Longtime Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov signed with Russian club Ak Bars Kazan on Monday.

The team said the 38-year-old Markov signed a two-year contract to play in the Kontinental Hockey League, a week after Montreal said it would not keep the defenseman for a 17th NHL season. 

Markov will be reunited with Ak Bars coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov, who coached Markov on Russia's Olympic team in 2014.

"I'm fired up to work and hope we'll be successful," Markov said.