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Former Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman cashes in on big contract agreement in KHL
Alexey Marchenko's time with the Detroit Red Wings may not have been legendary, with three goals and 16 assists in 110 NHL games from 2013-17, plus time with the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins over three seasons.
However, since returning to Russia, the 33-year-old defenseman has thrived in the KHL and has now earned one of the highest paid contracts in the entire league.
Marchenko recently signed a two-year extension with AK Bars Kazan, which tallied up 85 million Russian rubles, equivalent to $1 million USD at current exchange rates.
In 2017, he stepped away from the NHL and revealed that he will explore a comeback at a further date.
"Alexey Marchenko of Toronto Maple Leafs has decided to continue his career at home in Russia.He intends to comeback to the NHL in the future."
Evgeny Svechnikov, Detroit's 2015 first-round draft pick, is staying in the KHL as well.
The forward signed with Amur Khabarovsk for the upcoming season after playing last year for Torpedo under former Red Wings forward Igor Larionov, who's now a head coach in the league.
Other former Red Wings news outside of the KHL
Former Grand Rapids Griffins defenseman Wyatt Newpower will remain in the AHL, signing with the Iowa Wild for the next season.
Newpower played last year with the Bridgeport Islanders and spent 2021-24 with the Griffins, appearing in 148 games and posting six goals and 18 assists. His new deal keeps him in the AHL, where he continues to develop as a reliable defenseman at most.
These former Red Wings and Griffins players are finding their paths beyond Detroit and it will be interesting to see how their next season goes.
Previously on Detroit Hockey Insider
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 14 | 90 ANSWERS Former Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman cashes in on big contract agreement in KHL Would you rather play on a fourth line in the NHL or the first in the KHL? | ||
| Fourth in NHL | 61 | 67.8 % |
| First in KHL | 17 | 18.9 % |
| Hard decision | 12 | 13.3 % |
| List of polls | ||