Andrei Markov signs for two years in the KHL

Photo: Tom Mihalek Archives Associated Press
Andrei Markov had indicated last week that he would not be returning with the Habs, who have not managed to agree with management.

Moscow — a Few days after he announced that he would not be back with the Montreal canadiens for a 17th season, the veteran defender Andrei Markov will continue his career with the formation of the Ak Bars Kazan in the KHL.
 

The Russian club confirmed that it had granted a two-year contract for the defender 38-year-old. The details of the agreement were not disclosed.
 

Markov has already played in the KHL in 2012-2013, during the lockout in the national hockey League. He had played for Vityaz Podolsk.
 

Player standalone, without compensation, Markov had said last week to have discussions with other teams in the NHL to continue his career — without identifying them — but that it was difficult to see evolve in the NHL with a different sweater than the Canadian.
 

This decision means that Markov could potentially participate in the next olympic Games in February.
 

“I have already participated three times and it is always a very special event, confided Markov, on Thursday, during a teleconference. For athletes, it is a wonderful experience, a feeling that is indescribable, because it is a tournament that huge. It is very special.
 

“This would be another dream [to win gold], but we will see. I’m going to play my best and hope that they let me pick. “
 

Russia is supposed to take the role of favorite for the next tournament olympic hockey without NHL players. It should count among its ranks players like Ilya Kovalchuk and Pavel Datsyuk, while Canada and the United States are planning to appeal to professionals in Europe and across teams, college and juniors.
 

Markov, a native of Voskresensk, Russia, has played in 990 regular season games in career with the canadiens, and he scored 119 goals in addition to having amassed 453 mentions of assistance. Markov has also managed five goals and 27 assists in 89 playoff games in his career with the CH.
 

He joined at the very end of last season, Guy Lapointe in second place in the history of the Habs in terms of points collected by a defender — his last career with the team in montreal. The former no. 79 of Canada also occupies the third place in the history of the concession for goals by a player in his position.