CANTLON: MAXIM LETUNOV SIGNS IN RUSSIA
BY: Gerry Cantlon: Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – As training camp nears its opening, Maxim Letunov has followed through and returned to Russia and will play for Torpedo Novgorod (Russia-KHL), where he joins last year’s Hartford Wolf Pack and former UCONN teammate, goaltender, Adam Huska. He became the 100th AHL player (now 102) to sign overseas and the 20th player to sign with Russia for next season.
He also becomes the eighth former Wolf Pack to sign with Russia/Belarus, despite their supposedly being an international pariah due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He is the ninth heading to the KHL. Letunov will play for his ninth team in his short professional career. Only two Wolf Pack players have unknown destinations, goalie Tyler Wall and forward Matt Lorito.
Former Danbury Trasher, Jon “Nasty” Mirasty, 40, has resurfaced and signed with the Binghamton (NY) Black Bears (FPHL) for next season. He played a season and a half in the Hat City before he was cut by then-coach for Danbury and former New Haven Knights coach, Paul Gillis, for his unwillingness to play some hockey at the Danbury Ice Arena. He played just 36 games and racked up 259 PIM. He is a well-known fighter in minor league circles. He is a native Canadian of Cree heritage and has been playing senior club hockey over the last three years in his native Saskatchewan. He hasn’t played competitive hockey in five years.
Mirasty last played competitively with the Trois-Rivieres Draveurs (LNAH), where he had 991 PIM in just 100 league games. He had 677 PIM in 176 AHL games with Syracuse (AHL), and in the ECHL with three teams accrued 405 PIM in 66 games. In the KHL, he played 40 games and had 214 PIM. He has played the last three years for his hometown Meadow Lake Broncos (SASHL). In 22 games, he had just 56 PIM. He also played 14 games with other senior clubs and had just 26 PIM according to the Mitch Menick afternoon drive show
Former Nighthawk and Springfield Falcon Oleg Mikulchik is the new assistant coach for Avangard Omsk (Russia-KHL) after being the head coach last year for SK Sokol Kyiv (Ukraine-UHL) and we all know why he is no longer there.
