“There were conversations with NHL teams, but this was not Avangard’s blackmail” – agent of hockey player Tkachev

Agent Shumi Babaev, representing the interests of Avangard striker Vladimir Tkachev, spoke about interest in the hockey player from clubs in the National Hockey League (NHL).

On Wednesday, Avangard re-signed a contract with the 28-year-old forward, the new agreement runs until May 31, 2029. It was previously reported that Tkachev was considering options for moving to an NHL club.

— We had conversations with specific teams to which we can go. But why talk about it now? We came to the club to express our position so that there would be no surprises later. This did not mean that we would definitely go (to the NHL), no one is crazy unless there is a specific proposal. The club and I agreed that if it is not for a certain amount and the contract is not one-sided, then we will not go anywhere. Therefore, it could not be blackmail. We were just invited to the club, I came for my own personal reasons. We started communicating and saw the contract on the table, it was unexpected,” Babaev was quoted as saying by “Championship.”

Tkachev has been playing for Avangard since 2022. Last season, he played 70 matches for the club and scored 86 (20+66) points with a utility indicator of “+12”.

• “Tkachev made concessions on bonuses, and we made concessions on wages,” Avangard general manager Kuryanov