Vancouver Canucks KHLers Kick Off 2024-25 Season
Vitali Kravtsov was the only one of the three KHLers to score on opening day.
Photo by Bob Frid-Imagn Images - Vancouver Canucks KHLers Kick Off 2024-25 SeasonThe KHL opened their 2024-25 season with three players who still have connections to the Vancouver Canucks. The trio is highlighted by Vitali Kravtsov, who played 16 games with Vancouver before heading to the KHL in 2022. The other two are Dmitri Zlodeyev, who spent last season with the Abbotsford Canucks and Dmitri Zhukenov, who, despite being drafted in 2015 and never signing with the Canucks, remains on the team's reserve list.
Starting with Kravtsov, he had the most successful day of the three, scoring his first goal of the season. The former New York Rangers first-round pick played 16:23 and led Traktor Chelyabinsk with seven shots on goal. Unfortunately, his strong performance wasn't enough, as Traktor Chelyabinsk dropped their opening game 3-2 to Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg.
As for Zlodeyev, he and Avangard Omsk were able to defeat Sibir Novosibirsk 2-1 on opening day. During the match, Zlodeyev played 12:08 while recording one shot on goal. He also went six for 15 in the faceoff dot during the win.
Lastly, Zhukenov kicked off his season with a 2-1 win over Barys Astana. Despite not recording a point, he did finish with a plus/minus rating of +1 in 14:34 of ice time. Zhukenov also posted a 50% win percentage in the faceoff dot, going five for ten on the night.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
