Alexander Alexeyev is back on Montreal's radar, and Martin St-Louis knows Canadiens fans still remember him from that playoff matchup.
There's a real wave of NHL departures to report, with 10 players who were under contract in 2025-2026 now heading to the KHL for 2026-2027.
That group includes five forwards, and it's not just fringe depth. A few of these names played meaningful roles or carried real organizational value before making the move.
Alexeyev stands out right away. The 26-year-old left-shot defenseman brings size at 6-foot-4 and 213 pounds, and his next stop will draw attention across the league.
Montreal fans have extra reason to watch this one. Alexeyev became a familiar name during the 2025 playoffs, so this isn't some random transaction buried in the summer news cycle.
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The Blue Jackets are taking one of the bigger hits in this run of exits. Ivan Fedotov is leaving for Spartak, while Yegor Zamula is heading to CSKA Moscow.
A growing list of exits across the league from NHL to the KHL
Colorado is also losing two names, with Zakhar Bardakov and Danil Gushchin both leaving the Avalanche organization for next season.
Calgary and Carolina are part of it too. Nick Cicek and Givani Smith are both set to continue their careers in Shanghai, another sign that this move overseas isn't isolated.
The list keeps going with Dmitri Kuzmin, Garrett Pilon and Yegor Afanasyev. Put it all together, and this is more than a few players chasing a fresh start.
For Montreal, this story lands a little differently because the Canadiens already have real ties to that league through their prospect pool.
Bogdan Konyushkov spent this season on loan with Torpedo, and the organization also has young forwards Alexander Zharovsky and Gleb Pugachyov developing in that environment.
That's why this Alexeyev move feels bigger than one player changing leagues. It adds another layer to a market that Canadiens fans already watch closely, and it gives this KHL trend a face they won't ignore.
Will Alexander Alexeyev be the most watched former NHL player in the KHL this season?
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