The Coyotes made official Friday the signing of defenseman Vladislav Provolnev to a one-year contract for next season. Provolnev, of Russia, will report to AHL Tucson for the rest of the season if immigration issues in getting him from there to the United States are resolved, according to the Coyotes.

Provolnev, 25, gives the Coyotes size and a physical style with some offense and skating ability, general manager Bill Armstrong said in a statement.

“He will be another good blueline prospect for us,” Armstrong said.

The 6-foot-3, 194-pound Provolnev had 10 goals and 10 assists with 50 penalty minutes in 48 games for Severstal Cherepovets in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) this season. Five of his goals came on the power play.

Provolnev also tied for first among all KHL defensemen with five game-winning goals, and he totaled 87 hits. His team’s season recently ended in the league quarterfinals. 

He has 49 career points with 255 penalty minutes in 240 career games with Severstal and Spartak Moskva. 

Of the Coyotes’ seven defensemen used regularly this season, four are set to become unrestricted free agents at season’s end. Jordan Oesterle, Alex Goligoski, Jason Demers and Niklas Hjalmarsson are in the final years of their Coyotes contracts. 

Provolnev has high-level experience in a top international league and could fill a void in the future, when deemed ready. Coyotes defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin is another KHL product.

Get in touch with Jose Romero at [email protected]. Find him on Twitter at @RomeroJoseM.