The Minnesota Wild and Alexander Khovanov are parting ways. The former third round pick has been placed on unconditional waivers by the team. If he's not picked up by 2 PM ET Monday afternoon, his contract will be terminated.
Khovanov went 86th overall in 2018. He was in the final year of his three-year entry-level contract. While there's been no official word yet, it's a safe bet that Khovanov is headed home to Russia. He played 7 games with Ak-Bars Kazan of the KHL before coming to North America. The team still holds his rights for that league.
Khovanov was once a highly-rated prospect for the Wild, but has had a tough time getting going even in the AHL. Last season, he didn't make it to North America for training camp, and ended up doing a stint in the ECHL before finally playing for the Iowa Wild of the AHL on December 2nd, 2021. In 22 games, he managed just 1 goal and 5 points. According to this article by The Athletic, Khovanov possesses excellent offensive talent and creativity. However, his skating is "sluggish" and has held him back.
Update: Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL has announced the signing of Khovanov. THe length of the deal is unknown.
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