Ex-Spits center Khokhlachev Moscow bound

 

By Rob Benneian

The Windsor Spitfires got a taste of life without Russian center Alexander Khokhlachev when he suffered a lacerated kidney Satuday, March 3 during a regular season game at Compuware Arena in Plymouth, Mich. against the Whalers. The injury sidelined Khokhlachev for the remainder of the season.

The Spits overcame the loss of one of their leading scorers to qualify for the OHL playoffs as the Western Conference’s eighth seed, where they were swept in four games by the eventual J. Ross Robertson Cup champion London Knights.

This experience will come in handy, as Khokhlachev’s days in a Windsor Spitfires uniform are over. The team confirmed to the Converged Citizen that Khokhlachev has elected to leave the Spitfires to join Spartak Moscow of the KHL.

“Warren (Rychel) confirmed Monday that KoKo is going to play in Russia this year for his dad, who works in the front office with Spartak Moscow,” said Spits Interim Media Coordinator Dave Ducharme.

Khokhlachev’s father Igor was named Spartak’s general manager in February. The Spitfires had no further comment on Khokhlachev’s decision to leave the team.

Khokhlachev, selected 23^rd overall by Windsor in the 2010 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft, totaled 59 goals and 145 points in 123 career OHL games, all with the Spitfires. Prior to joining the Spitfires, Khohlachev played for Spartak, recording 40 points in 51 games in 2009-10.

Khokhlachev has represented Russia internationally at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the World Junior Hockey Championships, where he won the silver medal in 2012.

Khokhlachev’s NHL rights are owned by the Boston Bruins, who selected him 40th overall, in the second round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Spits select Ionin

The Spitfires have selected Vladimir Ionin, a Russian right winger, in the Canadian Hockey League Import Draft.

CHL teams are permitted to carry two imports, players born outside of North America, on their roster. The two-round draft is held annually and teams select in reverse order of their CHL rankings. The Spitfires selected 15^thoverall.

“Vladimir is a kid with good size, a good skill set, and a lot of upside,” Spits general manager Warren Rychel said. “We’re pleased to get a player of his caliber at (pick number) 15.”

The 17-year-old Ionin is listed at 6’1” and 190 pounds. He was drafted in the second round of the 2012 KHL draft by Traktor Chelyabinsk.

The Spitfires, who already have Czech goaltender Jaroslav Pavelka, passed on their second round selection.