Former NHL second-round pick and Tampa Bay Lightning leaves North America for the KHL

Former second round pick Boris Katchouk is taking his game to Russia, ending his North American pro career for now with a fresh start in Chelyabinsk

Boris Katchouk's path through the NHL has taken a lot of twists over the last decade, and now it's leading him overseas.

The 28 year old winger has agreed to a one year deal with Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL, closing the book on his time in North American pro hockey, at least for now.

Tampa Bay took Katchouk 44th overall back in the 2016 draft, and he spent nearly six seasons in the organization before Chicago acquired him in the trade that sent Brandon Hagel the other way in 2022.

He put together his most productive NHL stretch with the Blackhawks, appearing in 117 of his 179 career NHL games there, and also had a run with Ottawa after being claimed off waivers in 2023.

This past season turned into a whirlwind.

He started with Tampa's organization, got dealt to Minnesota in December, then landed with Philadelphia in March, splitting AHL time between three different affiliates along the way.

He only saw three NHL games all year, going pointless while working mostly as a natural winger pressed into faceoff duty.

At 6 foot 2 with a well rounded offensive game, Katchouk still has qualities that translate well outside the NHL grind, even if steady top level minutes never quite materialized for him.

The KHL gives him a chance to play a bigger role and rebuild some momentum in his career, even if it means stepping away from North America for the time being.

Whether this becomes a permanent shift or just a one year detour is something only time will answer.

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