The Montreal Canadiens signed goaltender Vasili Demchenko from the KHL on Tuesday.
The Canadiens have agreed to terms on a one-year, entry-level contract (2020-21) with free agent goaltender Vasili Demchenko.#GoHabsGohttps://t.co/e0a09Ewu8O
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 21, 2020
The 2020 season was tough for Demchenko, as he was traded from Traktor Chelyabinsk to Metallurg Magnitogorsk mid-season, however he carried a terrible Traktor team for two season with an over .930 save percentage. The tall, lanky goalkeeper comes with experience and it is a very low-risk move by the team.
Demchenko is 26 years old. The contract is a one year, two-way contract. The contract will see Demchenko earn $700,000 in the NHL and $70,000 in the AHL, with a signing bonus of $92,500. It means the cap implications come with a very limited risk to the team’s salary cap.
Keith Kinkaid will see is contract expire at the end of the season, while the team has Cayden Primeau and Charlie Lindgren signed for next season. Michael McNiven is a restricted free agent and it remains to be seen whether he will be back in the fold after a tumultuous season that saw him move to three ECHL teams before settling with the Laval Rocket.
