Evan’s NHL Daily: Bust Heads Overseas, KHL Season Begins

When you’re drafted sixth overall in the NHL Draft, expectations are a little higher than 41 goals in 262 games. Filip Zadina wasn’t able to live up the hype and appears to be headed overseas, meaning he might have played his last game in the NHL. Did he make the right or wrong choice?

Hockey is officially back, as the KHL will start up on Tuesday. There’s only one game on the first day of the season, but the floodgates will open soon after, and there will be a few Avalanche prospects to follow.

Colorado Hockey Now

To think that he’s 29 years old already is a little strange, but that’s because he’s been in the spotlight in Colorado since he was drafted at just 17. Looking back at some of the best moments of Nathan MacKinnon.

One of those KHL prospects we’ll definitely be watching is Ilya Nabokov, who will look to show that last season was no fluke.

News And Rumors

Nabokov’s KHL season starts on Tuesday. On Wednesday, it should be Mikhail Gulyayev, although finding an injury update on him has been difficult. Thursday, it’ll be Zakhar Bardakov, and we’ll be providing updates on all of them because they’ll be playing real hockey games.

Detroit Hockey Now: Last summer, he took a risk, walking away from $4.56 million for a better opportunity elsewhere in the NHL. It didn’t work out in San Jose, but now Filip Zadina is headed to Switzerland.

Quite frankly, I’d probably make the same decision as him if I was in that position. It’s September, and finding a full-time spot in the NHL is highly unlikely. If you aren’t guaranteed a spot there, why not go live and play in a beautiful country?

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: It was an addition that never made a ton of sense, but Kevin Hayes is looking to adjust to life on the Penguins.

New Jersey Hockey Now: That Seth Jarvis contract? Maybe the Devils can work out a similar deal with Dawson Mercer.