Nikita Gusev shed some light Friday on why the Vegas Golden Knights traded him to the New Jersey Devils earlier this week.
While thanking Vegas for accommodating the move, the dynamic forward revealed that the team wanted to give him a contract resembling the two-year, $9-million pact they agreed to with Vadim Shipachyov in May 2017, but couldn't do so due to its cap constraints.
"I'm very grateful to (the Golden Knights) for letting me go," he told Sport-Express' Igor Eronko. "Big thanks to them for all they (did) for me. They promised me a deal similar to Shipachyov's. Just couldn't find a room for me under the salary cap."
The Golden Knights currently have just over $1 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly.
Coincidentally, after acquiring Gusev, the Devils signed him to the exact length and financial terms that the Golden Knights gave Shipachyov, who retired from the NHL in November 2017 and signed in the KHL after Vegas suspended him for failing to report to its AHL affiliate.
Gusev, the KHL's 2018-19 points leader, told Eronko he's looking forward to joining New Jersey and is familiar with the Devils because he knows Russian-born defenseman Egor Yakovlev, who played for them this past season.
"The (Devils) showed me they very much need me," the 27-year-old said. "It's very important for me and it tells a lot. I followed them because my friend Yakovlev played there so I have an idea what kind of a team it is. With all the new players, I'm sure we can play well and win."
Gusev racked up 82 points in 62 regular-season games with SKA St. Petersburg this past campaign before adding nine goals and 19 points in 18 playoff contests.
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