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Fedotenko eyeing a return to the NHL

New Jersey Devils v New York Islanders

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 26: Ruslan Fedotenko #76 of the New Jersey Devils skates against the New York Islanders at the Barclays Center on September 26, 2014 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Islanders defeated the Devils 3-2 in the shootout. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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Ruslan Fedotenko still has a desire to get back to the NHL.

The 36-year-old Ukrainian hasn’t played in the NHL since appearing in 47 games with the Philadelphia Flyers during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season.

After spending the 2013-14 season in the KHL, Fedotenko was a camp invite with the New Jersey Devils last year, but failed to turn the tryout into a contract.

In January, he signed a tryout contract with the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League and scored three goals in 13 games with the Minnesota affiliate.

Fedotenko played well enough during his brief AHL stint to earn a one-year, two-way deal with the Wild worth $600,000 at the NHL level and $250,000 in the AHL for the upcoming season.

“I still feel pretty good and physically fit,” Fedotenko told The Des Moines Register. “At some point, when I realize I am getting too old or too slow and I cannot help the team, then I think I need to kind of look in the mirror and say, ‘Maybe, that’s enough.’

“I still have that passion to win another Cup.”

In parts of 12 NHL seasons Fedotenko, who won Stanley Cups with Tampa Bay (2004) and Pittsburgh (2009) has 173 goals and 366 points while appearing in 863 games.

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