Speaking About Going Home...

It's hard to believe that this guy played in the 2024 NHL All-Star Game, but it seems like Alexandar Georgiev's time in the NHL is done after his struggles in recent seasons. While there's always a chance that he could return, the Buffalo Sabres and Georgiev agreed to terminate his contract, allowing him to become a free agent. In doing so, Georgiev is heading home as he's signed a two-year deal with Spartak Moscow as he looks to re-establish his game that once made him a potential starter in the NHL. One has to hope that this move to Russia will help because he certainly wasn't having a good time moving between three teams in the last calendar year.

The 29 year-old netminder joins a Spartak Moscow team that's in the middle of the Western Conference standings despite beating Ak Bars Kazan 1-0 today. Artyom Zagidulin grabbed the shutout by stopping 31 saves, and it looks like he'll have some serious competition for the crease with Georgiev finding his way onto the roster. After coaching changes that saw Alexei Kovalev and Igor Kravchuk leave and Oleg Kvasha promoted from the junior ranks as the Spartak Moscovites are looking to catch Dynamo Moscow who have a five-point advantage.

It's not like Spartak has been getting stellar goaltending all season long. Zagidulin has played in 21 games, going 6-9-0 with a 3.40 GAA and an .891 save percentage. Comparatively, Georgiev posted an 0-2-0 record with the AHL's Rochester Americans while sporting a 3.57 GAA and an .896 save percentage, so it's not like Spartak signed Dominik Hasek to a deal. In theory, this seems like Spartak simply looking for a better goaltending situation by default by signing a guy who has, in the past, shown to be capable of providing that.

Of course, the big question will be whether or not Georgiev can find the magic that made him an NHL All-Star in 2024 or even how he played during the 2022-23 season when he was 40-16-6 with a 2.51 GAA and a .919 save percentage with Colorado - easily the best numbers of his career. He's only a few seasons away from that year, so it's not like age has caught up to him that quickly. Is it a work ethic situation? Is it complacency? One may never know unless Georgiev can improve his numbers and make his way back to North America.

As it stands, Spartak Moscow sits in sixth-place in the KHL's Western Conference, just one point up on eighth-place SKA St. Petersburg and four points up on ninth-place CSKA Moscow. They need a big push to help them climb back into the top-four teams in the conference as they look to catch both Dinamo Minsk and Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. Getting some solid goaltending could be the catalyst for that push, and there's hope that Alexandar Georgiev can be that goalie.

Adding a former Vezina Trophy candidate is always a good way to bolster one's team, but Spartak Moscow's signing of Alexandar Georgiev may end up being a wash if their goaltending doesn't improve with him between the pipes. If they want to make a deep run towards the Gagarin Cup, they're going to need a better Georgiev than the one that showed up for the Rochester Americans this season.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!