Confirmed Signing with Link: Kris Versteeg signs with Bern (NLA)

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Yeah, i dont get the either. He was on pace for 40 points last year. Even if he took a modest paycut this year I would've thought alot of NHL teams out there would like to give him a shot.

It must be about the lifestyle, and if it is, more power to him.

 

[Burt Reynolds]

Crazy to think he couldn't land an NHL gig. Honestly I wouldn't have hated him in Boston if we could've moved Hayes out.

 

[Goose of Reason]

Wow, surprised he couldnt get a deal. Wish the ducks could've signed him, he would've been cheap production.

 

[The Kingslayer]

is SC Bern somehow related to the Blackhawks organization? Its the only way this move would make sense haha. Versteeg is a blackhawk every other year.

 

[HawkeyTalkMan]

That sucks. Was a good player last year in Carolina, probably could've done well on a PTO.

Was the epitome of a tweener player

Had the skill set that could fill top 6 in a pinch and enough experience to round out a bottom 6 even though he wasnt best suited for that.

Wasnt good enough to be top 6 on a contender, but good enough to be top 6 on a bottom half team which Im sure he had no interest on signing with a dead end team.

He has been traded so much in the last few years Im sure he just wanted to sign somewhere that he could have fun, be on a competitive team, and stay put for an entire year instead of moving all over. Bern makes sense as they typically are one of the best teams in the Swiss league every year

There are worse places to play professional hockey than Switzerland

 

[SwissButch]

If true, i'm really happy to see him play for my team

 

[Zip15]

This is a freaking league where Matt Martin gets four years and $10m, and it appears Versteeg can't get more than a one-year deal (or PTO) for relative peanuts. GMs have never been dumber.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Interesting. Thought for sure he'd sign a new NHL deal.

 

[Pandaman11]

It's kinda hard to believe that there isn't at least one team that would've offered him a 1-year $1M deal.

 

[Richi]

Versteeg to the NLA - Conacher to the NHL?

Yeah, this doesn´t make much sense.

Also, Versteeg isn´t going to take over the Swiss league like some posters here suggested. History has shown that only very speedy guys like Kane or passers with a great vision like Thornton do exceptionally well in the NLA. Versteeg will probably contend for the scoring title, but he won´t dominate the competition.

 

[Satastic]

Kinda reminds me of Goc a little bit back. Still serviceable In the NHL, just decided to take a different path

 

[Kathryn Tappen]

Always liked the guy. Glad to see he is still playing at any rate. I feel like he's gonna fit in Europe easily.

 

[Riptide]

With how the cap behaved this summer it is perfectly understandable why teams are not looking to commit lots of money towards players like Kris.

A shame for him though.

The NHL minimum is 575k USD, and I'd be surprised if he couldn't hit 800-1m here. Is he really going to get more over there? Or is this just a case of him not getting what he wanted to get here and him saying **** it, I'll go to Europe if they won't pay me what I think I'm worth?

 

[Richi]

The NHL minimum is 575k USD, and I'd be surprised if he couldn't hit 800-1m here. Is he really going to get more over there? Or is this just a case of him not getting what he wanted to get here and him saying **** it, I'll go to Europe if they won't pay me what I think I'm worth?

Usuallly NLA teams pay more to Swiss players because they´re more important to the teams since there is a limit to import players per team (4) and a high numbers of players willing to sign in Switzerland. And because there is only a few really good Swiss players, they can have high demands. (For example Brunner earns 800k, Diaz 600k). Average pay is 200k.

However, there´s been at least 3 import players who earned up to 1m (Metropolit, Dube, Mathews). So that´s about what Versteeg with his reputation could get too, though he´d probably be in the 700-800k range.

 

[DonskoiDonscored]

It still boggles my mind that Versteeg is a Canadian last name. It sounds Swedish/Norwegian.

 

[leaflover]

He might be getting tired of bouncing around the league. If he has a young family I could see him opting for stability.

 

[Richi]

It still boggles my mind that Versteeg is a Canadian last name. It sounds Swedish/Norwegian.

Rumor has it his family might have moved from Europe to Canada some time between 1492 and the 1900s.

 

[Bleedred]

This is a freaking league where Matt Martin gets four years and $10m, and it appears Versteeg can't get more than a one-year deal (or PTO) for relative peanuts. GMs have never been dumber.

My thoughts exactly.

I was about ready to start rattling off some worse players that are signed to ridiculous contracts. The fact that Eric Boulton just signed an NHL contract for this upcoming year and Versteeg will not be, is kind of funny and pathetically sad at the same time. Yeah I know, different roles, blah blah blah. Still is sad.

I'd have to believe that players like Tuomo Ruutu, Dainius Zubrus, Martin Havlat, Michael Ryder (didn't play last year either) and every other washed Devils player from the past 2 or 3 years will not have NHL employment this upcoming year. It's looking like Stephen Gionta won't either.

 

[Bleedred]

Add Steve Ott to the list of sack of **** players that have an NHL contract for next year. ''Different role though bruh''. Which should be irrelevant, as I don't feel there's a need for the only role that Steve Ott is capable of providing in the year 2016.

It's getting more common to see guys at the goalie position get weeded out of the league these days. Not so much the forward position, not for a player that produced at a 40-ish point pace last year.

A 30 year old player, at that. It's not like he's Tyler Kennedy, and has been mediocre for the past 3 years and was not very good last year. He has been quite the journeyman for a guy his age though. 6 different teams in 9 years. Really 7 teams, as he's been in Chicago for two different tenures.

 

[broman]

Rumor has it his family might have moved from Europe to Canada some time between 1492 and the 1900s.

Well played sir. Although the name doesn't really sound Scandi to me. More like Dutch origin.

 

[broman]

Wow, surprised he couldnt get a deal. Wish the ducks could've signed him, he would've been cheap production.

Agreed. Mindboggling if BM hasn't even tried. But we're stuck in the RFA logjam waiting on resolution for the Swedish twins. It's infuriating how it seems to be putting everything else on hold. Life on a budget.

Then again, it could well be that at this stage of his career, Versteeg simply didn't want a 2M job as a complementary bit part player. In Europe he can be a top line star performer and go out with a bang.

And life off the ice in Switzerland has a definite upside, as long as you can afford it.

 

[Bleedred]

He might have been one of those guys like Jiri Tlusty last year, a few PTO's sent out, he declines and waits to see if someone will bite on a guaranteed contract. Then he gets signed on the eve of training camps opening, like literally the day before.

Although I don't think he fell off like Tlusty did after being sent to Winnipeg. Of course, Tlusty fell off completely last year with the Devils. He scored 4 points in 30 games, with 2 goals. One goal being an own goal that someone on Winnipeg put in their own net in the season opener, that he got credit for.

Then he scored one that assisted to him perfectly off the backboard against Buffalo, like 2 months into the season.

I really think Versteeg is still better now than Tlusty was coming into last season.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Yeah, i dont get the either. He was on pace for 40 points last year. Even if he took a modest paycut this year I would've thought alot of NHL teams out there would like to give him a shot.

It must be about the lifestyle, and if it is, more power to him.

Honestly, who wouldn't wanna live in Switzerland for a year or two?

 

[varano]

Honestly, who wouldn't wanna live in Switzerland for a year or two?

ofcourse

 

[rajuabju]

Surprised we didnt re-sign him. I was pretty happy with Versteeg in the short time he was here. Unless he wanted too much money or term. Or maybe he just didnt like the LA weather and lifestyle.

Oh well.