With Brandon Saad being traded yesterday, the Chicago Blackhawks wasted no time in signing his replacement. Long considered one of the best players outside of the NHL, the Hawks have signed former Phoenix Coyotes draft pick Viktor Tikhonov to a one-year deal.
The Blackhawks and forward Viktor Tikhonov have agreed to terms on a one-year contract, according to a source.
— ESPN Chicago (@ESPNChiHawks) July 1, 2015
Tikhonov one-year deal in CHI is worth $1.04M
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2015
Tikhonov was drafted in the first round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft with the 28th pick by the Coyotes. His grandfather of the same name is a Russia hockey legend.
The 27-year-old Tikhonov has most recently played with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL where he spent four years after leaving North America after the 2010-11 season. Last year he had 8 goals and 24 points in 49 games. He also had a goal and an assist in the playoffs for the Gagarin Cup champions.
In total in the KHL he had 69 goals and 130 points in 207 games. He is a proven playoff performer as well, despite his mediocre numbers this year with 29 points in 50 playoff games.
He has also had plenty of success with the Russian national team, being one of the team’s best performers since he debuted for the senior team at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi. He had a bronze medal at the 2007 World Junior Championships, and a Gold and a Silver with Russia at the World Championships.
The 2014 World Championships were the highlight of his career as he led the tournament in scoring with 16 points en route to a goal medal for Russia. In 22 games with the Russian national team he has 20 points.
With Phoenix, Tikhonov had an ever so brief NHL career. He played only one season, 2008-09, before spending two more with the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL. In 61 NHL games Tikhonov has 8 goals and 16 points.
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