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Former Canadiens Skating in the KHL

ryan gagne
·4 min read

Montreal Canadiens fans are very interested in the 2024-25 Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) season since the team's most recent first-round draft pick, Ivan Demidov, skates with SKA St. Peterburg.

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However, if anyone intently follows Demidov's journey in the KHL, they may be surprised to learn several former Canadiens are in the league.

Related: Canadiens Prospect Demidov Held Pointless Again in KHL Game

According to Elite Prospects, 12 former Montreal players are continuing their careers in Russia; here's a look at them.

Nikita Nesterov (CSKA Moskva)

Nikita Nesterov played only 13 games with the Canadiens in 2016-17, last appearing in North America with the Calgary Flames in 2020-21. He's been with CSKA Moskva on and off since 2017-18 and has served as their captain since the 2022-23 campaign.

Alexander Radulov (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl)

Alexander Radulov played one season in Montreal, netting 54 points in 76 games during the 2016-17 season. After five years in Dallas, he returned home to the KHL and is now skating with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl after two seasons with Ak Bars Kazan.

Alexander Galchenyuk (Amur Khabarovsk)

Alex Galchenyuk made his KHL debut in 2023-24 as a member of SKA St. Petersburg and is now under contract with Amur Khabarovsk. During his NHL career, he played six seasons in Montreal, netting 255 points in 418 games from 2012 to 2018.

Byron Froese (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl)

Mar 17, 2018; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Montreal Canadiens center Byron Froese (42) warms up prior to the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-Imagn Images
Mar 17, 2018; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Montreal Canadiens center Byron Froese (42) warms up prior to the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-Imagn Images

Over six seasons, Byron Froese played 141 games in the NHL, including 48 with the Canadiens in 2017-18. As recent as last season, he played with the Vegas Golden Knights but is now in the KHL for the first time with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.

Denis Guryanov (CSKA Moskva)

Denis Guryanov is back in the KHL after playing in North America from 2016 to 2024, stopping briefly in Montreal for 23 games in 2022-23. He's now skating with CSKA Moskva, after beginning his KHL career with Ladia Togliatti.

Related: 7 Fascinating Statistics About Canadiens' Montembeault

Darren Dietz (Avangard Omsk)

Darren Dietz is a KHL veteran, now on his fourth team since joining the league in 2017-18. His only appearance in the NHL happened with the Canadiens during the 2015-16 season, when he tallied five points in 13 games.

Xavier Ouellet (Dinamo Minsk)

Xavier Ouellet's played 37 games with the Canadiens from 2018 to 2021, and most recently dressed with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the AHL in 2023-24. This year marks his first time in the KHL, where he plays with Dinamo Minsk as an alternate captain.

Cédric Paquette (Dynamo Moskva)

Jan 27, 2022; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens center Cedric Paquette (13) during the warm-up session before the game against Anaheim Ducks at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-Imagn Images
Jan 27, 2022; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens center Cedric Paquette (13) during the warm-up session before the game against Anaheim Ducks at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-Imagn Images

Cedric Paquette is the only Stanley Cup champion on the list, having won the NHL's top prize as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020. In 2021-22, he split time between Montreal and Laval. Opting to pursue an opportunity in the KHL in 2022-23, he's now in his second season with Dynamo Moskva, as an alternate captain.

Jordan Weal (Dynamo Moskva)

Jordan Weal dressed for 65 games with the Canadiens over two years from 2018 to 2020. He was an alternate captain with the Rocket in 2020-21 for 34 games, before jumping over to the KHL. He's beginning his third campaign with Dynamo Moskva.

Mark Barberio (Severstal Cherepovets)

Mark Barberio only appeared in 56 games with the Canadiens over two seasons, spending most of his time with the organization in St. Johns. In 2020-21, he began skating in Switzerland before moving on to the KHL late in 2021-22. The Severstal Cherepovets are his third team in the past three seasons.

Nathan Beaulieu (Barys Astana)

Apr 5, 2017; Buffalo, NY, USA; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Nathan Beaulieu (28) during the game against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-Imagn Images
Apr 5, 2017; Buffalo, NY, USA; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Nathan Beaulieu (28) during the game against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-Imagn Images

Nathan Beaulieu was a part of the Canadiens organization from 2012 to 2017, appearing in 225 NHL games. Despite many stops in North America, both in the NHL and AHL, he skated one season in Switzerland and is now under contract with Barys Astana in the KHL.

Zachary Fucale (Traktor Chelyabinsk)

Zachary Fucale is the only former Canadiens goalie playing in the KHL, beginning his second season with Traktor Chelyabinsk. Although he only got into four NHL games with the Washington Capitals, he spent a season with the Rocket in 2017-18.

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