Chris Wassel is running the second ever KHL Fantasy Hockey League. Since I missed the draft, I’m putting together my roster from scratch.

It won’t be easy. Many of the big names are gone including Morozov, Stapleton, Kuznetsov, Kovalchuk, Radulov, Bochenski, Dallman, Thoresen, Janus, Tikhonov, Antropov, Frolov, Kalinin, Salak and Fedor Fedorov.

I have my work cut out. However, I’m looking forward to the challenge. A KHL league! Who ever would’ve believed it? Thanks Gary Bettman. I must select 6 starters and 3 bench players. A goalie, 2 defensemen and 3 forwards. Then a backup at each position. So, who will it be?

Already, the Siberia Express are pleased to select Jakub Petruzalek from Khaborovsk Amur. The former Ranger draft pick has been a KHL staple. We’re hoping he can kick start the offense. Speaking of ex-Rangers, it looks like Petr Prucha could be joining the team. Hopefully, he’s 100 percent for SKA St. Petersburg and can team with ring leader Ilya Kovalchuk. Another player who could sneak up is Marek Kvapil. After an unspectacular regular season with Moscow Dynamo, he exploded for 8 goals and 7 assists in the KHL Playoffs. He’ll start on our bench. Maybe this is the year the Czech puts it altogether.

Remarkably, I discovered that Sergei Moyzakhin is still available. He exploded last year for 35 goals and 41 assists on Magnitogorsk Metallurg. He’s been pretty consistent in the KHL. Welcome aboard! Or not. 😛

Cory Murphy is a no brainer for one of the D. The ex-Devil is a solid point producer. He doesn’t score a ton of goals but will set up plenty. Now for his partner. Regrettably, it won’t be Steve Eminger. Ilya Nikulin has quietly performed for AK Bars Kazan. He posted 12-22-34 last year. A similar 2013-14 would be perfect. If you’re looking for a storyline, Scotty Hockey took Bobby Sanguinetti, who’ll play for Atlant. Best of luck.

Our roster is nearly complete. Now for a goalie. The best are gone. So we’ll have to roll the dice. It’s worth noting that Sergei Bobrovsky dominated for SKA posting a 1.94 GAA with 18 wins and 4 shutouts. Then he took the number one job in Columbus and won the Vezina. Ari Ahonen was a former Devils first round pick who never quite fulfilled expectations. After wasting away in Albany, the Finn went to Europe. Since, he’s become a steady number one in the K. After back to back strong seasons with Magnitogorsk Metallurg, he’s moved on to Astana Barys. We’re pinning our hopes on the former River Rat. Stanislav Galimov had a bounce back year with Atlant Moscow winning 14 and posting a sub-2.00 GAA. Let’s see if he can duplicate it.

Finding a third blue liner proved tough. But we found two familiar names. Dylan Reese was a solid extra for the Islanders. The former Harvard Crimson could benefit in his first year with Khabarovsk Amur along with Brian Salcido. He was an offensive defenseman for Colorado College who put up numbers in the Ducks’AHL affiliate. I have a feeling one of them surprises in Year 1 in the KHL.

Siberia Express (SBE)

F Jakub Petruzalek (Amur)
F Petr Prucha (SKA)
F Sergei Moyzakhin (MET)
D Cory Murphy (DYN Mnsk)
D Ilya Nikulin (AK Bars)
G Ari Ahonen (AST)

F Marek Kvapil (SKA)
D Brian Salcido (Amur)
G Stanislav Galimov (ATL)

UPDATE: Unfortunately, it appears I’m too late on four players. Petruzalek, Moyzakhin, Nikulin and Ahonen were taken a half hour earlier. 😛 Since I am keeping the rest, I have to figure out my replacements. It definitely is proving difficult.

Igor Mirnov is a former Senators’ second round pick in 2003 who’s produced. I’m going to add him. That leaves three roster spots. Ex-Panther Evgeny Dadonov returned home last year with Donbass HC. The 24-year old posted 14 goals and 23 assists in 52 games. He’s got some skill. That rounds out my forwards. Losing out on Petruzalek and Moyzakhin sucks. It also looks like Prucha isn’t playing. He suffered a concussion last year. There are some decent options. I’m looking at Alexander Perezhogin and Randy Robitaille. Perezhogin was once Montreal property. He was really hyped but never amounted to much. Robitaille bounced around before posting almost a point-per-game clip for Metallurg and Donbass. Guess who we’re going with.

F Marek Kvapil

F Igor Mirnov

F Evgeny Dadonov

F Randy Robitaille

The back end needs a replacement for Nikulin. Anton Belov was my favorite KHL defenseman. He’s since moved on signing with Edmonton. This is a guy I would’ve loved to see as a Ranger. He’s a righty shot who plays power play. Watch the Oilers benefit. Alexander Osipov played for three rosters in ’12-13. He totaled 13 goals and nine assists for a career high 22 points. The previous two years, he went 9-5-14. Despite moving to his fourth team in a year, the 24-year old might be on the upswing. He’ll play for AK Bars Kazan. Chris just informed me that Murphy is playing in Sweden. So, I’ve tabbed Roman Savchenko as his replacement. That concludes the D.

D Cory Murphy

D Alexander Osipov

D Brian Salcido

Ahonen was a natural for our starting netminder. An ex-Devil castaway who was buried due to the egocentric MB30, it would’ve been perfect. Imagine Wassel cringing at the thought. Instead, we’ll have to find a suitable replacement. If you’ve seen the KHL, then you know goalies are a little harder to come by. Luckily, I found someone who will start for Metallurg. Vasily Koshechkin is 30 and coming off a monster season winning 22 games with a 2.13 GAA, .923 save percentage along with a league leading eight shutouts. Hard to believe he wasn’t taken. And the name rhymes with Ovechkin. Yeah. We went there. Even better, former Thrasher Michael Garnett’s still around. He’s an upgrade over Galimov. Dac vee daniyah!

G Vasily Koshechkin

G Michael Garnett

SIBERIA EXPRESS (Final Roster)

F Evgeny Dadonov (DON HC)

F Igor Mirnov (UFA Sal)

F Randy Robitaille (MET)

D Roman Savchenko (AST Barys)

D Alexander Osipov (AK Kzn)

G Vasily Koshechkin (MET)

F Marek Kvapil (SKA)

D Brian Salcido (AMR)

G Michael Garnett (TRK)