Avalanche Upheaval Continues as Depth Forward Bardakov Heading Back to KHL

The Colorado Avalanche are watching their forward depth chart shrink yet again. This time, it’s Zakhar Bardakov poised to return to Russia after just one season in North America.

The Russian forward is expected to sign with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL for the 2026-27 season, according to reports out of Russia. Bardakov, 25, joined Colorado last year but never fully cracked the offensive production code in the NHL.

In 60 games during the 2025-26 campaign, he managed just one goal and nine assists — 10 points total — while logging most of his ice time on the fourth line. His game was never about flashy offense. Bardakov made his living absorbing contact, finishing checks, and playing a straight-ahead physical brand of hockey that coaches love in low-leverage minutes.

Colorado originally brought him over from the KHL hoping he’d provide affordable depth. There were stretches where he earned trust from the coaching staff, but consistency at the offensive end never materialized. For a team built around superstar firepower, Bardakov’s limited scoring upside always made him a candidate to look elsewhere.

Now, elsewhere is home.

SKA St. Petersburg is one of the KHL’s blue-chip organizations, and Bardakov already spent multiple seasons there before making the NHL leap. A return would give him a larger role and more offensive opportunities — a pattern that’s become familiar as more Russian players cycle back to the KHL after brief North American stints.

The move continues an uncomfortable stretch for Colorado. This week alone, the team also traded Ross Colton to the Nashville Predators, creating another hole in the forward group. Suddenly, what looked like respectable organizational depth is thinning fast.

The Avalanche are coming off a gut-punch playoff exit — swept in four games by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final. The offseason was always going to come with tough questions. But losing role players, even ones with modest production, makes the rebuild harder.

Bardakov wasn’t a star, and nobody in Denver expected him to become one. But replacing his physical presence and reliable fourth-line minutes is now another item on a long checklist as the front office tries to reload for a 2026-27 Stanley Cup run.

For Bardakov, the next chapter likely takes him back to familiar ice in St. Petersburg. For the Avalanche, the depth chart keeps shrinking — and the pressure keeps building.