- Hunter Shepard is close to signing a one-year deal with KHL club Barys Astana, per a Russian report
- The 30-year-old goalie would play his first pro hockey outside North America after five NHL games and back-to-back Calder Cups
- Read below for Shepard’s résumé and the five Hershey teammates waiting for him in Kazakhstan
Hunter Shepard is headed overseas for the first time in his pro career.
The 30-year-old goaltender is close to signing a one-year contract with KHL club Barys Astana, according to Russian outlet Sila Sporta. Shepard is an unrestricted free agent this summer and would land as the presumptive starter in Kazakhstan.
This would be his first stop outside North America since he turned pro in 2020-21. Last season was also his first away from the Washington Capitals organization, and it bounced him around. He signed with Ottawa, then got dealt to Montreal in March.
Most of the year played out in the AHL with Belleville and Laval. Shepard did get one NHL appearance with the Senators, coming on in relief during a 5-3 loss to Detroit on January 5. He stopped 10 of 12 shots.
His best hockey has come in the minors, and there is a lot of it. Shepard was the starter for Hershey’s back-to-back Calder Cup titles, winning playoff MVP in 2023 and the Baz Bastien Award as the AHL’s top goaltender in 2024.
Here’s the Bears announcing that award:
He put up a 1.76 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage across 34 games that season, both league bests. Watch the local coverage of the honor:
Barys will feel a bit like a Hershey reunion. Five former Bears are already on the roster for 2026-27: Logan Day, Jake Massie, Chase Priskie, Mason Morelli, and Garrett Pilon.
Shepard’s five career NHL games came with Washington, where he went 2-2-1 with a 3.94 goals-against average. The crease in Astana looks like a bigger opportunity than anything the AHL was offering him this offseason.
Plenty of familiar names are cashing in overseas this summer, including goalie Jakub Skarek, who left the NHL for Germany.
