- Zakhar Bardakov says he “100%” wants to get back to the NHL after leaving Colorado for the KHL
- His one-year SKA deal and the Avalanche’s qualifying offer keep a return open as soon as next season
- Read below for what Bardakov said about treating the KHL move as a bridge, not an exit
Zakhar Bardakov isn’t done with the NHL.
The SKA St. Petersburg forward told Sport Express, in an interview relayed by Pro Hockey Rumors, that he fully plans to return to Colorado after a quick trip back to Russia following his rookie season with the Avalanche.
Bardakov was asked about his NHL future and didn’t dance around it.
“I 100% want to return there. Now I understand how everything works. That league pushes you to get better every single day, you work on yourself, and you realize you’re actually a solid player. That’s why the contract with SKA is only for one year.”
His exit wasn’t a case of quitting on the NHL. Bardakov’s entry-level deal with the Avalanche carried a clause that let him head back to the KHL if he got assigned to the AHL instead of sticking on Colorado’s roster. When the Avalanche sent him to their AHL affiliate, that clause kicked in and gave him a way out of the minors.
Colorado still holds his NHL rights through a qualifying offer, and the short SKA term matters. A one-year deal in Russia could put him back in an Avalanche uniform as soon as next season if he lights it up over there.
Bardakov framed the whole thing as a bridge rather than a retreat.
“I’ll play here for now, and in a year, maybe I’ll head back.”
The numbers from his debut year won’t jump off the page. Bardakov put up 10 points in 60 games and averaged a shade over seven minutes a night, mostly in a fourth-line role. He still came away convinced the level of competition is exactly what he needs to keep climbing.
Here’s Bardakov’s first NHL goal from back in October:
The 25-year-old heads back to proving himself in the KHL, the same league he left Colorado to rejoin earlier this month. We covered that move when he signed with SKA and walked away from the Avalanche.
His rights stay in Denver, his sights stay on Colorado, and the clock on that one-year SKA deal is already ticking.
