There’s still a small chance that Maxim Shalunov joins the Blackhawks before the 2017 playoffs as his camp works to out of his contract with Sibir Novosibirsk, according to The Athletic’s Scott Powers. That could open the door for Shalunov to potentially play this postseason.
The biggest hurdle for Shalunov to leave the KHL right now is his contract with Sibir, which doesn’t technically expire until April 30. He’s set to become a restricted free agent in that league, and doesn’t want to play for Sibir anymore. So he’s been pushing for a trade to Russian powerhouse CSKA Moscow, with the Blackhawks as another alternative.