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Danis Zaripov

Danis Zaripov Announces Retirement

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After a long and illustrious KHL career, Danis Zaripov has announced his retirement. Zaripov famously flirted with the idea of coming to the NHL in 2017 when the IIHF suspended him for two years after testing positive for pseudoephedrine, an ingredient commonly found in allergy medicine. Zaripov ultimately had his suspension reduced to just six months and returned to the KHL.

Zaripov is a KHL legend, having won five Gagarin Cup championships and finishing third all-time in KHL scoring. He is also a decorated international player having won five World Championship medals.

While Zaripov is not a name that is well known in North America, he hangs up his skates as one of the most admired players in Russian hockey history after completing a professional career that spans over two decades.

Morning Notes: Zucker, Zaripov, Dunn

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Twice now in the span of a few months the Minnesota Wild have come close to trading away Jason Zucker. Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) examines the recent trade talks between Minnesota and the Pittsburgh Penguins which were focused on a Zucker-Phil Kessel swap, and details the situation that the Wild forward now finds himself in. Zucker is obviously on the block as GM Paul Fenton continues to shake things up in Minnesota, and Russo reports that the Vancouver Canucks, Arizona Coyotes, Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames have all expressed interest of late, while last year the Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes had discussed him.

The recent trade proposal from Pittsburgh seems to have been shut down by Kessel himself, but that could change at any minute if he decides to waive his no-trade clause. Either way, it seems like Zucker is destined to play for another team in 2019-20. The 27-year old forward has four years remaining on his current deal which carries a $5.5MM cap hit, and is coming off a 21-goal, 42-point season.

  • Danis Zaripov was once on the radar of NHL teams after receiving a two-year doping ban from the KHL in 2017. That ban was eventually reduced to just six months and Zaripov stayed in Russia, something he’ll be doing once again in 2019-20. The 38-year old forward has signed a one-year extension with Ak Bars Kazan, giving him a chance to add to his outstanding history in the KHL. Zaripov is a legend in Russian hockey, with five Gagarin Cup championships, five World Championship medals, and even a league title from before the KHL formed a decade ago.
  • Vince Dunn took part in the morning skate for the St. Louis Blues today, wearing a regular visor instead of the full cage that he has donned the last few days to protect his injured jaw. Still, he won’t play tonight in game one of the Stanley Cup Final according to head coach Craig Berube. Dunn has developed into a key part of the Blues’ defense corps over the last two seasons, and has an impressive seven points in 16 playoff games so far. Robert Thomas, another young player making an impact for the Blues these playoffs will be in the lineup tonight, Berube confirmed.

Danis Zaripov Signs Two-Year Deal In KHL

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Russian winger Danis Zaripov won’t be crossing the pond after all.  After having his two-year KHL suspension reduced to just six months earlier this week that made him eligible to sign as of Thursday, he has inked a two-year contract with Ak Bars Kazan, the KHL announced (Twitter link).

Zaripov did draw a bit of NHL interest but nothing came of it.  Most recently, the Blues had offered him a PTO deal but he was looking for a guaranteed contract.  Tampa Bay also had interest during the summer while Pittsburgh was known to at least be considering signing him though it’s not known if any offer was ever made.

Interestingly enough, Zaripov opted to not return to Metallurg Magnitogorsk, the franchise he spent the past four years with and where he really made his mark on the league, recording just shy of a point per game (227 points in 229 contests) during that stretch.  It won’t be his first stint with Kazan though as he was previously with them from 2001 through 2013.

If Russia and KHL players are allowed to play in the upcoming Olympics (something that appears to be far from a certainty at this point), Zaripov is a candidate to make that team assuming the long layoff doesn’t prove to be difficult to come back from.  If he makes it, it would be his second appearance in that tournament having also suited up in 2010.

Danis Zaripov Settles Appeal, Suspension Reduced

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It looked as though Danis Zaripov was headed for the NHL when he was handed a two-year doping suspension by the IIHF. That restricted the Russian forward from playing in any European league including the KHL where he had suited up since the league’s inception. Now, the governing hockey body has settled with Zaripov and reduced his suspension to six months, which will mean he’s free to sign anywhere on November 23rd.

Several teams in the NHL had rumored interest in Zaripov, including the St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning at various points. Evgeni Malkin even spoke out about how he’d like to have him in Pittsburgh, as the pair has lined up together at several international tournaments. Zaripov is a legendary player in Russia, with incredible playoff and international results. A four-time KHL champion and five-time World Championship medalist it’s likely that he’ll re-sign in Russia to finish his career.

At 36, there was a chance Zaripov could still be relevant to an NHL team but with the suspension reduced that outcome seems even more unlikely. Instead, he’ll go down as one of the most successful players to never suit up in a North American professional league. He did have a short stint in the WHL many years ago, but wasn’t drafted and returned to Russia after just one year.

St. Louis Potentially Pursuing Danis Zaripov

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According to a report out of Russia from Vadim Kuznetsov, the St. Louis Blues have offered a contract to suspended KHL forward Danis Zaripov. The story quotes the 36-year old himself, who explains that nothing is imminent. Zaripov received a two-year suspension from the IIHF for doping, but was cleared to seek a contract in the NHL due to the fact that the substance is not prohibited in the league’s own doping policy. Zaripov had been tenuously linked to the Lightning and Penguins previously, and also apparently had two offers in hand at the beginning of September. It’s unclear if this mention of St. Louis means a new contract offer, or one that had previously been submitted.

Zaripov is a legendary KHL player, known as one of the best “clutch” performers the league has ever known. He’s taken home the Gagarin Cup as league champion four times, and has scored an incredible 114 points in 127 playoff contests. He’s also been part of five medal-winning World Championship teams, including taking home the Gold three times. In that tournament, he’s registered 49 points in 45 games.

Nearly 20 years ago, Zaripov also had a short stint in North American hockey. In 1998-99, a teenaged sniper came over to the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL and put up 23 goals in 62 games. He returned to Russia the next season, and has stayed there ever since.

There is quite a bit of risk in signing Zaripov, especially in light of what has happened with Vadim Shipachyov. Because Zaripov is over 35, if something didn’t work out and he was forced to “retire” in the same fashion, his cap hit would remain. For many teams taking that chance poses too much risk, even for a player who has been about as consistent as you find in the KHL. Zaripov is third all-time in KHL scoring, only behind Alexander Radulov and Sergei Mozyakin.

Pittsburgh Penguins Showing Interest In Danis Zaripov

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When Evgeni Malkin said last week that he’d love to see Danis Zaripov on his line this season, many ears perked up around the league. It’s not often a superstar comes out that openly in favor of acquiring a player, even if it was a passing comment in a longer interview. Now, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confirms that the Penguins have indeed don’t their vetting of Zaripov by talking to lots of former teammates and coaches. Mackey reports that there is no formal offer in place yet, but that they’re showing “more than passing interest.”

Zaripov is a playoff legend in the KHL, but was suspended for two seasons for doping earlier this year. The NHL ruled that the ban would not be honored here in North America because the substance he tested positive for is not in their listed of banned substance, and there are several inconsistencies with how his case was handled. He’s now received interest from several teams around the league, including Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay, and even apparently has two offers in hand from unknown teams.

The 36-year old will sign somewhere before the season begins, but it’s not clear how he’d fit into the Pittsburgh forward group. They desperately need a third line center, but already have a glut of wingers that are blocking young prospects like Daniel Sprong from even making a big impact. Adding Zaripov could give them some more experience, but how much he’d actually improve the team is completely unknown. Since he’s never played in the NHL, there is no guarantee his offense would even translate.

Danis Zaripov Has Two NHL Offers

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We heard yesterday that Danis Zaripov—the 36-year old Russian winger under a two-year KHL suspension for doping—had interest in the Tampa Bay Lightning, and now Darren Dreger of TSN gives us even more information. Zaripov is believed to have two NHL offers in hand already, and is waiting for two more before deciding where he’ll make his North American professional debut. Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times confirms that the Lightning are not one of those offers, even though they are one of a few “preferred landing spots” for Zaripov.

Zaripov represents a late-summer wildcard, as an unexpected free agent entering the market. His upside is that of a proven playoff performer who can chip in offense at a pretty consistent rate, but it is curious that he could sign before proven NHL scorers like Thomas Vanek and Jaromir Jagr. Zaripov spent one season in North America back in 1998 when he played for the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL, but was before his time as a slightly undersized forward.

That type of player is much more welcome in today’s NHL, and there is definitely interest in bringing him aboard. Outside of the Lightning, the Rangers have been tenuously linked and Evgeni Malkin has thrown his support behind bringing him into the Penguins’ locker room. He’ll likely be brought in on a one-year deal in order to use performance bonuses to mitigate risk.

Latest On Danis Zaripov’s NHL Search

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Legendary KHL winger Danis Zaripov was cleared to sign with an NHL club this week despite his ongoing two-year suspension from the Russian league, and yesterday we learned that the Tampa Bay Lightning had made contact. Today, that connection becomes even more apparent as Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Lightning are a “preferred landing spot” for Zaripov’s camp.

The 36-year old shares an agent—Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey—with both Nikita Kucherov and Vladislav Namestnikov, and Tampa Bay has a long history with giving opportunities to Russian players. Zaripov, who is one of the greatest playoff performer in KHL history, could find a nice temporary home with the Lightning as he appeals his suspension.

The two-year ban was handed out earlier this year, but the NHL ruled that Zaripov wouldn’t have been suspended under their internal doping policy. He’s clear to sign a contract with anyone, and since he’s over the age of 35 it could include performance bonuses (should it be just one year in length). The Lightning have just over $3.25MM in projected cap room for the season.

Morning Notes: Zaripov, Campoli, Byron

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Danis Zaripov has entered the NHL free agent market after being cleared to sign despite a two-year ban in the KHL, and he is one of the most interesting wildcards this late in the summer. Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Lightning have checked in on him, but there has been no contract talks between the two sides.

More interestingly, Igor Eronko of Sport-Express quotes Evgeni Malkin saying that he would “like to see Danis Zaripov in Penguins. I’d enjoy plaing with him on one line.” Zaripov isn’t the answer the Penguins need at center, but would be an interesting addition to their wing depth.

  • Jeff Cox reports that Vegas Golden Knights draft pick Nick Campoli will not be attending Clarkson University as originally planned, and instead will play for the Sioux City Musketeers this season. Campoli was a sixth-round pick this summer, and had played in the OJHL to maintain his college eligibility. Cox reports that he will attempt to take enough courses to regain eligibility and join Clarkson in 2018-19.
  • Blaine Byron explains to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet why he made the decision to pass up an entry-level contract to sign an AHL deal with the Florida Panthers. Byron considers Florida his best shot at making the NHL, and could see a clear path there for him. The huge number of University of Maine alumni in the management and coaching staff probably helped him feel that way, but there is also a clear need for NHL-level forwards in the Florida system. Byron could make the jump sooner than later, meaning an entry-level deal could be signed before long anyway.

David Booth Expected To Sign PTO With Detroit Red Wings

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In a day filled with professional tryout signings, Craig Custance of The Athletic reports that another one is close at hand. David Booth is expected to sign a PTO with the Detroit Red Wings, marking a possible return after two years in the KHL.

Booth last played in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014-15, scoring 13 points in 59 games. That was a far cry from his career-high of 31 goals and 60 points, marks he registered in a dream 2008-09 season with the Florida Panthers. Two other seasons he recorded 40+ points, but those years seem like ages ago for the 32-year old. Last year he scored just ten points in 31 games for Omsk including their playoff run, and he’ll have to show that he’s both healthy and contributing in order to get a contract from the Red Wings.

Custance also notes that Danis Zaripov, the suspended KHL winger looking for work in the NHL has been connected to the Red Wings, and that his vacancy from Ak Bars may have caused them to reach out and offer Andreas Athanasiou a contract. Zaripov was cleared to sign with an NHL team yesterday, but finds himself looking for a guarantee after teams have already built their rosters.

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