The KHL season is drawing to a close. Last week saw a few surprising developments, as both the Vegas Golden Knights and Columbus Blue Jackets were able to acquire players just before their KHL deals officially expired. It's pretty rare something like that happens, but it's great news for those two teams.
Meanwhile, there are other teams still eagerly awaiting the arrival of some of their top prospects playing in Russia.
Here's a look at who's here, who is on the way and who requires some patience.
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Nikita Gusev, LW, Vegas Golden Knights
The long-awaited arrival of Gusev is finally upon us. If you've been following prospects for the past five years, you probably know the name. Gusev has long intrigued and mystified NHL fans who are familiar with the European imports. There was rarely a question of whether he could compete in the NHL, but rather, would he ever come? Almost seven years after the Tampa Bay Lightning took a flier on him in the seventh round, he is finally stateside.
Gusev, who was acquired in a pre-expansion draft deal in 2017, signed with the Golden Knights after another stellar KHL season. The highly skilled wing posted 82 points in 62 games this season with SKA St. Petersburg. It is the second-most productive season in KHL history. Additionally, Gusev's 332 career points has him in the top 10 in league scoring all time.