I bet you’ve never even heard of this player! Schadilov’s played in the Russian League for his entire career. His best regular season stats with Salavat Yulaev were in 2007-08 (Champions year): 5 goals, 13 assists and +14. His best career +/- (with Ak Bars in 2006-07) was +22. He had long-term eye injury this past season, and he has a shoulder injury this season. Schadlov is a 30-year old Moscow native.

Mikhail was going to go to the Caps training camp this past summer, but was signed by Ak Bars instead. His interview by 31.05: (I’ll go to USA in the late summer [...] I’ll likely go there for a whole season, I’ll even be sent to the AHL”. His interview by 21.09: “Honestly, Caps didn’t invite me. [...] They didn’t show any interest in me”. We’ll see, maybe Yunkov will leave KHL next summer. He’s only 24, and yes, he’s playing for current champion now.

He has his personal best season in the Russian top leagues! He’s playing for the team which shows the biggest number of flights (no, not fights, flights). They’re currently 22nd of 24 in KHL standings.

Bulis had his house robbed a few months ago. From his interview: “Policemen said that they were not able to find thiefs [...] I’m pity about my laptop most of all because I haven’t access to the Web now”. He had food poisoning in Czech this winter during KHL break. A Czech veteran, Bulis participated in the Karjala Cup, the Finnish part of the EuroHockeyTour (also known as EHT), and had 2 points there (1+1) in game against Russia.

This guy played only eighteen games for the Caps, but that’s enough to be on this list. During the off-season Novotny told reporters that the NHL is a priority for him: “Swiss Servette shows interest in me, but I still hope to find a team in the NHL. I will decide my future at the end of August, but I won’t return to the Czech Republic. If I will not successful in NHL searches, I’ll go to Switzerland or Russia”. Novotny signed deal with Atlant on August 13th.

This infamous ex-NHLer played in one of three EHL tournaments and has 5 points there. Jagr had a hand in a massive brawl with Vityaz this month.  Here’s his words on the fight: “Guys fought around us [Ed. Note - He was speaking about himself and Darcy Verot]. I held him. Verot said: “OK, hush up. We won’t fight” I released him. And after a few seconds he punched me in the face. I didn’t expect it.” He will play in the Olympics in Vancouver.

He’s a Calder Cup winner with the Bears (when Bruce Boudreau was head coach). He also played in EHT and had 2 points there (1+1).  He also fought in a recent game against Vityaz. Avangard, starring Klepis and Jagr, made the Russian “Miracle On Ice” last year. The 16th seed team, they defeated Salavat Yulaev (1st seed) in the first round of playoffs and were leading an all-or-nothing game in the second round against 2nd seed Ak Bars. But the mireacle went wrong. Just 15 seconds before the end of the game, Alexey Morozov tied it and Ak Bars were able to score in OT.

Dovgan, 23, is a Muscovite and alumni of CSKA hockey, played for the SC Stingrays for two seasons and started this season in Russian High League in Kurgan. But after a few months he was transferred to Avtomobilist. As Sports.ru reports, players of that club “don’t receive their salary for two months”.

He had a shutout in the 06-07 season, but it was for the Sharks. Shaefer hadn’t played many games for the Caps and had only 7 games in SJ. Why did he leave the NHL? Nolan says, ”I had two offers from Russia in the end of past season when I played in the AHL. But I hoped to get a new chance in the NHL. Also, I had an offer from Germany. But when I started to talk closely with CSKA, they told me about tradition, about the League, about conditions. And I decided that this is level higher then AHL.” Now he’s back-up in CSKA Moscow.

As Yarland.ru reports, he became candidate of maths science. Also he won two bronze medals of World Championships: two gold and one silver medal of Russian National Championships, gold medal of WJC-02. He was a participant of Olympic Games in Torino.

Yes, he played only 3 games for the Portland Pirates when they were a Caps affiliate. He suffered a serious concussion in a game against Spartak Moscow this season. Gates were down behind the net, while medical staff was waiting for 5 minutes, but the gates were opened for the zamboni. When medical staff finally came, the doctors did not have a stretcher, so they use a trampoline. Dynamo’s fans were so horrified, they wrote letter to the League, including the following words:  ”his head dangled and it was might lead to irreversible consequences for his health [...]. Owing to negligence of staff of Sokolniki Arena, he was evacuated through the bench. It slowed down and complicated the aid.  Players of Dynamo had to carry Kariya out on stretchers.”

Zednik was a nominee for the Bill Masterton trophy in 2009 and was one of the top new KHLers this year. He signed a two-year deal with “Loko” pretty early, and he told reporters about his choice as well: “The club from Yaroslavl contacted with me first. And two other Czechs play here, so I spoke with them. Vasicek and Irgl gave me good references about Lokomotiv. And I decided that the best is the enemy of the good and didn’t wait until the FA market opening in the NHL because Lokomotiv offer a very decent deal for me”. Zednik will play in the Olympics this year.

This Russian veteran is oldest player of Metallurg ever, but he really wanted to sign a new deal in DC: ”I would want to extend my deal with the Caps. But if it won’t happen I have other options”. But in a week he signed with “Foxes”. He also said that he wanted to play with his brother Fedor and Metallurg give him a chance. Interesting moment: He took #18 in Metallurg. Why? “18 is the number I took in CSKA at the start of my career. Irek Gimaev (legendary soviet player) played with this number earlier there. And it’s very symbolical for me.” He already fought in KHL against Roman Derlyuk of the HC MVD. He also played in the EHT but had only one point in three games in Moscow part of that competition.

Dmitri Orlov of Metallurg Novokuznetsk is one of the most talented defensemen in Russia now. See our story about him a few weeks ago to learn more.

Here’s his take: “When I signed with the Caps [in 2007] I already thought about come back to Russia. I wanted to play in my home when I still have some force. I started to prepare myself fo this step morally… I thought that I’ll play some years in good NHL team and will come back [...] I played long enough there”. He’s one of the best Russian forwards in EHT – or Euro Hockey Tour.

This Canadian defenseman was named the best player of his former team (Severstal Cherepovets) and played for Canada at the World Championships in 2009. He signed with SKA in mid-June but 3 weeks later he signed with Thrashers, too. Don Waddell said, that he “didn’t know about Joel’s deal in Russia” and Atlanta cancelled its offer few days later. Kviatkowaki said in September: ”I preferred SKA to NHL’s middling clubs”.

The veteran centerman was suspended a few days ago for “the hit using knee”. He’s one of the leaders of his team.  Andrei explains why he hasn’t retired yet: ”I promise my children that we’ll play together, as a linemates. I won’t retire before I’ll make it”. Interesting fact: He one of the few active players who played in the USSR champs.

When he came to Russia in 2008, he told reporters: “I came to Russia to play hockey. If I have to fight, I will do it.  No problem. But the game is the main thing for me.” Time was moving along while he played and sometimes fought, but he left Russia at the start of last December due to “family reasons.”  Simon has since returned and played some games since. He did not participate in the massive Vityaz – Avangard brawl.

The big talk about Sugden in Russia is the brawl between Avangard and Vityaz. He fought hard in the warm-up, and here’s what he said about his former teammate and fight opponent Alexander Svitov: ”Yeah, actually I visited Svitov in hotel a day before the game. He’s my old friend. We played together in Syracuse Crunch of the AHL. We talked, thought of old times, laughed. [...] [In the game] he hit my teammate in the head, and I had to intercede for him. Svitov accepted my invitation to dance.”

Maybe THIS is a record – this guy played for four teams in the last seven months! He was traded from CSKA to Metallurg Novokuznetsk for a 1st round draft pick and played 14 games. “Kuznya” made a buyout then he signed with Dynamo Minsk.  He was traded to Vityaz one week ago. He was pretty popular player in Russia year ago because he plaed for the CSKA – one of most popular clubs in Russia.