By Eva Borsuk

KYIV, Oct. 21 - Nikolai Kiselev, a Russia-born hockey player who won the Ukrainian Hockey League’s Best Sniper Award for the 2018-2019 season, signed a contract with Ukraine’s Kharkiv-based club Rulav Odd, the club reported Thursday.

Kiselev, 27, had previously played for the Kremenchuk team and was its captain, leading the club to its first ever gold medal in the national championship in the 2019-2020 season. However, he unexpectedly quit the team in August.

Rulav Odd’s home arena is IceHall in Kharkiv, the nation’s second largest city. The club, which was founded less than a year ago in November 2020, is reportedly owned by Rulav Odd, a Ukrainian businessman previously known as Denys Shevchuk. He is the brother of Stanyslav Shevchuk, head of Ukraine’s Constitutional Court in 2014-2019.

“Kiselev’s contract with Rulav Odd is truly great news for Ukrainian hockey fans,” said Yevhen Kolychev, General Manager of the UHL. “He is a strong player with enormous potential and priceless international experience.”

Kiselev has previously played in Russia, Germany and Kazakhstan. Following his strong performance in Ukraine in 2018-2020 seasons, Ukrainian authorities had offered him a path to Ukrainian citizenship and a spot on the National Team with a chance to play in the Winter Olympics next year, but he declined both offers at the time.

“He is in great shape and has a lot to offer to his new and very young team,” Kolychev said. “His contract is a step forward for hockey in Ukraine. He reads the game really well and enjoys both the intellectual and athletic aspects of it. It’s a joy to watch him play.”

“Kiselev’s contract is a big win for the club as many athletes of his caliber refuse to play in Ukraine because of war and poor economy,” Kolychev said.