Prospect Dmitri Samorukov to spend next season in the KHL

According to an article published by RS Sport out of Russia, Edmonton Oilers defensive prospect, Dmitri Samorukov, will be spending the upcoming season with CSKA Moscow in the KHL rather than with the Bakersfield Condors.

Originally drafted in the third round (84th overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Dmitri Samorukov is a defensive prospect with all kinds of promise and upside that many Oilers fans have been watching closely. After posting a fantastic final year with the Guelph Storm that saw Samorukov’s offensive side blossom to unexpected heights, he spent this past season with the Bakersfield Condors for the first year of his three-year ELC. So why the change of scenery? According to the tweets I could find, it’s been reported by Mikhail Zislis of Sport-Express that the Oilers and Samorukov have agreed to the transfer:

If I was to guess, which I’m going to do right now, I’d suspect that a sizeable chunk of this decision has to do with the fact that we still don’t know what’s going to happen to the AHL for the 2020-21 season. As a result of the Coronavirus, the NHL’s minor league cancelled the remainder of its season back on May 13th and not a whole lot has been said since. Could this move by Samorukov, who is only a third of the way through his first contract with the Oilers, simply be a way of making sure he can keep playing in the near future? Based on what I could find, the KHL is planning on kicking off their season in September whereas we still don’t know what’s going to happen with the AHL so maybe this is just a way of getting back on the ice sooner than later? Again, I’m only guessing.

So while this morning’s news may seem odd at first glance, all we can really do is wait and see how things go. But since Ken Holland is reportedly on board with the move, you’d have to hope that Samorukov’s one-year deal in the KHL has more to do with getting him some playing time in an uncertain period rather than his position within the organization. We shall see.