2018 first-round pick Grigori Denisenko will remain in the KHL for at least another season, as he has signed a one-year contract extension with his current club, Ak Bars Kazan. The deal runs through the 2026-27 season. Although Denisenko was unable to live up to his former top prospect billing at the NHL level, he did develop into a capable AHL scorer across stints in the Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights, and Nashville Predators organizations.
Denisenko’s most recent season in North America was 2024-25. He scored 10 goals and 24 points in 42 games for the Henderson Silver Knights before he was traded to the Nashville Predators in February of 2025. He spent the rest of the season with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, scoring 15 points in 23 regular season games.
After scoring just one point in eight Milwaukee playoff games, Denisenko left for the KHL, signing in Kazan. This past season, Denisenko scored 14 goals and 28 points in 64 KHL games. That was likely not enough production to garner substantial interest from NHL clubs, but if he can reach a new level of scoring in the KHL, it’s not out of the question the 26-year-old could return to North America down the line.
Other minor transactions from across the hockey world:
Marek Hejduk, the son of former Colorado Avalanche star forward Milan Hejduk, has decided to begin a European professional career. The 22-year-old is joining Czech side HC Motor České Budějovice on a tryout basis. Hejduk dipped his toes in the waters of pro hockey late last season, signing with the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies after a four-year NCAA career at Harvard.
In eight games in Utah, Hejduk managed four goals and six points. He also scored 32 points in 124 career NCAA games.
Veteran AHL defenseman Josiah Didier has decided to continue his professional career overseas. The 33-year-old has signed a contract with the SHL’s IF Björklöven for next season. A 2011 Montreal Canadiens draft pick, Didier has been an AHL regular for the last decade.
A Calder Cup champion, Didier has skated in 539 career AHL games. He played in 43 games for the Laval Rocket last season, and added five playoff games played as well. The Colorado native hasn’t played in Europe so far in his pro career, but will join a newly-promoted Björklöven squad hoping to make some noise in their first campaign in Sweden’s top flight in a quarter-century.