 25, has signed a one-year contract with Belarus-based KHL club Dinamo Minsk, Russian sports website reported on Thursday.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Radim Zohorna Signs With Swedish Club
Czech forward Radim Zohorna, 29, has signed a two-year contract with Färjestad BK, the SHL club announced on Friday. 'It was already in the works last year when I came back from North America, but for various reasons it didn't happen,' said Zohorna. 'Now it just feels nice and inspiring to come to Färjestad and show what I can do. I have a great desire to get better and to play for the team.' 'We have been following him for a long time and it was close to him coming last year,' Färjestad sports director Rickard Wallin echoed. 'He has had offers to choose from and consider, so we are happy that we finally get to see him in green and white.' Zohorna played last season in Switzerland for HC Lugano. It was heavily rumored that he would join Czech champion Kometa Brno, where both of his older brothers, Tomáš and Hynek, are already signed for next season. Kometa GM Libor Zábranský even stated when Tomáš was signed last week, 'I don't hide the fact that I would like all three brothers on one Brno line someday, but Radim's arrival is not in play at the moment.' Radim apparently had his heart set on Färjestad. 'I've talked to Carl Dahlström, who was my teammate this season,' Zohorna explained. 'I've probably asked all the questions I could: What's the city like? how does the club work? what kind of people are there in the club? and a lot more. I've done my research.' A native of Havličkův Brod, Czechia, Zohorna played over 200 Czech Extraliga games with Kometa Brno and BK Mladá Boleslav before joining the Pittsburgh Penguins in January 2021. Between 2021 and 2024, he recorded 18 points in 68 NHL games for the Penguins, Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs, splitting each season between the NHL and AHL. The 6-foot-6, 229-pound Zohorna describes himself as 'a two-way player, so I can play defense and offense – I try to use my skating and my size and play hard.' Last season, Färjestad finished fourth in the SHL regular season and was eliminated in the quarterfinals. The team also reached the final of the Champions Hockey League, losing to the ZSC Lions in Zurich. In addition to Zohorna, Färjestad has under contract for next season ex-NHLers Oskar Steen and Marián Studenič, and NHL prospects Lucas Forsell (Vancouver Canucks), Jack Berglund (Philadelphia Flyers), Noel Fransén (Carolina Hurricanes) and goaltender Melker Thelin (Utah Mammoth). Oskar Steen heading home, signs long-term with Färjestad After an off-season of speculation, Oskar Steen is heading back to the club that developed him, signing a five-year contract, the SHL club announced on Saturday.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
French-Born Ex-Wing, Hab Signs Contract Extension In KHL
French-born Canadian defenseman Xavier Ouellet, 31, has signed a two-year contract extension with Dinamo Minsk, the KHL website announced on Tuesday. Ouellet was born in Bayonne, France while his father, Canadian Robert Ouellet, played professionally in the Ligue Magnus. He was raised in Terrebonne, Que. and played junior hockey for the Montreal Juniors and the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the QMJHL. Ouellet was chosen in the second round, 48th overall, by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. From 2013 to 2021, Ouellet played 178 NHL regular-season games for the Wings and Montreal Canadiens, recording 28 points and 82 penalty minutes. He also added an assist in 11 playoff games – 10 of which were with Montreal in the 2020 Eastern Conference bubble in Toronto. Ouellet played in the AHL for the Grand Rapids Griffins and was captain of the Laval Rocket. He also played two seasons for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins while under contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Internationally, Ouellet represented Canada at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship. A dual citizen of France and Canada, he has never played for either country at the senior level. The 2024-25 season is Ouellet's first in Europe. Through his first 57 KHL games, Ouellet has 24 points and 28 penalty minutes for the Belarus-based Minsk club, which sits sixth out of 11 teams in the Western Conference. Dinamo's roster includes fellow ex-NHLers Jordan Gross, Alexander Volkov, Tanner Fritz and Vadim Shipachyov. NHL-drafted prospects on the roster include 21-year-old goaltender Yegor Velmakin (Carolina Hurricanes) and 20-year-old forward Vadim Moroz (Utah HC). Jordan Gross signs with KHL club Dinamo Minsk American defenseman Jordan Gross, 29, has signed a one-year contract with Dinamo Minsk, the Belarusian-based KHL club announced on Friday. The Nashville Predators retain his NHL rights.
