Two Former Predators Team Up in Russia

Former Nashville Predators players Denis Gurianov and Egor Afanasyev are set to take the ice in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in Russia next season for CSKA Moscow.

Gurianov signed a two-year deal with the Russian club, while Afanasyev signed a three-year deal as noted in a KHL press release on August 1, 2024.

The Predators previously loaned Afanaysev to CSKA during the 2020-21 season, so there is already some familiarity between the two sides. 

Both Gurianov and Afanasyev found themselves struggling to make Nashville their permanent home after beginning last season with the Predators’ AHL affiliate, Milwaukee Admirals. 

General manager Barry Trotz signed Gurianov to a one-year, $750,000 contract last summer as a low-risk, potentially high offensive reward.

Gurianov began his season in Milwaukee registering 30 points in 27 games before the Predators recalled him to the NHL to see if the offense could translate. It did not, as Gurianov only tallied one goal and one assist through fourteen games before being dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for forward Wade Allison in March 2024. The Predators opted to not re-sign Allison earlier this summer and, ironically enough, Allison also signed with a KHL club, Barys Astana, based in Kazakhstan. 

The relationship between the Predators and Afanasyev was quite different than between the Predators and Gurianov.

Afanasyev seemed to have all of the intangibles to become a nightly presence at the NHL level. He had size, skill, leadership, and a fun personality. Unfortunately for the young Russian, there simply was never a fit in Nashville and when Afanasyev was given opportunities, he never seemed to provide that wow factor many were looking for. After scoring 54 points in 57 games for the Admirals last season and zero points in two games for the Predators, Trotz decided that Afanasyev was not in the Predators’ future plans and dealt him to the San Jose Sharks for Ozzy Wiesblatt, who also played for the Admirals last season due to a loan arrangement. Afanasyev was set to become a restricted free agent this summer prior to being traded. 

While both players are currently continuing their professional hockey journeys outside the NHL, it’s likely a pay raise and more consistent playing time at the top level highly impact their decisions. The KHL remains a strong league, so this does not mean we have necessarily seen the last of these two players in North America. 

Follow Clay Brewer on Twitter/X: @ClayBrewer10

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