Nikolai Knyzhov, a veteran defenseman, has signed a two-year contract with SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL after spending last season in the AHL with Vancouver’s Abbotsford, where he recorded seven assists in 60 games. The 28-year-old previously played 81 NHL games for the San Jose Sharks from 2019 to 2024, accumulating three goals and nine assists. Following a mutual termination of his last contract with the Sharks, Knyzhov opted to return to Russia for better financial prospects. While he may face limited ice time in St. Petersburg, he has the opportunity to develop further in the KHL.
