After playing in the KHL for the last two seasons, former Washington Capitals defenseman Tomas Kundratek is currently exploring options for a return to the NHL, according to KHL insider Aivis Kalnins. The Czech blueliner came over to North America after being drafted in 2008 by the New York Rangers, and would play for the Medicine Hat Tigers and a handful of AHL teams before making his NHL debut in 2011-12 with the Capitals.
According to the original tweet after being traded last season, Kundratek agreed to an extension through the 2016-17 season, meaning he’d need to be released from that deal or have a built in opt-out clause. Still just 26-years old, Kundratek would be an unrestricted free agent should he be able to come back across the pond, and could be an interesting option for a team willing to take a chance.
In 30 NHL games Kundratek had just seven points, but he showed he was a capable point producer at the AHL level, putting up 94 across 247 games. A right-handed shot, Kundratek split last season between Riga Dynamo and Bratislava Slovan, scoring 24 points in 56 games.