Karpukhin at Ak Bars: Does Kazan need an expensive defenseman amid failures with its forwards?

      Karpukhin will bolster Ak Bars, but will add to Kazan’s roster imbalance

      Ak Bars secured a top signing. Why a defenseman again?

      While Kazan fans are waiting for a serious acquisition to the Ak Bars forward line, the team’s general manager brought another defenseman to Kazan, Ilya Karpukhin. He arrived in Kazan the day before to sort out the final formalities and technical details, after which the signing was announced.

      In fact, Ak Bars general manager Marat Valiullin used the same approach with Karpukhin as he did with Alexander Barabanov. The hockey player was invited to the club’s facility, shown the conditions, the city and introduced to the staff. After such treatment, when you are effectively accepted into their “ecosystem,” it’s hard to refuse.

      Valiullin’s summer, to put it mildly, has not gone well. During the offseason several high-profile and less high-profile forwards fell through, and now there is also the looming issue with Grigory Denisenko, who has been twisting Kazan’s arms after Ak Bars traded for his rights from Lokomotiv. So the use of every trick by Ak Bars to sign any player is understandable.

      Ak Bars managed to get Karpukhin without compensation. SKA terminated the defender’s contract without demanding anyone in return. A strange development, given that Igor Larionov had long wanted Artemiy Knyazev under his guidance.

      So the question of an excess of defensemen remains relevant. With Karpukhin, there will already be eleven of them at Ak Bars. And considering that Albert Yarullin and Daniil Zhuravlev have significantly declined in level, while Knyazev still hasn’t earned full trust from Gatiyatulin, someone in this equation is bound to be surplus.

      Ak Bars is loading the payroll with defensemen, having failed to add forwards

      However, Marat Valiullin muddled the cards the other day when, before the friendly match with Dynamo in Moscow, he stated that even if more defensemen appear on the team, it would not necessarily mean obligatory trades of current defensemen.

      “The season is long, and injuries are inevitable. Artemiy Knyazev had an injury. Any game is played at an intense pace. It used to be different because we prepared for two months. Now preparation lasts only a month, and injuries are inevitable. I’m not saying that if we trade Zhuravlev, we won’t take someone from the defensemen,” Valiullin told S.E.

      Thus Ak Bars might keep two pairs of equally strong defensemen in reserve, plus one more. How rational this allocation of financial resources is for Ak Bars, given that Kazan still needs serious signings in the forward line, is a rhetorical question. If negotiations with Denisenko fail, Valiullin will urgently need funds to sign him.

      Right now Ak Bars has an overly loaded defensive line and a “fat-depleted” attack. It’s hard to call such an imbalance a sign of a top team that is contending for something serious.

      Is Karpukhin good enough to spend a cap spot on?

      Ilya Karpukhin was a favorite of Roman Rotenberg back when he played for the Russia U25 team. As a result, Rotenberg even made significant sacrifices, giving up one of SKA’s central axis leaders, Vasily Glotov, as well as 20-year-old Arseny Koromyslov, who shows great promise.

      However, after his stint in Saint Petersburg there remain serious questions about Ilya Karpukhin. He joined SKA in a very ambiguous way — he had a sloppy regular season, scoring 9 points (5+4) in 29 games with a plus-minus of -4. In the Gagarin Cup run he played six games in the series against Dynamo, registering 2 points (1+1) with a plus-minus of -3.

      It should be noted that the last time before moving to the Saint Petersburg team that Ilya finished with a negative plus-minus was in the distant 2019/2020 season, when he was just beginning his adult KHL career. In St. Petersburg Ilya lost confidence, began to lose battles and did not always manage to get back after attacks. Nevertheless, Ilya was by no means SKA’s worst defenseman last season. He still joined the attack well, did not shy away from engaging in defensive battles or getting physical.

      So it’s not possible to call the blurred second half of last season inevitable for the defenseman. It’s more a case of the player being used improperly by SKA’s coaches. Under a more competent specialist he should at least return to his previous level. Especially since the player performed well under Anvar Gatiyatulin, a coach who knows how to use Karpukhin.

      At the same time, for the second half of the season at SKA Ilya received a salary of 13 million rubles. By the “price-quality” ratio it’s hard to call that trade unsuccessful. The people in Saint Petersburg saw Karpukhin as a player for the team in the following season as well. They didn’t abandon the idea of re-signing the defenseman even after Roman Rotenberg left the club on June 2. On June 6 the “Army Men” signed a new contract with the player. He signed a contract worth a solid 55 million rubles.

      Obviously, Kazan could not agree to such terms for another defenseman, otherwise there would be no cap space left. But Karpukhin certainly didn’t come for a minimum salary either. Lately Marat Valiullin has been raising more questions than answers.

      Photo: ska.ru

      More news about the event:

      Artur Akhtyamov: “Throughout the season Ak Bars kept calling me”

      Artur Akhtyamov on competition at an AHL club, life in America and returning to Russia

      “Offers from Kazan?” 13:08 28.08.2025 IA Tatar-inform - Kazan

      “Sochi” is vying for Ak Bars defenseman Zhuravlev

      Hockey club Sochi has become one of the contenders for Ak Bars defenseman Daniil Zhuravlev. 11:59 28.08.2025 Business Online - Kazan

      Meeting with club management

      Nine newcomers to hockey club Ak Bars-Dinamo for the 2025/2026 sports season. 11:29 28.08.2025 HK Ak Bars-Dinamo - Kazan

      Karpukhin to Ak Bars: does Kazan need an expensive defenseman in light of failures with forwards

      Karpukhin will bolster Ak Bars, but will add to Kazan’s roster imbalance

      Ak Bars achieved a top signing. 09:48 28.08.2025 IA Tatar-inform - Kazan

      Regional news on the topic:

      SKA prepares for the new season: second game in 48 hours and a change of roster

      Second game in 48 hours. SKA continues active preparation for the upcoming season. 20:01 27.08.2025 TK Saint-Petersburg - Saint Petersburg

      SKA parted ways with defenseman Ilya Karpukhin

      Ilya Karpukhin. Photo: HC SKA

      Saint Petersburg hockey club SKA has parted ways with defenseman Ilya Karpukhin, the “Army Men” press service reported on August 27. 15:29 27.08.2025 Moy Rayon - Saint Petersburg

      Defenseman Ilya Karpukhin left Saint Petersburg’s SKA

      The hockey club from the Northern capital announced the departure of defenseman Ilya Karpukhin. 13:52 27.08.2025 Metro Petersburg - Saint Petersburg

      SKA says goodbye to Karpukhin: player moved to Kazan club

      SKA’s player Ilya Karpukhin is leaving the club: the defenseman is moving to Kazan’s Ak Bars. 13:34 27.08.2025 Saint-Petersburg.ru - Saint Petersburg

      Saint Petersburg’s SKA lost defenseman Ilya Karpukhin

      He moved to the Army Men from Traktor. Photo: HC SKA

      Defenseman Ilya Karpukhin left SKA, the club reports. 13:14 27.08.2025 Spbdnevnik.ru - Saint Petersburg

      Defenseman Ilya Karpukhin was not needed by Igor Larionov

      HC SKA announced the parting with defenseman Ilya Karpukhin. The athlete left the Saint Petersburg club after a short stint with the team. 12:53 27.08.2025 Sport76.Ru - Yaroslavl

      Denisenko may not join Ak Bars and could move to Switzerland

      Forward Grigory Denisenko is negotiating a contract with Kazan’s Ak Bars. 12:52 27.08.2025 Sport76.Ru - Yaroslavl

      Defenseman Karpukhin left SKA

      Defenseman Ilya Karpukhin is no longer with SKA.

      The Saint Petersburg club announced that Karpukhin has left the team and will now play for another club. 11:45 27.08.2025 Moika78.Ru - Saint Petersburg

      Defenseman Ilya Karpukhin left SKA

      He is expected to continue his career at Ak Bars

      Karpukhin joined the Army Men in December 2024. 11:43 27.08.2025 Komsomolskaya Pravda - Saint Petersburg

      SKA announced the departure of defenseman Karpukhin

      The player will continue his career at another team.

      Photo: Neva.Today

      SKA defenseman Ilya Karpukhin is leaving the Saint Petersburg club. 11:23 27.08.2025 Neva.Today - Saint Petersburg

      SKA wishes Ilya Karpukhin good luck

      HC SKA reports that Ilya Karpukhin has left the Saint Petersburg club. The 27-year-old defenseman will continue his career at another team. 10:56 27.08.2025 HC SKA - Saint Petersburg

      Lokomotiv graduate Denisenko can’t reach an agreement with Ak Bars

      Lokomotiv graduate Grigory Denisenko cannot agree on a contract with Ak Bars. 20:09 26.08.2025 Sport76.Ru - Yaroslavl