WINDSOR, Ont. - The return of Russian centre Alex Khokhlachev couldn’t have come at a better time for the struggling Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League.
Khokhlachev, who helped Russia win the bronze medal over Canada at the recent IIHF world junior championships, was introduced Wednesday at the WFCU Centre.
He'll make his OHL season debut Thursday night when the Spitfires host the Brampton Battalion.
The 19-year-old scored three goals and added two assists in seven games for Russia in the world juniors. He also notched Russia’s first goal in their 6-5 overtime win over Canada in the bronze medal game.
After spending two full seasons with the Spitfires during which he scored 145 points, including 59 goals, in 123 career regular-season games, Khokhlachev signed last summer with Moscow Spartak of the Kontinental Hockey League, where his father Igor was the team’s general manager.
Khokhlachev missed the Spitfires last 12 regular-season games and all four post-season games against the London Knights due to a lacerated kidney injury he sustained last winter.
But Khokhlachev’s debut in professional hockey was far from fulfilling this season as he had only two goals and five assists in 26 games while playing only spot shifts for Spartak, the last place team in the KHL’s Western Conference. His father left as Spartak’s GM in December too.
After he signed to play in the KHL this season, the Spitfires removed Khokhlachev from their protected list last summer and reclaimed his rights on re-entry waivers last fall.
For his part, Khokhlachev claimed he was happy to once again suit up for the Spitfires.
“I have a contract with Boston and they wanted me to come back to North America to get ready to play in the NHL,” he said. “I found out about this just before the start of the world juniors and told them I was OK with coming back here.
“I’m happy to be in Windsor – it’s like a second home to me and I have a lot of friends here. I’ll be here until our season is over with the Spitfires and then go play in Providence (the Bruins’ American Hockey League affiliate).”
The 5-foot-10, 172-pound centre claimed there was no additional pressure returning to the Spitfires, a team mired in a seven-game losing streak and currently five points out of the last playoff spot in the OHL’s Western Conference.
“I want to help us win as many games as possible and do good in the playoffs,” said Khokhlachev.
The KHL experience was eye-opening for the Moscow native.
“I played against bigger and stronger players and it was hard not playing as much as I like,” Khokhlachev said. “It’s going to be more fun playing in junior and getting more ice time and getting ready to play in the NHL.
“I think I play better on the smaller ice because you have to act and react quicker.”
There was no shortage of praise from the Spitfires for the Bruins in helping to bring back the young Russian to Windsor.
“(Boston general manager) Peter Chiarelli, the Bruins’ scouting staff and (Khokhlachev’s) agents were huge in helping make this possible,” said Spitfire GM Warren Rychel. “I think they thought we were the best play to get him ready to move up to the next level.”
The Spitfires’ head coach and team president was quick to concur.
“The Bruins drafted 'Koko' as a Windsor Spitfire and I think they want him to finish up his junior career as a Spitfire,” said Bob Boughner. “We’re getting a world-class impact player back because of the help we received from the Boston Bruins.
“I think that is a great endorsement of our program here in Windsor as being a great place to develop players for the NHL.”
The Spitfires realize that Khokhlachev changes the dynamics of their entire organization instantly too.
“While Alex is a huge offensive weapon he will help in all areas of our game and I think that he alone is worth a half-goal or a goal a game,” said Boughner. “He has great puck possession, so that will take a lot of pressure of our defencemen.
“The other team can’t score when 'Koko' has the puck.”
While Khokhlachev’s junior hockey career will likely be over once the Spitfires miss or are eliminated from the OHL playoffs, his impact on the Windsor organization will last longer than that.
“We’re going to bid on hosting the Memorial Cup next season and while 'Koko' won’t be here then, he is going to help us get into the playoffs and then do some damage there,” Boughner said. “You can’t host the Memorial Cup if you missed the playoffs the season before.
"(He’s) going to take us where we want to go.”
