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Ex-Vancouver Canucks Forward Officially Finds New Home for the 2025-26 Season
Photo credit: NHL
A former Vancouver Canuck with 300+ NHL games under his belt has officially found a new home for the 2025-26 season after inking a one-year contract to remain overseas.
As the offseason winds down across Europe, with some leagues beginning their respective regular season schedules in less than four weeks, several notable players are still looking for their next landing spot.
One of those was former Vancouver Canucks forward Ryan Spooner, who became a free agent at the end of the KHL's 2024-25 season and last month, was linked with a move to a different team in the same league.
A little over a month later and Ryan Spooner has officially found his new club for the 2025-26 campaign and as Arthur Khairullin of Sport-Express reported in July, the former Canuck will be staying in the KHL for the seventh straight season.
Former Vancouver Canucks forward Ryan Spooner finds new home for '25-26 season
Spooner's next club, which will be his fourth since his arrival in the KHL, is the Shanghai Dragons, formerly known as Kunlun Red Star, who announced the signing of the ex-Canucks forward to a one-year deal on Saturday.
Along with Spooner, the club also announced that they've signed goaltender Andrei Kareyev, defenseman Doyle Somerby as well as forwards Nikita Popugayev and former Arizona Coyotes first round pick, Nick Merkley.
"The Shanghai Dragons continue to unveil their newest additions. One-year contracts have been signed with goaltender Andrei Kareyev, defenseman Doyle Somerby and forwards Ryan Spooner, Nikita Popugayev and Nick Merkley." the Dragons said on X.
Dragons General Manager Igor Varitsky commented on the club's new signings on Saturday and when it comes to Ryan Spooner, he's very impressed with the former NHLer's Hockey IQ, speed, skating.
"Ryan Spooner is no stranger to the KHL, and his strengths are well known: elite skating, speed, hockey IQ and a team-first mentality. He can ignite the offence and move the puck deep into the offensive zone, contributing both at even strength and on the power play." Varitsky said.
Spooner, a native of Ottawa, Ontario, appeared in just 11 games as a Vancouver Canuck, which came during the 2018-19 season after he was traded to them by the Edmonton Oilers for Sam Gagner.
After a bit of a down year with Avangard Omsk, registering just eight goals after putting up 23 in the season prior, Spooner is looking to make a big impact on Shanghai's roster and get them into the Gagarin Cup Playoffs for the first time since their inaugural KHL season as Kunlun Red Star in 2016-17.
Source: Shanghai Dragons
Kareyev, Somerby, Spooner, Popugayev, Merkley Join the Dragons
Kareyev, Somerby, Spooner, Popugayev, Merkley Join the Dragons
Previously on Vancouver Hockey Daily
| POLL | ||
AOUT 16 | 922 ANSWERS Ex-Vancouver Canucks Forward Officially Finds New Home for the 2025-26 Season Will Ryan Spooner return to North America after the 2025-26 season? | ||
| Yes | 145 | 15.7 % |
| No | 777 | 84.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
