What happened: Spartak goaltender Alexandar Georgiev has had his contract terminated with one year remaining, according to a Hockey News Hub report relayed on r/hockey. His agent, Stanislav Romanov, said the plan is a return to the NHL, stating that Georgiev expressed the desire to play in the league again and that there was an agreement to that effect.

Why it matters: A mutual termination frees Georgiev to pursue an NHL contract rather than playing out the final season of his Spartak deal. It places a goaltender with prior NHL experience back onto the open market as clubs weigh their netminding depth heading into the next season.

What to watch: Watch for which NHL teams register interest and whether Georgiev signs before training camps open.