Alexander Barabanov Considering Leaving NHL After Struggling Through 2023-24

It was a dreadful season for Alexander Barabanov this past year with the San Jose Sharks, as he recorded just four goals and 13 points in 46 games, after averaging 43 points per season in the previous two campaigns. Now, the Russian forward is apparently garnering plenty of interest to come back home to the KHL and leave the NHL behind.

Barabanov's agent, Yuri Nikolaev told Russian outlet Championat, "There is interest in Aleksandr Barabanov from a number of (KHL) clubs. It is too early for me as his representative to comment on anything."

Barabanov is a graduate of the St. Petersburg hockey school, and played six seasons for SKA there before coming to the NHL in 2020-21 with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was traded to the Sharks the next season, where he established himself as a solid secondary scorer, with 10-goal and 15-goal seasons over the next two years, averaging about 17½ minutes of ice time per game.

He became a UFA after the just-concluded disastrous season, in which he suffered through a number of injuries and played just 46 games for San Jose while struggling for those meager 13 points. Without much interest coming his way from NHL clubs, it's not surprising that he'd be considering a return to Russia.

He put up some decent third-line type numbers at St. Petersburg in his time there from 2015 through 2020, averaging just under 13 goals per game in his last four KHL seasons, while posting impressive plus/minus numbers, compiling a +74 in his five full campaigns.

Whether he'd want to wait around in North America for a potential PTO, or just ensure himself a spot back in the KHL, remains to be seen.