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Hi gang, Rick Ostler here with OHL Hockey News, bringing you News and Views from the Ontario Hockey League as well Junior Hockey worldwide. Unable to find a job in the NHL, former OHL Hockey star and No. 1 NHL draft pick Bryan Berard is probably headed to Russia to play in the Continental Hockey League (KHL).

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Berard is still waiting for some NHL teams to finalize their plans, but his agent, Tom Laidlaw, confirmed KHL teams are expressing interest in the puck-moving defenseman.

The Tampa Bay Lightning, needing a veteran defenseman, considered Berard, but then decided to stay with their current group.

Based on other signings, Berard, who wasn’t re-signed by the New York Islanders, could expect receive $1 million take-home pay for one season playing in Russia. In terms of after-taxes earnings, that would be more than double what he would earn in the NHL.

Berard, who had played for six different teams in his last seven NHL seasons, probably played sharp enough in Philadelphia’s training camp to make the Flyers. But Philadelphia essentially had too many players under contract to be able to sign him.

Two teams that are looking for a defenseman are Ak-Bars Kazan and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, and Berard knows Yaroslavl forward Josef Vasicek, who played with Berard on the Islanders last season. Former NHL player Alexei Yashin is also on Yaroslavl, currently in fifth place in the 24-team Russia-based super league, also has former Anaheim defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski

According to the Dynamo Riga website, Yaroslavl has the the KHL’s sixth-highest payroll at $40 million. Ak-Bars Kazan has the highest payroll at $55 million. Is it a coincidence that the highest payroll is just below the NHL salary cap at $56.7 million.

Former Pittsburgh Penguins player Alexei Morozov is leading the KHL in scoring, and former New York Rangers player Jaromir Jagr is fourth in the scoring race with 10 goals and eight assists in 14 games. Former Minnesota Wild player Branko Radivojevic is also among the scoring leaders with a point-per-game average. Thanks to the source; Profile – USATODAY.com

Bryan Berard Player Profile
Defense
Born Mar 5 1977  -- Woonsocket, RI
Height 6.01 -- Weight 195 -- Shoots L

Selected by Ottawa Senators round 1 #1 overall 1995 NHL Entry Draft

                                            --- Regular Season ---  ---- Playoffs ----
Season   Team                        Lge    GP    G    A  Pts  PIM  GP   G   A Pts PIM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1994-95  Detroit Jr. Red Wings       OHL    58   20   55   75   97  21   4  20  24  38
1995-96  Detroit Whalers             OHL    56   31   58   89  116  17   7  18  25  41
1996-97  New York Islanders          NHL    82    8   40   48   86  --  --  --  --  --
1997-98  New York Islanders          NHL    75   14   32   46   59  --  --  --  --  --
1998-99  Toronto Maple Leafs         NHL    38    5   14   19   22  17   1   8   9   8
1998-99  New York Islanders          NHL    31    4   11   15   26  --  --  --  --  --
1999-00  Toronto Maple Leafs         NHL    64    3   27   30   42  --  --  --  --  --
2000-01  Did Not Play                Ind     0    0    0    0    0
2001-02  New York Rangers            NHL    82    2   21   23   60  --  --  --  --  --
2002-03  Boston Bruins               NHL    80   10   28   38   64   3   1   0   1   2
2003-04  Chicago Blackhawks          NHL    58   13   34   47   53  --  --  --  --  --
2005-06  Columbus Blue Jackets       NHL    44   12   20   32   32  --  --  --  --  --
2006-07  Columbus Blue Jackets       NHL    11    0    3    3    8  --  --  --  --  --
2007-08  New York Islanders          NHL    54    5   17   22   48
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         NHL Totals                        619   76  247  323  500  20   2   8  10  10

Tags: Hockey Trade Rumours, Free Agent, Bryan Berard, ohl hockey news, ohl hockey, khl