I’m sure it is never an easy decision for athletes to leave the biggest league of their sport for a league that is not of its calibre. But, that’s what Colorado Avalanche unrestricted free agent Zakhar Bardakov did.
Bardakov, who is a restricted free agent, was tendered by the Avalanche recently, but is still choosing to head to the KHL in Russia, to play for SKA Saint Petersburg, thanks to a clause in his contract.
While Bardakov wasn’t a stranger to the Avalanche’s lineup in 2025-26 by playing 60 games, his production just wasn’t quite there, as he had one goal and nine assists. Even as a depth player, you’d want to see more.
I think something that hurt him even more is that he only played in one game with the Avalanche’s AHL team, the Colorado Eagles.
Bardakov has a ton of experience in the KHL, which might have aided in his decision to go back. He has played in 165 games for St. Petersburg and has 30 goals and 38 assists. He’s also played for Podolsk Vityaz, which is also in the KHL.
It’s too bad that Bardakov didn’t get a ton of opportunities, primarily in the AHL. The Avalanche’s roster is stacked, so it’s not a major surprise that he wasn’t able to stick around, but the AHL could always use some more talent, especially given that several of the team’s free agents left for other teams in the past few days.
It is going to be fun to see who can make an impact with the Eagles or even out of camp to make an early appearance with the Avalanche. There is often at least one surprise who stands out and with Bardakov not in the picture anymore, it makes it a little bit easier for those players trying to make a name for themselves.
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