Winnipeg Jets left wing Andrew Ladd has decided not to join Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) after agreeing to terms with the club earlier Thursday. Family reasons swayed the Canadian-born player's decision to remain in Winnipeg, according to the Winnipeg Free Press:
Andrew Ladd won’t go to Russia after all
“It’s all happened so quick. I was talking to (the KHL team) and they kept asking, ‘We need to know...’ and so we did it. But the more we thought about it, the more I decided to change my mind. My wife Brandy is pregnant and I couldn’t really justify leaving her by herself. The more I thought about it, the more I thought I didn’t want to leave.”
The 26-year-old captain for Winnipeg was about to be the second Canadian to join the Russian league since the NHL lockout began last month. Winnipeg teammate Evander Kane joined Dinamo Minsk and debuted this week.
Ladd told the Winnipeg Free Press that he felt bad for Omsk, and that he went back and forth on the decision in the past few days.
Ladd led the Jets with 28 goals and 22 assists in 82 games last season.
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