After two weeks waiting in limbo, Vladislav Mikhalchuk will be in the Prince George Cougars' lineup for tonight's game in Kamloops.
That can't come too soon for the offensively-challenged Cougars, who have anxiously awaited the return of the 20-year-old right winger, their leading scorer from 2018-19. Mikhalchuk is back after a two-month stint playing pro hockey in Russia.
"I wanted to come back to Prince George because I need icetime," said Mikhalchuk. "I don't want to sit on the bench. One game I'd play and one game (get) scratched. It was big money but I don't need money right now, I need icetime."
Mikhalchuk, who put up 25 goals and 25 assists in 68 games with the Cougars last season, has been reunited with centre Ethan Browne and left winger Josh Maser and they'll form the top line tonight (7 p.m, The Goat, 94.3 FM) against the Kamloops Blazers.
Mikhalchuk arrived back in Prince George last Thursday, in time for the Cougars' two weekend games against the Victoria Royals, but the necessary paperwork to transfer his playing rights had not arrived.
"I wanted to jump on the ice and play with the guys but with the Russian situation they didn't release me," he said. "I lost 20 games (in the WHL) and it's going to be hard to keep up to Maser and (Cougars defenceman Cole) Moberg, but I will.
"It's just a matter of time. I have to start scoring goals. I want to score goals and get points and get into the playoffs."
Mikhalchuk left the Cougars over the summer to play in the Kontinental Hockey League for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. He played one KHL game before he was sent to Torpedo-Gorky of the VHL (Supreme Hockey League, Russia's second-best pro league), also based in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. In 11 games with Torpedo-Gorky he drew one assist.
The lure of drawing a professional salary playing closer to his home in Minsk, Belarus led to his decision to leave the Cougars.
"I played one game in the KHL (against Jokerit of Finland) and I played really good, I think, I got three shots, and that was a good experience," Mikhalchuk said. "Of course it's hard.
"I thought I was going to play in KHL, but if you want to play in Russia you have to have the connections. I might have been better than other guys but they would play because they have connections."
Drafted 54th overall in the 2107 CHL import draft, Mikhalchuk is in his third season with the Cougars. He's back living with his billet family in Prince George, Susan and George Danilec. Their son Jaxson, 18, a former Cariboo Cougar midget, is now playing in the KIJHL for the Sicamous Eagles.
The Blazers will be tough test tonight; their 13-6-0-0 record is tops in the B.C. Division. For the Cougars (4-13-0-2), who also visit the Vancouver Giants Saturday night in Langley, this is the first time all season they have a full lineup. Right now the Cougars are eight points behind the Spokane Chiefs for the second wild-card playoff position.
Sixteen-year-old goalie Tyler Brennan is back with the Cats after nearly two weeks with Team Canada White at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Medicine Hat and Swift Current. Brennan helped Canada White to a fourth-place finish in the eight-team tournament, which wrapped up Saturday.
Winger Reid Perepeluk is back after serving a two-game suspension for a high hit in the game last Friday against Victoria.
The Cougars are trying to shake off a four-game losing streak with just one win in their last 10 games. The Cats will be back on home ice Tuesday at CN Centre to face the Central Division-leading Edmonton Oil Kings. Heading their weekend games in Medicine Hat Saturday and at home against Brandon Sunday afternoon, the Oil Kings (13-4-3-0) have a league-leading 30 points.
Next weekend, the Blazers will meet the Cougars in a two-game set at CN Centre
