Datsyuk had 19 goals, 48 assists in 70 games for the Red Wings last season. (Getty Images) |
If you can't get Alex Ovechkin, settling for Pavel Datsyuk and Ilya Bryzgalov aren't bad fall-back options.
CSKA Moscow, the team that is run by Sergei Fedorov, lost out on its attempt to get Ovechkin to sign with them when the Capitals star elected to head back to Dynamo Moscow. Instead, Fedorov went out and signed Datsyuk and Bryzgalov to play for his team during the NHL lockout. Talk about a coup.
Datsyuk originally was reported to be headed back to his former KHL team, AK Bars, but the team said it wouldn't sign any NHLers. That meant the dynamic playmaker was still without a KHL home, so in stepped one of its richest teams, CSKA. Of course the connection between Datsyuk and Fedorov with their ties to the Red Wings probably didn't hurt in facilitating the move either.
Bryzgalov is thus far the biggest name among the goalies to head to the KHL during the lockout. The Flyers goalie had said before the lockout that he was going to head back to Russia to play, so it comes as no surprise.
On top of getting Datsyuk and Bryzgalov, CSKA might be finishing their three-player NHL allotment by nabbing the Maple Leafs' Mikhail Grabovski.
R-Sport reports Mikhail Grabovski will sign w/ CSKA. This means Volchenkov won't, as he'd be over the 3-player limit #MapleLeafs #NJDevils
— Slava Malamud (@SlavaMalamud) September 19, 2012
If so, that's a heck of an NHL trio for Fedorov to land. Grabovski obviously doesn't have the recognition that Datsyuk and Bryzgalov have, but by no means would he be an afterthought on the ice.
The arms race continues to the KHL. Of course, these are all players who don't actually need a paycheck, but I digress. The KHL should be interesting to watch this season.
Speaking of which, if you're wondering how you can see its games, the KHL is here to help.
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