Evgeny Artyukhin News and Interviews

Evgeny Artyukhin's contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL has been confirmed and the player is now free to play, Russian press reports. The 27 years old forward's signing was delayed due to some heart problems risen during the first medical checks.

Artyukhin, who will play with the #44, is set to debut with SKA today against Metallurg Novokuznetsk.

Artyukhin has been drafted in the NHL by the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2001 Entry Draft. In 199 NHL games scored 19 goals and 30 assists for a total of 49 points. He won a gold medal at both U18 and U20 WJCs.

Another Russian player joined the Atlanta Thrashers as they got Evgeny Artyukhin from the Anaheim Ducks. Ilya Kovalchuk's former team features in their lineup also Maxim Afinogenov, Vyacheslav Kozlov and Nikolai Antropov.

Evgeny Artyukhin this season scored four goals and nine points in 37 regular season games.

The Ducks obtained defenseman Nathan Oystrick and a 2011 conditional draft pick.

Artyukhin's first match with the Thrashers will be played tonight against the Florida Panthers.

Let's remember that in February Atlanta got the young defenseman Ivan Vishnevskiy from the Dallas Stars.

Evgeny Artyukhin in an interview with a Russian newspaper Sport-Express talked about the lack of ice time in Anaheim, said he would do his best to gain the coach's trust, stated that the other day he got an offer from the KHL but would finish this season in the NHL, and spoke about what the Olympic Games mean to him.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation of this interview.