Flyers sign Denis Bodrov (Photo © khl.ru)

The Philadelphia Flyers signed Denis Bodrov to an AHL deal. The Russian defenseman was a second round pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and was released by KHL‘s Atlant Mytischi in November due to bad performances.

“He hasn’t played in about a month,” GM Holmgren said to philly.com. “I don’t really know the process over there in Russia, but it worked out where he was free to do what he wanted. He’s been here the last few days.”

Bodrov, 23, started his pro career with Lada Togliatti. He was drafted by the Flyers after his good performances at 2006 WJC, where he won the silver medal with Team Russia. He was then traded to Atlant Mytischi after he was rumored to have a bad influence on the team’s youngest players. In the Moscow Region team he didn’t manage to play up to the expectation and he was finally released in November.

“He was a highly thought of defenseman in our system at one time,” Holmgren said to philly.com. “He was on our reserve list. He’s not in shape right now. He needs to get down there and play. We’ll see what happens.”

The move to North America might be a successful change of scenario for the young defenseman, who was very near to sign with the Flyers already on summer 2007, but then he decided to spend a further year with Lada.

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