Dufour scores in KHL debut

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

William Dufour has made a strong first impression in the KHL.

The former Saint John Sea Dogs forward scored on his first shot in his first game on Friday, a contest that saw Dufour's Lada Togliatti fall 4-3 to Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod.

On Sunday, Dufour scored the lone goal in Lada Togliatti's 6-1 loss to SKA Saint Petersburg.

The 23-year-old signed in the KHL after spending much of the past three seasons in the AHL. He spent the second half of last season with the Colorado Eagles where he recorded a goal and three assists in 12 games.

Dufour is currently teammates with former Sea Dogs forward Josh Lawrence, who is also playing his first season in the KHL. The Fredericton native has been held pointless in three games so far.

This is Lawrence's third season overseas. He split last season in Switzerland and Finland after playing the entire 2023-24 campaign in Switzerland.

Also currently playing in the KHL are former Sea Dogs Stanislav Galiev (Dinamo Minsk) and Ostap Safin (Admiral Vladivostok).

Not signed to a KHL deal at the moment – as far as I can tell – is original Sea Dog Alex Grant, who has spent the past seven seasons in the league.

It's worth noting as well that the Shanghai Dragons, who are coached by Gerard Gallant and Mike Kelly, are off to a 2-0-1 start.

HUBERDEAU GOES 5th IN KHL DRAFT

If Jonathan Huberdeau suddenly decides to jump to KHL ranks, he’ll be playing for the HC Vityaz Chekhov.

In today’s Kontinental Hockey League Junior Draft, Huberdeau was selected fifth overall by the Russian team. From the KHL’s official Twitter feed:

Huberdeau’s Russian teammate Stanislav Galiev tweeted this morning, “Congrats to my teammate Huberdeau to drafted by KHL today! 5th overall. Are you kidding me KHL?”

The full results of the draft can be found here. Other QMJHL players drafted were Chicoutimi goaltender Christopher Gibson and Drummondville's Sean Couturier - who went 133rd overall.

From the Wikipedia page of the 2011 KHL Draft:

The 2011 KHL Junior Draft will be the third entry draft held by the Kontinental Hockey League, taking place on May 28, 2011 in Mytishchi Arena. Ice hockey players from around the world aged between 17 and 21 years of age will be selected. Players eligible to take part in the draft must not have an active contract with a KHL, MHL or VHL team. A total of 371 players will participate in the draft, 171 of these playing in Russia, 100 in Europe and 100 in North America.

Every year some top National Hockey League prospects are selected in the draft. Some of the players drafted in the past include Zach Kassian, Eric Gudbranson, Taylor Hall, and Olivier Roy.