The Winnipeg Jets have announced that goaltender Mikhail Berdin will be travelling back overseas to his homeland Russia for the 2022-23 season.
“Per the advice and recommendation of the NHL/NHLPA Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program, Mikhail Berdin will not remain with the club for the 2022-23 National Hockey League season,” the Jets wrote in a statement.
Berdin, 24, was selected by Winnipeg in the sixth round of the 2016 NHL Draft. He joined the Manitoba Moose in 2018-19 and has served as the team’s starter since 2019-20. He is 65-50-11 in 126 regular season AHL games. The coming year would have been the final season of a two-year contract featuring a $750K annual average value.
According to Berdin's agent Dan Milstein, he will be playing for the Kunlun Gold Star this season.
*As part of an agreement between the club, the NHL, NHLPA and Berdin, he will be permitted to sign a one-year contract to play outside North America for the 2022-23 season.
— Carter Brooks (@CBrooksie84) October 6, 2022
The Moose will now sort out their goaltending position without the help of either Berdin or Eric Comrie – to whom the team let walk to Buffalo via free agency this offseason. Arvid Holm, Oskari Salminen and Evan Cormier will battle for starts this season.
“The rights of the club and player will be consistent with the treatment of a suspended player, so he will not be paid by the club and his salary will not count against the salary cap,” the Jets’ statement continued. “As part of an agreement between the club, NHL, NHLPA and the player, Berdin will be permitted to sign a one-year contract to play outside of North America for the 2022-23 season.”
Berdin’s agent, Dan Milstein commented on Twitter that his client would be returning to Russia “to be closer to his family”, while no alcohol and substance abuse issues have occurred.
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