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A former Vancouver Canucks forward has reportedly landed on the waiver wire overseas just weeks before the 2025-26 season is set to get underway.
The KHL’s 2025-26 season starts in 20 days and with training camps in full swing, teams are starting to get a feel for what their opening night roster could look like.
While those three, potentially four, set for their first taste of the KHL this fall, another former Vancouver Canuck, who has been in the league for the past five seasons, is left in limbo after being placed on waivers on Saturday.
Former Vancouver Canucks forward placed on waivers in the KHL
In a press release on Saturday, the KHL’s Spartak Moscow announced that they’ve placed former Vancouver Canuck and ex-NHL first round pick Nikolay Goldobin on waivers.
Note: the quotes in this story are translated from Russian
“Spartak forward Nikolai Goldobin has been placed on the KHL waiver list. Within 48 hours, any KHL club can offer the player to continue his career in its system.” the club said.
After recording back-to-back 20+ goal and 50+ point seasons, there’s no question that someone will claim Goldobin off waivers by Monday morning and it looks like there’s already one club that may have interest in the 29-year-old.
According to Sport-Express’ Arthur Khairullin, the Shanghai Dragons are reportedly the top team interested in placing a waiver claim on Goldobin and they may have a good chance at landing him by finishing sixth-last in the standings during the 2024-25 campaign, with the KHL using their prevuous season’s standings to determine the order, much like the NHL.
“Shanghai has become the main contender for Nikolai Goldobin from Spartak. This was reported by Sport-Express journalist Artur Khairullin.
If there are several offers, priority will be given to the club that finished lower in the previous regular championship.” Sport.ru said.
Goldobin, a native of Moscow, appeared in 114 games with the Vancouver Canucks between the 2016-17 and 2019-20 seasons, registering 44 points (18 goals, 26 assists), 24 assists and was a minus-23.
Previously on CanucksDaily