William Dufour has signed a one-year contract with the KHL's Lada Togliatti.
Dufour recorded 18 points in 45 games with the Bridgeport Islanders and four points in 12 games with the Colorado Eagles this season after being sent to Colorado in the Brock Nelson trade at the deadline.
The 23-year-old had a strong rookie professional season in 2022-23, posting 21 goals and 48 points in 69 games with Bridgeport. He was unable to continue progressing on an Islanders team that finished at the bottom of the AHL the past two seasons and could not acclimate in his brief time in Colorado.
The Quebec City, Que., native had 45 goals and 95 points in 181 career AHL games and went pointless in one NHL game with the New York Islanders.
A fifth round pick of the Islanders in 2020, Dufour had 56 goals and 110 points in 66 games his final junior season, helping the Saint John Sea Dogs win the 2022 Memorial Cup, capturing the Stafford Smythe and Ed Chynoweth Awards as Memorial Cup MVP and leading point scorer.
With Dufour's goal scoring prowess and still being early in his career it would not a surprise to see him return to North America after regaining his confidence abroad.
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Photo Credit: © Brad Penner-Imagn Images