When Alexander Barabanov made the transition to North America, he arrived with high hopes, signing his first professional contract—a one-year, entry-level deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 7, 2020.
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The Russian forward, who had spent seven seasons with SKA St. Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), was eager to make an impact in the National Hockey League. However, his journey with the Leafs proved to be short-lived and full of unexpected challenges.
The 30-year-old played in only 13 games for the organization, recording a single assist while primarily being stationed on the fourth line before being traded to the San Jose Sharks for Antti Suomela. This summer, the 5-foot-10 forward signed a two-year contract with the Ak Bars Kazan, marking a return to the KHL.
On Wednesday, Barabanov sat down for an exclusive interview to reflect on his NHL experiences with Sergey Demidov of RG.org, stating he found it difficult to secure lengthy ice time in his limited role in Toronto.
“It’s tough to break into the Toronto roster,” Barabanov admitted. “Many factors have to come together. During negotiations, they can tell you that you’re going to play one position, and then, like in my case, it turns out not to be the case.”
Related: Why Former Maple Leafs Forward Alexander Barabanov is Returning to the KHL
It was evident that Barabanov’s initial experiences on the ice were far from what he had anticipated. “I played five minutes in the first game, and in the second, four minutes,” he recalled. “After that, I called [agent] Dan [Milstein] and asked what I was doing wrong.”
“But the team had a great scout, Jim [Roque], who communicated with me helpfully and told me that I needed to play at least 20 games to understand what kind of league this was,” Barabanov noted. However, just as he began finding his footing, the Leafs decided to trade him to the Sharks.
The move to San Jose marked a turning point for Barabanov. In contrast to his limited playing time in Toronto, he took on a much more significant role with the rebuilding Sharks. “They traded me to San Jose, where I played 18 minutes a game,” he said. “And I realized that you can easily play that much time.”
Granted an increase in playing time, Barabanov finished the 2020-21 season with seven points (3G, 4A) in nine games. In the following two seasons, Barabanov tallied 86 points in 138 games, averaging 18:03 of total ice time in the 2022-23 season and 15:52 in the 2023-24 season – significantly more than the 8:37 he averaged in Toronto.
While Barabanov had opportunities to stay in the NHL after his stint with the Sharks, he explained, “I’ve been offered to play in the fourth line, but I want to avoid repeating the same mistake. I went through this in Toronto, and I understand what it is. So there was no point in it.”
He ultimately chose a different path. Unsatisfied with the offers he received, he decided to return to the KHL starting in 2024-25.
And though the door isn’t completely shut on a possible return to North America and the NHL, Barabanov doesn’t hold much value in pursuing a minor role. “I’ve probably already closed the door to the NHL for myself. I don’t see the point in going there and sitting on the bench or playing in the AHL,” he said.
In 206 games in the NHL, Barabanov scored 107 points (32G, 75A).
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