Olli Jokinen close to appearing in next year’s KHL all-star game
Will the last image of center Olli Jokinen(notes) in the NHL be that of Brian Boucher(notes) of the Philadelphia Flyersstopping him in the shootout to eliminate the New York Rangers from the playoff race?
According to SportsDaily.ru, Jokinen is closing in on a move to the KHL next season.
The report reads:
"The main transfer news [for Dynamo Minsk] in the coming days may be the signing of a contract with Finnish forward Olli Jokinen, who spent the last season with the Rangers.
"On the line with Spiridonov, Stumpel and Glazachev from Barys, the Finn shall become the leader of the renovated Minsk."
A friend very close to the Minsk organization emailed me earlier today and said: "He's close [to signing]. But he hasn't signed yet."
Minsk has a thing for Finns. Last year, former Florida Panthers player Ville Peltonen(notes) was the team's leader and its captain. He left Dynamo Minsk this week to join HIFK of the Finnish SM-Liiga.
UPDATE: Jokinen's agent, Todd Diamond, denies the report to TSN. He says Jokinen intends on playing in the NHL next season.
