Vancouver Canucks placed Ilya Safonov on unconditional waivers Wednesday for contract termination as the forward gets set to return to the KHL.
The move comes after Safonov failed to crack the Canucks’ roster in training camp. He posted four assists in 12 games with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks this season.
“Ilya valued his time with the Canucks organization and built strong relationships with the coaching and development staff in Abbotsford,” Safonov’s agent, Dan Milstein, wrote in a statement on X. “While he did not reach his goal of playing in the NHL, he leaves grateful for the opportunity and will always look back on his time in Vancouver fondly.
“He is returning to the KHL and looks forward to competing against top players from Russia, Canada, the United States and beyond, including former Canuck Evander Kane.”
The 25-year-old centre signed with the Canucks in June on a one-year, two-way contract.
“Ilya had a solid year in Russia and a strong playoff,” Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson said at the time. “We like his size and player profile, and he will be given every opportunity to compete for a spot at training camp.”
He played last season with Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL, recording 16 goals and 33 points with 43 penalty minutes and a plus-18 rating. He added two goals and nine points in 20 postseason games, helping his team to the Gagarin Cup Final.
Originally drafted in sixth round of the 2021 draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, Safonov never signed an entry-level contract and joined with the Canucks as a free agent.