The Vancouver Canucks have signed KHLer Nikita Tryamkin to a two-year entry-level deal, according to a report from News 1130 in Vancouver.
The Canucks have been eager to bring the 21-year-old defenceman over to North America. He has played the last four seasons with Yekaterinburg Avtomobilist, and was released from the final two months of his KHL contract following the completion of the season Thursday.
Vancouver’s 2014 third-round pick could even join the team this season.
“There’s a player we drafted, Nikita Tryamkin, that we’re in negotiation with his team to bring him over as soon as we can,” general manager Jim Benning said Friday.
The 6-foot-6, 220-pound blue-liner registered 11 points (a career high) and 71 penalty minutes with his club this season and led his club’s defencemen in ice-time per game during their short playoff run.
“As far as him staying over here for the long term, we’re going to sign him and get him over here practising and then hopefully get him in some games between now and the end of the season,” Benning told the Vancouver Sun Sunday.
“If he’s ready (for the NHL), that’s perfect. If he still needs time to develop, we’ll have to talk to him. With all Russian players, you hope that they stick it out for that development period and are part of your team long term.”
