Report: Evgeny Dadonov close to signing with Florida Panthers

TSN’s Bob McKenzie is reporting that highly touted KHL free agent Evgeny Dadonov is close to signing with the Florida Panthers.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie is reporting that KHL free agent Evgeny Dadonov is close to signing a three-year deal with the Florida Panthers. Dadonov will reportedly make an average of $4 million per season with the Panthers over the duration of the deal, keeping him in South Florida through the 2019-20 NHL season.

Dadonov has spent the last five seasons playing back in his home country in the KHL. During that time, he has played for Donbass Donetsk and SKA Saint Petersburg. With the former, he played in 106 games, scoring 29 goals and adding 37 assists to his total.

Dadonov then moved on to SKA Saint Petersburg, well-known as one of the stronger teams in the KHL. He played in 165 games for SKA, scoring 72 goals and adding 86 points to his tally. This includes his breakout season in 2016-17 where he had 30 goals and 36 assists in 53 games. This has led to him being chased after by multiple organizations during NHL free agency.

After being selected in the third round, 71st overall, by the Florida Panthers in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, he found it hard to break into the NHL. Dadonov only played in a total of 55 NHL games, scoring 10 goals and adding 10 assists before heading back home to hone his skills.

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Along with his short-lived time in the NHL, he also played in the AHL for the Rochester Americans, San Antonio Rampage and Charlotte Checkers. He played in 155 games in the AHL, scoring a total of 33 goals and adding 51 assists. His best season in the AHL was his first, scoring 17 goals and 23 assists in 76 games for Rochester.