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Mikhail Grigorenko

KHL Stars Generating NHL Interest

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Teams around the NHL are always looking for an opportunity to add talent through means other than the draft, especially those that consistently pick in the back half of the round. In that way the KHL has always been a mysterious proving ground, where some players that find great success then can’t translate it to North America.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been very active in Russia over the last few years, with Ilya Mikheyev being their latest find. The 25-year old rookie has 11 points through his first 16 games and looks like he could have a long career in the NHL. Getting an asset like Mikheyev that costs nothing but time and money is obviously a strategy for success and more teams are following suit by scouting the KHL. It was recently reported that the Ottawa Senators now have a presence there, and today Darren Dreger of TSN spoke about the top names drawing interest overseas:

There are five guys that seem to be drawing attention. Nikita Nesterov, the captain of CSKA Moscow is among them, Alexander Barabanov is another one. Konstantin Okulov of Moscow, Alexey Marchenko and most will remember this name, Mikhail Grigorenko formerly of the Buffalo Sabres, again high on the radar.

Three of those names—Nesterov, Marchenko and Grigorenko—will be very familiar to NHL fans, and not necessarily in a good way. All three failed to really have a huge impact when they were playing in North America, though Grigorenko did have two decent seasons with the Colorado Avalanche. He has been a force since returning to the KHL however and is still just 25, making the former Sabres prospect an interesting name to keep an eye on.

Barabanov and Okulov have also been mentioned previously, with the former linked to the Arizona Coyotes and the latter to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. Both are undrafted forwards that have found plenty of success in the KHL.

It’s unlikely that any of these players will sign before the end of the KHL season, and not a guarantee that any of them will even decide to come to North America at all.

Overseas Notes: Toronto Targets, Zubov, Ullstrom

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Free agency is never truly over. NHL executives keep an eye on impending free agents all year long and will take any opportunity to create a positive impression on a possible target. It’s no different when it comes to foreign talent, as recently demonstrated by Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas. KHL insider Igor Eronko reports that while scouting in Russia recently, Dubas met with two recognizable KHLers who are set to hit the open market next summer: Mikhail Grigorenko and Nikita Nesterov. Grigorenko, 25, was a first-round pick of Buffalo in 2012 who played over 200 games with the Sabres and Colorado Avalanche before returning home to Russia in 2017. The power forward was a top-ten scorer in the KHL last season and helped to lead CSKA Moscow to a Gagarin Cup title. He’s picked up right where he left off this season, recording 15 points through his first 16 games, and is likely to be highly sought-after by both KHL and NHL clubs this off-season. Nesterov, 26, is Grigorenko’s teammate for CSKA, coming over with him in 2017 after three NHL seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens. Nesterov is a reliable defensive defenseman, which can often be hard to find in the KHL. He has played an important role for Moscow over the past two years, even if he doesn’t frequent the score sheet. Both Grigorenko and Nesterov are core pieces for CSKA and the team will not let them walk away easily. However, that didn’t stop Dubas from doing his due diligence on the duo in case they do become available. The Maple Leafs have been successful of late in prying talent from the KHL, including the likes of Par Lindholm, Igor Ozhiganov, and now Ilya Mikheyev. He appears to be readying himself for another run at Russia’s elite this summer.

  • While most only think of Sergei Zubov as a former NHL defenseman, and soon a Hockey Hall of Famer, he has continued his hockey career overseas as a coach. After hanging up his skates in 2010, Zubov joined the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg as an assistant coach in 2011. He spent five years as an assistant with St. Petersburg and CSKA Moscow before being named head coach of HK Sochi ahead of the 2017-18 season. In two plus seasons, Zubov did not have as much success from the bench as he had on the ice in his playing career. Sochi qualified for the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, but in both years they finished with a negative goal differential, last season they finished below .500 in the regular season, and they were bounced easily in the first round to end both postseason efforts. With just five wins in their first 17 games to begin this season, Sochi has opted for a coaching change. The KHL announced that Sochi has fired Zubov, who will now be left to look elsewhere for coaching work. Perhaps when he is in Toronto for Induction Weekend in November there will be NHL executives with interest in speaking to him about a full-time return to North America. A world-class talent on defense, it’s hard to imagine Zubov staying unemployed for long if he wished to continue coaching.
  • Former New York Islander David Ullstrom is on his way out of the KHL. After spending last season with the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners, under contract with the Arizona Coyotes, Ullstrom returned to Europe this season, signing with Dinamo Riga of the KHL. However, he has already parted ways with Riga after playing in just eleven games. EHC Biel-Bienne of the Swiss NLA has scooped up the free agent forward, announcing that they have signed Ullstrom to a one-year contract. Ullstrom, 30, spent three seasons with the Islanders organization from 2010 to 2013, recording 13 points in 49 NHL games. While his ability was always apparent, the Swedish power forward struggled with puck security and decision-making, leading to a lack of trust at the top level. He has gone on to find success in the KHL and SHL in recent years, but never to the extent expected of him when he was a prospect. Ullstrom performed well with Tuscon last year, recording 23 points in 29 games, and some questioned his decision to return to Europe. He was never recalled by Arizona, but had his foot in the door with the organization. An NHL return seems unlikely now, but a strong season could get him back into AHL or even two-way contract consideration. He likely hopes that his first foray into Swiss hockey will produce a career season and possibly a multi-year deal, as he has played for nine different teams in the seven years since he left the Islanders and has never once spent more than a season and a half in one spot.

Snapshots: Gagarin Cup, Sorokin, Carr

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The 2019 Gagarin Cup belongs to CSKA Moscow after finishing off their sweep of Avangard today. The club was a powerhouse all season as usual, but finally won their first  championship after getting to the final in three of the last four years. Former NHL forward Mikhail Grigorenko led the way with 13 goals and 21 points in the playoffs for CSKA, while Cody Franson did his best for Avangard with 17 points to lead all defenders.

With the KHL season now officially over, we’ll start to see more and more rumors pop up about the next wave of Russian talent heading to North America. Contracts technically go through the end of April, but even players on CSKA will now be able to negotiate their future in the NHL if they so choose.

  • The winners couldn’t have gotten there without New York Islanders draft pick Ilya Sorokin, who was named playoff MVP. The 23-year old goaltender stopped 36 of 38 shots in the final game giving him a .947 save percentage for the playoffs. The incredible young netminder recorded five shutouts during his 20-game Cup run, showing once again why he is considered one of the best goaltenders currently outside of the NHL. Sorokin’s contract with CSKA extends through 2019-20, and at this point it is not clear when he plans on coming over to North America, if at all.
  • Speaking of outstanding performances from outside of the NHL, Daniel Carr was named AHL MVP today and will receive the Les Cunningham Award. Carr played just 52 games this season for the Chicago Wolves but was an absolutely dominant presence during them. The 27-year old forward recorded 71 points, putting him third in league scoring despite playing 20 fewer games than his contemporaries.  Carr is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and can sign with the team of his choosing, likely looking for another chance at the NHL. The undrafted forward has 35 points in 100 career NHL games.

Several KHL Stars Eyeing Return To NHL

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The Kontinental Hockey League is well past the midway point of their season and players are beginning to look ahead to next year. The NHL off-season is still a ways away, but many KHLers are already hoping to get a chance at the highest level next year. While few European pros who would like to play in the NHL actually possess the name value or ability to do so, those with experience in the league stand a far better chance. In his latest “31 Thoughts” article, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman identified three former NHLers currently excelling overseas who have the interest and the talent to end up back in the league next season: Mikhail Grigorenko, Nikita Nesterov, and Victor Antipin.

Of the trio, Grigorenko stands out as truly shining this season in the KHL. The CSKA Moscow star has 34 points through 35 games, leading the team in scoring and in the top ten league-wide in per-game production. Grigorenko looks far better in his second season in the KHL than he did last year and could be catching the eye of NHL teams. The 2012 No. 12 overall pick possesses immense skill, as well as good size and physical ability. However, in stints with the Buffalo Sabres and Colorado Avalanche over five seasons, he could never quite put it all together. Grigorenko was traded away by Buffalo as part of the Ryan O’Reilly trade in 2015 and improved substantially during two seasons in Denver, but nevertheless bolted for his native Russia after he was not qualified by the team and became a free agent two years ago. CSKA is thankful that he did, as Grigorenko’s play has fueled the team to the top spot in the standings as of now. Grigorenko has likely matured as a player  and leader since his NHL days and could be an intriguing option this summer.

Nesterov also has his fair share of NHL experience, skating as the sixth or seventh defenseman for the Tampa Bay Lightning for parts of three seasons before being dealt to the Montreal Canadiens ahead of the 2017 NHL Trade Deadline. Nesterov showed good two-way ability in his limited roles with the Bolts and Habs, but was also prone to poor stretches and bad mistakes. He signed with CSKA the same off-season as Grigorenko, but was able to make an immediate impact in his first season, posting 19 points in 42 games while often playing top-pair minutes. Yet, Nesterov is already about to surpass that mark this season, with 18 points through 35 games. Nesterov is within the top ten defensemen in the KHL in scoring this season and his play is also part of the reason that CSKA has allowed far fewer goals than nearly every other team in the league.

One of few blue liners with more points than Nesterov this season is Antipin, who unlike the other two is just one year removed from the NHL. However, he also has just the one season in the league to his credit and it was far from impressive. Antipin made his NHL debut last year after signing with the Buffalo Sabres. He skated in 47 games with the team, but failed to score a goal and only added ten assists. It was far from a surprise that he left Buffalo to return home this summer. A failed first NHL season won’t stop the hype over the swift skating defenseman though; Friedman reports that the speculation of an Antipin return is fueled more so by interest from NHL teams than the player’s own desire to play in the league. Antipin has 21 points in 40 games this year for Metallurg Magnitogorsk, fourth-best on the team. A balanced two-way game, especially in the offense-heavy KHL, is often a good way to impress NHL scouts and Antipin may get his second chance far sooner than he might have expected.

Sergey Tolchinsky Signs With KHL’s CSKA Moscow

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Sergey Tolchinsky is an enigma, but one commonly found among Russian players. The young forward has loads of talent and ability, but for some reason struggled to put it all together at the pro level in North America. Likely frustrated by the disconnect between his skill and his production over three years with the Carolina Hurricanes organization, Tolchinsky signed a try-out deal back in June with CSKA Moscow of the KHL, the parent club of his former junior team. Today, the league announced that Tolchinsky has earned a roster spot, signing a one-year contract with CSKA.

Tolchinsky, 23, may not be entirely done with the NHL, but at the very least he won’t be suiting up in 2018-19. However, a comeback can never be ruled out for  player with so much natural talent who has previously shown a commitment to the North American game. Although undersized at 5’8″ and 170 pounds, Tolchinsky has proven to be a very capable scorer, albeit streaky in the AHL. Tolchinsky made the trek across the Atlantic early in his development, joining the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in 2012-13 after being selected 12th overall in the CHL Import Draft. In his first North American junior season, the then-17-year-old notched 51 points in 62 games, outscoring teammates like Jared McCann, Darnell Nurse, and Tyler Gaudet. Yet, Tolchinsky went undrafted in 2013. The Hurricanes were quick to jump on the free agent, inking him to an entry-level deal, although he played two more years for the Greyhounds. Tolchinsky led Soo in scoring in each of those seasons, amassing 186 points in 127 games. He entered the pro ranks with high expectations, but struggled to score at the same rate, finishing his first campaign with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers with 36 points in 72 games and a -16 rating. With point totals and games played totals even lower than that in each of the past two seasons since, Tolchinsky simply couldn’t replicate his success in the AHL. Although he managed to contribute a pair of assists in four games with the Hurricanes, his inconsistency in Charlotte prevented any full-time promotion and the disgruntled Russian did not see any NHL action in 2017-18.

Now, Tolchinsky looks re-establish himself back home in Russia. There has never been a question of how skilled the young winger is, but rather can he put it all together. Skating for a CSKA squad that has been almost dynastic in its success this decade, he stands a good chance of producing plentiful points and boosting his image. Tolchinsky will be re-united with Hurricanes teammate Klas Dahlbeck and will also call the likes of Mikhail Grigorenko, Linden Vey, Jannik Hansen, Sergey Kalinin, Anton Slepyshev, Kirill Kaprizov, Nikita Nesterov, Alexey Marchenko, and Ilya Sorokin his teammates. Moscow looks to be dominant again this season and Tolchinsky will be one of many members of the team keeping an eye out for NHL offers next off-season. The Hurricanes chose not to qualify Tolchinsky, a restricted free agent, after he chose to sign with CSKA, meaning he is free to sign with any NHL team when his new contract in the KHL expires.

 

Klas Dahlbeck Signs In KHL

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June 1st: The contract is now official, as CSKA announced the signing this afternoon. It is a one-year deal for Dahlbeck, opening the door to an NHL return in the near future if his season goes well in Moscow. For their part, CSKA seems excited for the potential that the veteran defender brings in their efforts to strengthen the blue line next year.

May 22nd: According to Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer, Carolina GM Don Waddell has confirmed Dahlbeck’s departure to the KHL.

April 27th: It was a forgettable 2017-18 season for Klas Dahlbeck. The 26-year-old defenseman re-signed with the Carolina Hurricanes expecting an expanded role, only to lose his job to rookie Haydn Fleury. Dahlbeck proceeded to suit up for just 33 games, spending much of his time watching from the press box. In what little action he saw, Dahlbeck recorded just five points and had the worst possession numbers of any Hurricanes defenseman. It was a disappointing campaign for the 2011 third-round pick and former AHL standout who at one time carried much promise.

Now it seems Dahlbeck is looking to move on the next stage of his hockey career. According to the Sports Business Gazette out of Russia, Dahlbeck is preparing to sign in the KHL this season (link in Russian). Dahlbeck won’t be joining just any team, but one of the league’s most elite organizations, CSKA Moscow. CSKA is fresh off the second-best regular season record in the KHL and an appearance in the Gagarin Cup final. They’ve been collecting displaced NHLers in recent years, including the likes of Valeri Nichushkin, Mikhail Grigorenko, Nikita Nesterov, and Alexey Marchenko, and the Swedish-born blue liner Dahlbeck appears to be next in line.

While the contract has yet to be signed and neither CSKA nor Carolina have confirmed the move, this is a deal that seems logical and likely to happen. Dahlbeck has shown capable two-way play in the past and will likely step in and be a solid presence on the CSKA back end. Meanwhile, it’s no loss for the Hurricanes, who have one of the most talented young defensive corps in the league, with six bona fide starters under 27, and could still add to that group with top prospect Jake Bean next season.

Russia Announces Olympic Roster

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Even though they’ll have to compete under a neutral flag and call themselves Olympic Athletes from Russia, the RIHF didn’t shy away from their branding on the release of the 25-man roster. Team Russia is the likely favorite for the tournament, loaded with talent from the KHL including quite a few former NHL stars

The full roster is as follows:

G Igor Shestyorkin
G Ilya Sorokin
G Vasily Koshechkin

D Artyom Zub
D Dinar Khafizullin
D Vladislav Gavrikov
D Slava Voynov
D Andrei Zubarev
D Alexey Marchenko
D Bogdan Kiselevich
D Nikita Nesterov

F Ivan Telegin
F Sergei Mozyakin
F Sergei Andronov
F Pavel Datsyuk
F Sergey Kalinin
F Mikhail Grigorenko
F Ilya Kablukov
F Kirill Kaprizov
F Sergei Shirokov
F Ilya Kovalchuk
F Nikolai Prokhorkin
F Vadim Shipachyov
F Alexander Barabanov
F Nikita Gusev

Five Russian Players Not Invited To Participate At Olympics

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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has extended invitations to 42 of the 47 players submitted by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF) for consideration for the upcoming Games. Interestingly though, the IOC did not invite the following players to participate:

D Anton Belov
D Alexei Bereglazov
D Mikhail Naumenkov
F Valeri Nichushkin
F Sergei Plotnikov

The RIHF released a statement following the decision, stating that the five players have not been banned from international competitions and are not guilty of any doping violations. Still, the reasons for the snub have not been given and the RIHF has reached out for some clarity.

These would seem to be fairly important omissions for Russia, especially on defense where the club is relatively thin. By looking at the remaining names that did receive invitations one can start to see how the team will be made up. 25 names that make up the roster will will be released on Thursday.

F Sergei Andronov
F Alexander Barabanov
F Anton Burdasov
D Vyacheslav Voynov
D Vladislav Gavrikov
F Nikita Gusev
F Mikhail Grigorenko
F Pavel Datsyuk
G Vasily Demchenko
D Artyom Zub
D Andrei Zubarev
F Sergey Kalinin
F Kirill Kaprizov
D Bogdan Kiselevich
F Ilya Kovalchuk
G Vasily Koshechkin
F Ilya Kablukov
F Evgeny Ketov
F Pavel Kraskovsky
F Yegor Korshkov
F Roman Lyubimov
D Ilya Lyubushkin
D Alexey Marchenko
F Sergei Mozyakin
D Nikita Nesterov
F Nikolai Prokhorkin
D Yegor Rykov
G Ilya Samsonov
F Andrei Svetlakov
G Ilya Sorokin
F Viktor Tikhonov
F Ivan Telegin
F Vladimir Tkachyov (unclear which one)
D Nikita Tryamkin
F Maxim Shalunov
G Alexander Sharychenkov
F Sergei Shirokov
F Vadim Shipachyov
F Sergei Shumakov
G Igor Shestyorkin
F Dinar Khafizullin
D Yegor Yakovlev

Conspicuously missing is Andrei Markov, who has had a very successful season for Ak-Bars in the KHL after leaving the Montreal Canadiens, scoring 28 points in 52 games. Why he was left off the preliminary list is unclear, though perhaps they wanted to go in a younger direction on defense.

KHL Notes: Off-Season, Gilroy, Roy, Zadorov

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Given the relatively weak NHL free agent market and the financial instability of the KHL, it would not have been a surprise to see an influx of talent come overseas this off-season. When Vadim Shipachyov signed with the Vegas Golden Knights in June, it seemed that floodgates were about to open. Yet, one month later, it’s been quite the opposite. Other than Shipachyov’s SKA St. Petersburg teammate Evgeni Dadonov signing with the Florida Panthers, most big names in the KHL have re-signed, while others in North America have crossed over. Already, Mikhail Grigorenko and Nikita Nesterov have left the NHL for a return to Russia, as have Sergey Kalinin and Roman Lyubimov; prospects Nikita Gusev, Kirill Kaprizov, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Ilya Sorokin have decided to stay put, and so too have former NHLers playing overseas like Ben Scrivens, Paul Szczechura, and of course Ilya Kovalchuk; and even Nashville Predator’s first-round pick Eeli Tolvanen, spurned by Boston College, has signed in the KHL.

  • Joining the trend of former NHLers staying in the KHL and joining Tolvanen with Helsinki, Finland-based club Jokerit is defenseman Matt Gilroy. The team announced the signing this morning, inking one of the KHL’s top-scoring blue liners to a one-year deal. Gilroy, 32, is a former Boston University standout who played in 225 NHL games over six seasons with the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Ottawa Senators, and Florida Panthers. Unable to ever find a long-term home or lock down a regular role, Gilroy crossed the Atlantic in 2014 and has never looked back. Gilroy had the best season of his professional career in 2016-17, but nonetheless decided to stick it out overseas.
  • NHL veteran and four-time 20-goal scorer Derek Roy has bucked the trend of staying in the KHL, but he’s also not heading back to the NHL next season either. Roy continues his tour around Europe, as he has left Russia to sign in Sweden. Roy originally left the NHL to sign in Switzerland with the NLA’s SC Bern in 2015, and after a strong campaign, took a step up to the KHL. Roy played 21 games with Avangard Omsk last year before a mid-season trade sent him to Traktor Chelyabinsk for 34 games and the postseason. Altogether, Roy posted just 11 goals and 11 assists in the KHL last year, a drop off from his production in the NLA and from his NHL days as well. Roy will try his hand at the SHL this season, after signing with Linkoping HC, and will try to boost his offense back toward the 30+ point mark that he hit in the NLA and annually reached in the NHL, even at the end. At 34 years old, Roy is still trying to make the most of his ability overseas, but the door is not closed for a member of the NHL’s 500-point club to eventually try to make his North American comeback
  • CSKA fans shouldn’t get their hopes up, but KHL insider Aivis Kalnins is reporting that the club has a deal in place with young Colorado Avalanche defenseman Nikita Zadorov if the restricted free agent cannot come to terms on a new NHL deal. The news has gained traction today, but seems unlikely to be anything more than jsut a negotiation tactic. The 22-year-old blue liner is from Moscow, where CSKA plays, but played his junior hockey with the London Knights of the OHL before being drafted 16th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2013. Zadorov may have connections to his hometown team, but has always shown a commitment to North American hockey. The 6’5″, 230-lb. defender logged almost 20 minutes of ice time per game last year for Colorado, and even though they were historically bad, it seems extremely unlikely that they would let their best young defenseman go unsigned. The Avs have plenty of cap room and will budge on term if need be. Even if they couldn’t come to terms, the rebuilding Avs could get plenty in return for dealing Zadorov. Don’t expect him to use the CSKA safety blanket this off-season or any time soon. Grigorenko will be the only 2016-17 Avs member headed to Russia next season.

Nikita Nesterov, Mikhail Grigorenko Sign In KHL

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A pair of players have decided their underwhelming NHL careers are over for now, as Nikita Nesterov and Mikhail Grigorenko have both signed three-year deals with CSKA Moscow of the KHL. Nesterov’s agent had recently reported that he had at least two NHL offers, while Grigorenko did not receive a qualifying offer from the last place Colorado Avalanche.

Talent continues to stream away from the KHL despite any thoughts of Olympic participation, with players like Vladimir Sobotka, Evgeni Dadonov, Vadim Shipachyov, Alexei Bereglazov, Viktor Antipin and Klim Kostin all coming over in the past few months. Even non-Russian players like Jakub Jerabek and Stephane Da Costa are leaving the KHL for greener pastures. With that, the league has tried desperately to recruit some of their former talent back, getting Nikita Tryamkin and others to return before today.

We’ve written extensively over the past few days on Nesterov, who has had trouble finding a role in the NHL. Though his offensive ability suggests he should be able to quarterback a powerplay and take advantage of third pairing matchups, he’s never consistently shown that he can perform in those roles. A mid-season trade to the Canadiens was an even worse fit than with the Lightning, and ended with him going unqualified by Montreal this offseason.

Grigorenko on the other hand is an even worse story. Drafted 12th-overall in 2012 after dominating the Canadian junior ranks, Grigorenko was supposed to develop into a powerful center capable of playing in all scenarios. Buffalo began developing him before quickly realizing he wasn’t going to be that top-line player, and including him in a trade to Colorado for Ryan O’Reilly. In Colorado, given all the opportunity in the world with skilled players and on the powerplay, Grigorenko was still only able to reach a career-high of 27 points. He just didn’t play as big as he looked, and had trouble bringing a consistent effort.

Now just 23, it’s far from over for Grigorenko in terms of an NHL career. Should he find his game in Russia and develop into the two-way center his skills should allow, there will likely be several suitors in a few seasons to bring him back. He clearly had dreams of playing in the NHL, coming over to play in Canada when he was just 16. That dream isn’t dead, but it will be put on hold for a while.

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