July 3: Bardakov has officially signed with SKA, the KHL announced.  Colorado tendered him a qualifying offer earlier this week, meaning that his NHL rights remain with them.  The short-term nature of the deal overseas could permit him to return to the Avalanche for 2027-28 if he has a strong showing in the KHL.

June 17: According to PuckPedia, Colorado Avalanche depth forward Zakhar Bardakov is expected to sign with the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg this offseason. His signing rights will remain with the Avalanche this offseason as a restricted free agent after his one-year, entry-level contract expired.

Bardakov, 25, was originally drafted with the 203rd overall pick (seventh round) by the New Jersey Devils in the 2021 NHL Draft. Remaining in Russia for several years, the Devils traded his signing rights to the Avalanche in 2024 for Kurtis MacDermid.

Given his production in the KHL, there wasn’t much appetite for bringing Bardakov to the North American professional circuit. In the year he was traded to Colorado, he registered six goals and 12 points in 51 games for St. Petersburg, one year after scoring six goals and 18 points in 42 games.

However, he really broke out in the 2024-25 season. Spending another year in the KHL, Bardakov scored 17 goals and 35 points in 53 games with a +20 rating, surpassing his scoring totals from the previous two seasons combined.

That campaign gave the Avalanche the confidence to bring Bardakov to the NHL. Factoring in the number of injuries Colorado dealt with during the 2024-25 season, it was a no-brainer to bring Bardakov to North America to serve as additional depth.

He spent much of the year with the Avalanche, primarily playing on the team’s fourth line. Bardakov finished his rookie campaign with one goal and 10 points in 60 games, averaging 7:17 of ice time per game. Given the talent Colorado has in the top six, Bardakov is likely returning to Russia for access to more ice time in a more familiar environment.