Veteran forward Konstantin Shafranov is leaving the Komets on Friday to play for Kazakhstan in the upcoming World Championships in Germany. Because he'll play a minimum of six games, Shafranov will not be back the rest of this season, after which he's planning to retire anyway.
Because the games do not start until May 7, there's no chance Shafranov will be back in time to make the playoffs. Besides that, the Komets would not want to use up a roster spot by holding a position open for him.
Playing in the world championships has always been a dream for Shafranov, who played in the 1998 Olympics, especially since one of his good friends is now coaching the team.
