According to a press release from the KHL, forward Daniil Gushchin has signed a two-year contract with the KHL’s Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. It’ll be the first time Gushchin has played in the Russian circuit in nearly a decade.

Despite being born and raised in Yekaterinburg, Russia, Gushchin spent his junior days with the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks before finally joining the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs. He was selected with the 76th overall pick of the 2020 NHL Draft by the San Jose Sharks.

Although he was a third-round pick, Gushchin showed flashes of being a proficient goal-scorer during his junior career, and that translated over fairly quickly to the professional ranks. In his first full season, Gushchin scored 22 goals and 45 points in 67 games for the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda, and another one goal and two points in two games for the Sharks.

He continued to be an impactful offensive player throughout the next two years, registering 48 goals and 105 points in 112 games for the Barracuda, with another goal and three points in 16 NHL games. Unfortunately, as good as he was on offense throughout those seasons, Gushchin wasn’t responsible on the defensive side of the puck, costing him much of his opportunity in the NHL.

Eventually, the Sharks afforded Gushchin a fresh start ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, trading him to the Colorado Avalanche for former first-round pick Oskar Olausson. He had a solid season with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, although it was not as impactful as his contributions with the Barracuda. He finished the 2025-26 season with 18 goals and 32 points in 49 games.