Agent for Avalanche’s Vladislav Kamenev says report he’s leaving for KHL untrue

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – According to a report out of Russia, Avalanche forward Vladislav Kamenev will depart the team and the NHL to sign a contract with a Kontinental Hockey League club in his native Russia.

UPDATE: However, the Avalanche tell Colorado Hockey Now that this is news to them, and that the agent for Kamenev, Mark Gandler, says it’s not true. I’m trying to get ahold of Gandler for more clarification, but as of now the Avs say it’s not true.

UPDATE 2: Gandler got back to me and said the report is wrong. He called it “irresponsible”, in fact. So, it appears Vladdie is still an Av.

A lot of times, reports out of Russia are just…wrong. That said, it does seem like Kamenev’s days with the Avs seem iffy.

To this point, it just has never really worked out for Kamenev with the Avs, after coming over from the Nashville Predators in the Matt Duchene blockbuster. His very first game with the Avs, in 2017, he suffered a broken wrist after taking a big hit from Washington’s Brooks Orpik. He only played three games for Colorado in the 2017-18 season, and only 23 games the next season, partially because of a shoulder injury.

He did play 38 games for the Avs this past regular season, with one goal and seven assists. But he failed to make the Avs’ playoff roster out of training camp. Kamenev was a participant in camp, so not getting selected to go to Edmonton was a blow.

As a natural centerman, the future doesn’t look good for Kamenev, with so many other established centers on the roster and with college phenom Alex Newhook in the pipeline. He’s got talent, but he just hasn’t been able to establish a foothold with the Avs.

But hey, maybe there’s still hope for a happy ending for Vladdie with the Avs.