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Interesting news out of Russia regarding the future of Nashville forward Sergei Kostitsyn.

According to news outlet Izvestia.ru, Kostitsyn has reportedly received a contract offer from KHL club Avangard Omsk, the team he played for during the lockout.

What’s more, Avangard’s GM has apparently had discussions with Preds GM David Poile, and claims Poile has no objections to Kostisyn leaving — despite the fact he has one year remaining on his deal with Nashville.

Here’s a Google translation of the Izvestia article:

Q: How are contract negotiations with Belarus striker Sergei Kostitsyn?

A: We offered Sergey contract, he is now under discussion. Every day contact with his agent. I also contact the general manager of “Nashville” by David [Poile]. We talked a few times on this issue and came to the conclusion that “Nashville” would not object to his move to the “Vanguard”.

Now everything depends on the willingness of Sergei, who is considering several proposals. We are actively negotiating with him and are close to having to continue our relationship.

Pretty sure “Vanguard” is “Avangard,” FYI.

Poile and the Predators have been down this road before.

In 2008, they lost the services of Alex Radulov to KHL club Salavat Yulaev Ufa and, following last season, parted ways with Sergei’s brother, Andrei Kostitsyn, who eventually signed in the KHL with Traktor Chelyabinsk.

As for Sergei, he had a disappointing 2013 campaign for the Preds, scoring just three goals in 46 games and finishing with 15 points, eighth-most on the team.

There was also this embarrassing line-change fiasco against Edmonton in March, which got the Belarussian winger dropped from the lineup.

Following the end of the regular season, head coach Barry Trotz called out Kostitsyn for his lack of scoring.

“We expected production from Sergei and Craig Smith and we got none,” Trotz explained. “Both those guys, we were looking at them to be top-six, top-seven forwards and we got no production.”

It was quite a decline for Kostitsyn, who led the Predators in scoring (with 50 points) two years ago and signed a two-year, $6 million deal in 2012.