When Kent Hughes traded Evgenii Dadonov to the Dallas Stars, he didn’t get much of a return on Denis Gurianov. The former first-round pick in the 2015 draft didn’t live up to expectations, and Kent Hughes might have hoped that a move to the Montreal Canadiens would boost the 25-year-old, but that didn’t happen.
By the end of the season, he had played 23 games for Sainte-Flanelle, collecting just eight points. He would have been an RFA, but Hughes did not qualify him and he left as an unrestricted free agent.
He signed a one-year, $850,000 contract with the Nashville Predators. In 14 games with the Preds, he scored just a few points and was sent to the Milwaukee Admirals in the AHL. With the Nashville affiliate, he scored 30 points in 27 games, which put him on the radar of the Philadelphia Flyers who acquired him at the trade deadline. He only suited up for four games in the City of Brotherly Love and was unable to get a new contract to remain in the NHL next season.
Related: Canadiens: Ivan Demidov back in action
As a result, Gurianov decided to return home to Russia and signed a two-year contract with CSKA Moscow in the KHL. He joins many other NHL players who have decided to sign with the Russian league, such as Evgeni Kuznetsov, Michael McLeod (the second of five players accused in the 2018 Team Canada scandal to turn to the KHL) and Nikita Okhotiuk of the Calgary Flames. .
While Canadiens fans would rather hear that Ivan Demidov is coming to the NHL than hear about former NHL players going overseas, this at least means the Habs’ prized prospect will be able to play against more players who have made it to the NHL. As long as SKA St. Petersburg keeps him in the KHL instead of sending him back to the MHL, but that should be the case.
Related
Canadiens: The line of communication is open with SKA Saint Petersburg
Canadiens: more about Demidov
Canadiens: Ivan Demidov passes medical with SKA St Petersburg
Canadiens: Ivan Demidov back in action
Canadiens: Ivan Demidov: top scorer, young phenomenon… YouTuber?
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