Anton Khudobin signs with second-tier Russian team Sokol Krasnoyarsk

Long-time NHL goaltender Anton Khudobin has signed a contract to join Sokol Krasnoyarsk, a team in the second-tier Russian league, the VHL.

The team is best known to North Americans as being the club that signed Alex Semin during the 2012-13 lockout, and a gain for the 2017-18 season.

The 37-year-old spent most of last season with the AHL’s Texas Stars, posting a 13-4-4 record. He was moved to the Chicago Blackhawks as a salary dump ahead of the 2023 NHL trade deadline, and made his final NHL start on March 23. He allowed six goals on 28 shots against Washington, which ultimately helped the team land Connor Bedard with the first pick.

Drafted 206th by Minnesota in 2004, Khudobin made a name for himself as a reliable backup goaltender for about a decade. He had stints with the Wild, Boston (twice), Carolina, Anaheim, Dallas and Chicago, but he’ll be best remembered for his play during the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs.

With the Stars playing in the bubble, Khudobin took over for an injured Ben Bishop and led the team to the final for the first time since 1999, with Dallas eventually losing to Tampa Bay. He posted a 14-10-0 record with a .917 save percentage, backstopping a team that struggled to score.

Khudobin never managed to regain his same form and was sent to the AHL in 2021-22, where he went on to spend most of his remaining career in North American. Khudobin became an unrestricted free agent in July.

Khudobin has had multiple stints playing in his native Russia, most recently during the 2012-13 KHL lockout with Alant Mytishchi. The club lost the VHL final a year ago but are looking to bounce-back big this year. The club lost its season opener against CSK VVS Samara 3-2 in overtime on Saturday.