Ray Emery heads to Russia.

Wow.

INDEX:SportsFormer Senators goalie Emery signs one-year deal with Russian club

Ray Emery will kickstart his hockey career in Russia.

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The 25-year-old goaltender, bought out by the Ottawa Senators last month, has signed a one-year deal worth around US$2 million (tax free) with Atlant Mytishchi of the new Continental Hockey League.

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`The reality is that since Ray's buyout there hasn't been a lot of interest, it doesn't seem like someone (in the NHL) wants to give him a second chance right now,' Emery's agent J.P. Barry told The Canadian Press on Wednesday. `It's a terrific offer from Russia and we've been speaking to them for several weeks since the buyout.

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`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.'

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After helping the Senators reach the Stanley Cup final in 2007, Emery had a nightmare 2007-08 season, losing his starting job to Martin Gerber and grabbing headlines for the wrong reasons - such as being late for practice or throwing his stick in the stands.

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Sens GM Bryan Murray had enough and bought him out of a deal that was to pay him $6.75 million over the next two NHL seasons.

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(The Canadian Press)