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Ray Emery's second chance to rebuild his pro hockey career will take him to Russia next season.
The goaltender has agreed to play for Atlant Mytishchi of the fledgling Continental Hockey League, less than a month after the Ottawa Senators bought out the final two years of his NHL contract.
Emery, 25, will receive a tax-free salary of $2-million (U.S.), plus bonuses, to play for a team that featured former Montreal Canadiens and Vancouver Canucks forward Jan Bulis last year.
"The reality is that since Ray's buyout, there hasn't been a lot of interest," Emery's agent, J.P. Barry, told The Canadian Press yesterday. "It doesn't seem like someone [in the NHL] wants to give him a second chance right now. It's a terrific offer from Russia and we've been speaking to them for several weeks since the buyout.
Ottawa Senators goalie Ray Emery watches during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., on Dec. 12, 2007. (Gerry Broome/AP)
"I've been talking to Ray a lot over the last couple of months, and I know he's taken a lot of steps to make changes. This is his best opportunity to play next year."
There was lukewarm interest from three other NHL teams after Emery was cut loose by the Senators.
After helping Ottawa reach the 2007 Stanley Cup final, Emery's follow-up season was notable for all the wrong reasons.
It began when Emery underwent wrist surgery last summer.
During the season, he was tardy for a few practices and was docked a day's pay. He was involved in an alleged road-rage incident near Scotiabank Place, had subpar performances on the ice, and exhibited a horrible attitude around his teammates after the Senators decided to go with Martin Gerber as their No. 1 goalie.
