Toronto Maple Leafs are bringing one of Kontinental Hockey League’s best players to NHL. The team announced on Tuesday that they have signed SKA St. Petersburg’s forward Alexander Barabanov.
Barabanov, who won the Olympic gold medal with Russia in 2018, will join the Maple Leafs on a one-year, entry-level deal. The 25-year-old comes to Canada after contributing with 12 goals and 11 assists for SKA before the KHL season was suspended due to an ongoing global health crisis.
According to Leafs’ head coach Sheldon Keefe, the team holds Barabanov in high regard and the entire organization is excited to welcome such a talent.
“We’re really excited to add another player to the fold here that we think has got great experience and great skill set, very high character as well,” said Keefe. “[Barabanov] checks a lot of the boxes you look for when you’re looking to add a player that you fully expect can step in and be an important part of your team.”
Alexander Barabanov spent his entire career with SKA St. Petersburg, helping the team win two championships. He played a total of 262 games in KHL, contributing with 62 goals and 75 assists for a total of 137 points.
Barabanov has been part of Russia’s national team since 2017 and has two bronze medals from two World Championships alongside a gold medal from PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
