The Chicago Blackhawks have waived forward Viktor Tikhonov, according to TVA’s Renaud Lavoie.
Tikhonov, a first round draft pick of the Phoenix Coyotes in 2008, is playing his second NHL season after playing the last four years in the KHL.
This season, he’s failed to find the offensive touch the made him of interest to Chicago. His totals weren’t sky-high in the KHL, but he was reliable and put up points at a consistent pace. For Chicago, he has yet to record a point in the 11 games he’s been in.
A trip to the AHL may be in order for him to find his confidence and game, particularly since he’s been in the lineup so irregularly. He played just three games in November, grabbing just over 12 minutes on November 6 and then getting cut down to just over five minutes in the next game.
All-in, he’s averaged just 10:17 of ice time this season with Chicago.
The decision to waive Tikhonov has nothing to do with him hoping to return to the KHL, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Tikhonov hopes to continue to play in the NHL.
The move could open the door for Bryan Bickell to return from his AHL purgatory, where he has seven goals and seven assists in 12 games for the Rockford IceHogs.
Playing for SKA St. Petersburg last season, Tikhonov posted eight goals and 16 assists through 49 games and put up 18 goals and 16 assists the season before.
Update:
A Russian source, Rsport.ru, says that Tikhonov is considering a return to SKA St. Petersburg.