The Colorado Avalanche have joined in on the signing spree, inking one of their own Russian draft picks. The team has announced that Danila Zhuravlyov has signed his two-year entry-level contract.
It’s been four years since the Avalanche selected Zhuravlyov in the fifth round of the NHL draft, but after another full season in the KHL, they’ve finally added him to the organization. The 22-year-old left-shot defenseman had six points in 43 games for Ak Bars Kazan this season in a limited role, but saw that playing time increase significantly in the playoffs.
For a system that is set to lose several minor league veterans–Roland McKeown, Dennis Gilbert, Jordan Gross, and Jacob MacDonald are all scheduled for unrestricted free agency–there perhaps will be an opening for a player like Zhuravlyov to quickly make an impact. Whether his play can translate, or even improve, at the AHL level remains to be seen, though the young defenseman will come with three full seasons of KHL action under his belt.