Danny Markov's 1st goal of the season leads Dynamo Moscow over Torpedo on Wednesday night

Dynamo Moscow defenseman Danny Markov scored his first goal of the season, a powerplay goal at the 13:38 mark of the 3rd period, in yesterday's 4-1 win over Torpedo. Markov, who was offered a contract by the Los Angeles Kings prior to the start of the KHL season, recently signed a 3-year contract with Dynamo Moscow and has played well early on, playing roughly 18 minutes per contest and notching 2 points in 7 games. Danny's re-signing with Dynamo solidifies a blueline that already features former New York Ranger and New Jersey Devil Karel Rachunek as well as 15-year NHL veteran Alexei Zhitnik. Dynamo is currently tied for the 2nd most points in the KHL with 15 and will face Atlant Mytischi tomorrow on the road.

CSKA's Sergei Shirokov leading his team in scoring

Sergei Shirokov has began the KHL season on fire, entering today's game against Vityaz Chekov with a team-leading 3 goals, 5 points and a +4 plus/minus rating. A 5'10", 175 lb winger, Shirokov was a 6th Round draft pick by Vancouver in 2006 and has developed nicely playing in Russia; this is his fifth season playing for CSKA. Shirokov notched his 4th goal of the season today in a 4-1 road victory over Vityaz to improve CSKA's record to 3-1-1. Due to the lack of an IIHF Transfer Agreement, Vancouver retains the rights to Shirokov, who is currently ranked among Vancouver's top 10 prospects by The Hockey News.

Alex Svitov's two goals lead Omsk over Magnitogorsk

Yesterday, in front of his hometown crowd, Avangard Omsk's Alex Svitov scored his first two goals of the season and added an assist in a 6-0 rout of Metallurg Magnitogorsk, the 2006-07 Russian Super League champion. A former NHL first round draft pick (2001), Svitov, an Omsk native, is the team's captain (as he was last year). In 2007-08, Svitov scored 10 goals while racking up 140 penalty minutes, which was among league leaders. Svitov, well-known for his physical and agitating play, is in the second year of a three-year contract with Omsk.

September 10, 2008, 10:11 am

European Roundup: Jagr vs. the Euro Champions

By Jeff Z. Klein

Only one game in the “Top 7″ European leagues, and it’s a momentous one: Avangard-Magnitka — a showdown in Omsk between Jaromir Jagr, Pavel Rosa, Alexei Cherepanov and co. for the home side, and the reigning European champions as the visitors.

Avangard 6-0 Metallurg Mg. Euh, well … seems Magnitogorsk were a little off today. The Hawks got two goals from Aleksandr Svitov and one from Jagr himself — his first of the season.

Alexei Morozov off to a great start as Ak Bars Kazan remains unbeaten

Ak Bars Kazan forward Alexei Morozov has gotten off to a sizzling start in the KHL. Through only 3 games, Morozov already has 5 goals and 2 assists. On top of that, Kazan has won it's first 3 games. The former Pittsburgh Penguin has led Kazan in goals and points in 4 consecutive seasons, twice topping the 30-goal mark. On Thursday, Morozov and Kazan face Dynamo Moscow on home ice in an attempt to remain unbeaten. Dynamo was shutout 1-0 by Amur on Friday.

September 7, 2008, 7:31 pm

European Roundup: Who Can Stop Morozov and Ak Bars?

BY Jeff Z. Klein

Ak Bars 3-2 Barys. The Kazakhs hang in bravely, but at 59:26 Alexei Morozov — who else? — scores the winner

KHL kicks off inaugural season with Jagr-Morozov match up

Much has been made about the formation of Russia's new league, the KHL (Continental Hockey League) because of it's contentions with and it's desire to rival the NHL. While NHL training camps open in two weeks, the KHL's inaugural season began on Tuesday with five games, three of which went to overtime. Most notable, Alex Radulov set up former Anaheim Duck Oleg Tverdovsky for a goal in his debut with Ufa in a 4-1 win over Yaroslavl.

Wednesday's games were highlighted by the marquee matchup of Jaromir Jagr's Avangard Omsk vs. Alexei Morozov's Ak Bars Kazan. Morozov helped his team edge Omsk with two third period powerplay goals in a 4-2 win. Now with a great deal of former NHL players and unsigned draft choices in the KHL, this will certainly be a league that people will keep an eye on. We’ll see if the Continental Hockey League can live up to the hype it has generated.

Joni Karjalainen scores game-winner in 2nd day of Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament

Congratulations to Joni Karjlainen for scoring the game-winning goal today in Finland's 6-5 win over the US Under-18 Select team at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in Breclav, Czech Republic! Karjalainen scored with just over a minute remaining in regulation, shortly after Steven Whitney tied the score at 5, to improve Finland to 2-0 in tournament play. Finland takes on Russia tomorrow at 9:30 AM ET. Karjalainen currently plays for HIFK Helsinki and is eligible for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Brian Leetch elected into U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame

Congratulations to PuckAgency client Brian Leetch, who along with Cammi Granato and Brett Hull, will be formally inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame on October 10th at the University of Denver! Brian announced his retirement from the game in May 2007.

Aug 12, 2008, 11:36 AM EDT

NHL.com

U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2008 unveiled

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Cammi Granato, Brett Hull, Brian Leetch and Mike Richter will be enshrined into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame as the Class of 2008 it was announced today by USA Hockey. The quartet will be formally inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Denver at an induction dinner set for 7 p.m. (MT) on Friday, Oct. 10, at Magness Arena on the campus of the University of Denver. The following evening -- Sat., Oct. 11 -- the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game will take place in the same venue, when the University of Denver men's ice hockey team takes on the University of Notre Dame at 7:07 p.m.

"The Class of 2008 is one of the most accomplished groups that’s ever been inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame," said Ron DeGregorio, president of USA Hockey. "It is indeed with great pleasure that we welcome them to the group of hockey immortals in our country."

In 18 NHL seasons, Brian Leetch was an 11-time All-Star, won two Norris Trophies as the league’s best defenseman, captured a Conn Smythe Trophy as the Stanley Cup Playoff MVP and was the Calder Trophy winner as the league's top rookie. He is one of only five blueliners in NHL history to record more than 100 points in a season and one of seven to accumulate more than 1,000 points in his career (247-781--1028).

In his rookie season with the New York Rangers (1988-89), who drafted him ninth overall in 1986, Leetch put up 23 goals and 48 assists to capture the Calder Trophy. Three years later, in 1991-92, Leetch tallied a career-best 102 points, including a team record 80 assists, to capture the Norris Trophy for the first time. In 1993-94, the Rangers won their first Stanley Cup in more than 50 years. He led the way as the top scorer in the post season and was the first ever American-born player to capture the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs.

Internationally, Leetch is one of just 10 American men's ice hockey players to have competed in the Olympic Winter Games three or more times, as he played for Team USA in 1988, 1998 and 2002. He also represented the United States at three IIHF World Junior Championships (1985-87), two IIHF Men's World Championships (1987, 1989), one Canada Cup (1991) and twice in the World Cup of Hockey (1996, 2004).Leetch played one season (1986-87) of college hockey at Boston College and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.