Defenseman Alex Alexeyev, who spent last season in the American Hockey League with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, has signed a two-year contract with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League.
Salavat Yulaev Ufa announced the transaction on Thursday.
Alexeyev, 26, joined the Pittsburgh Penguins as an unrestricted free agent signing during the 2025 offseason, agreeing to a one-year contract worth $775,000.
After clearing waivers on Oct. 5, Alexeyev was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and remained with that team for the bulk of the season. Appearing in 38 games, he scored 12 points (three goals, nine assists).
A left-handed shot, Alexeyev (6-foot-4, 230 pounds) was briefly recalled to the NHL roster on March 12 but did not appear in any games with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
With regard to the NHL status, the Penguins will retain his rights after extending him a qualifying offer last week.
A native of St. Petersburg, Russia, Alexeyev previously played for Salavat Yulaev Ufa during the 2020-21 season. Alexeyev was a first-round draft pick (No. 31 overall) of the Washington Capitals in 2018 and spent parts of four NHL seasons with that team before joining the Penguins.
Following this transaction, the Penguins hold the NHL rights to seven unsigned restricted free agents who have not signed with a European team:
Forwards — Egor Chinakhov, David Gustafsson, Ville Koivunen, Hendrix Lapierre, Nick Robertson
Goaltenders — Joel Blomqvist, Arturs Silovs
Additionally, there are two players who finished the 2025-26 season under NHL contract with the Penguins who have yet to sign elsewhere in forwards Rafael Harvey-Pinard and Anthony Mantha.