Ivan Nalimov is looking for a new KHL team to play for after he and Kunlun mutually agreed to terminate his contract at his request, reports Scott Powers of The Athletic.
The Blackhawks goaltender prospect’s agent, Shumi Babev, told The Athletic that his client found it difficult to live in China.
Nalimov hasn’t played since Oct. 3 after breaking his hand. He holds a 2.83 goals-against average and .917 save percentage in four games this season.
Chicago drafted the 6-foot-4, 209-pound goalie in the sixth round in 2014. The Blackhawks have retained Nalimov’s rights past the two-year window established by the 2013 player transfer agreement because the KHL didn’t agree to it. The agreement extends to nearly every prominent hockey federation in Europe for how the league handles draft rights. The KHL and NHL agreed to a different one that allows Russians playing in the KHL to continue doing so without their draft rights elapsing.
In August, Babaev told The Athletic that his client would play one more season in the KHL before coming to the NHL.
Here’s a look at the Blackhawks goalie depth:
Corey Crawford (NHL): $6M AAV, UFA in 2020
Cam Ward (NHL): $3M AAV, UFA in 2019
Anton Forsberg (AHL): $750K AAV, RFA in 2019
Colin Delia (AHL): $767.5K AAV, RFA in 2019
Kevin Lankinen (AHL/ECHL): $925K AAV, RFA in 2020
Ivan Nalimov (Free agent): Unsigned
Alexis Gravel (QMJHL): Unsigned
Matt Tomkins (ECHL): Unsigned
Wouter Peeters (Free agent): Unsigned