Roman Lyubimov’s one-year NHL excursion is over. The restricted free agent is returning to Russia, opting not to sign his qualifying offer with the Philadelphia Flyers and instead joining CSKA Moscow of the KHL. It’s a three-year deal for him there.
According to Steve Whyno of the Associated Press, part of the lure back to Russia for Lyubimov was the opportunity to play in the Olympics next year. As you surely know by now, NHL players will not be allowed to go over to South Korea in February for the 2018 Winter Olympics. We haven’t seen many big name free agents make the decision to play in Europe purely based on the Olympics, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see more fringe NHL players like Lyubimov make this same call.
Lyubimov, 25, played in 47 games last year with Philadelphia, all in a bottom-six role. He never really had a chance to play up in the lineup, and was often a healthy scratch beneath guys like Chris VandeVelde. Olympics aside, it’s not hard to see why Lyubimov would rather go to the KHL where he’s guaranteed more playing time and probably more money.
Prior to coming over to North America last summer, Lyubimov played parts of six seasons with CSKA Moscow, scoring 15 goals and 19 assists in 185 games.
The Flyers are rather deep at the forward position heading into training camp this fall, and Lyubimov’s exit from the organization (and the continent, I guess) makes the bottom-six roster battle at least a bit easier for the six or seven players who will be fighting for NHL gigs.
