Rumor: Shipachyov headed East

The brief love affair between the Vegas Golden Knights and Vadim Shipachyov appears to be ending. With reports yesterday that the talented Russian sniper has been granted permission by the team to seek a trade elsewhere in the NHL, fans and analysts have spent the past 24 hours speculating wildly on where he might end up.

Signing by the team to a two-year-, $9 million contract in the offseason, the 30-year-old former KHL superstar has managed to work his way into just four of the team’s first nine games, due mostly to roster mismanagement from GM George McPhee. One thing’s clear, Shipachyov isn’t happy and he doesn’t intend on sticking around.

So, where will he end up? The KHL is always an option, but anonymous NHL blogger Eklund reports that a three Eastern Conference teams have shown interest in acquiring his services. Now, with every rumor reporter by Eklund, it must be taken with a grain of salt. His track record for getting things right isn’t stellar. Nonetheless, the teams identified do make sense.

Check it out:

My sources tell me the Islanders, Sabres and Red Wings all have at least some interest in the skilled Russian.

All teams looking to jump start their offence. The question is, where would Shipachyov slot into the lineup? Sure, he’s shown potential but he’s essentially an unproven NHL player earning $4.5 million per season. He might provide a team with an offensive spark, but he’s also a huge risk due to his contract negotiations. While it certainly seems like he’s on his way out of Vegas, things could get ugly if he can’t find a new destination in short order.