Christian Jaroš changes KHL teams, signs with CSKA Moscow

Slovak defenseman Christian Jaroš, 28, is changing KHL teams, moving from Severstal Cherepovets to CSKA Moscow, the latter team announced on Thursday.

This will be Jaroš’s second tour of duty with CSKA – he finished the 2022-23 season and celebrated a Gagarin Cup championship with the club after starting with Avangard Omsk. In two KHL seasons, Jaroš has 31 points and 42 penalty minutes in 84 games.

A native of Košice, Slovakia, Jaroš moved to Lulea, Sweden at age 17 and played 96 SHL games over three seasons before going overseas in 2017. A fifth-round draft pick of the Ottawa Senators in 2015, Jaroš spent five seasons in North America, recording 14 points and 37 penalty minutes in 94 NHL games with the Senators, San Jose Sharks and New Jersey Devils. He also had 34 points and 59 penalty minutes in 90 AHL games.

Internationally, Jaroš represented Slovakia at two IIHF World Junior Championships, winning a bronze medal in 2015, and at three World Championships. He has most recently represented Slovakia at an Olympic qualifying tournament in August 2021. Since signing a KHL contract, he has been barred from the Slovak national team, as per Hockey Slovakia’s policy since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.