A former NHLer who was once considered a talented prospect has signed a new deal in order to continue his professional hockey career in Europe.
High Ranking Draft Pick
Jake Virtanen, who was taken 6th overall in the 2014 draft by the Vancouver Canucks, has signed an extension with the Fischtown Pinguins of DEL, Germany's top-tier hockey league. Virtanen played 16 games with the team last season, scoring 2 goals and 4 points.
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Controversy
Virtanen's name is likely well-known by many hockey fans, although not for his accomplishments. Virtanen never lived up to the hype of being such a high draft pick for his hometown team, and was bought out of the last year of his contract by the Canucks in 2021. He was also charged with sexual assault around that same time, but was eventually found not guilty by a jury in July of 2022. After the Vancouver buy-out, there were no takers for Virtanen's services in the NHL and he signed in Russia's KHL. He would last just 36 games there before moving on to Sweden. In January of this year, Virtanen got into an altercation with a teammate and was dropped from that contract before finishing out the season in Germany.
Virtanen, 26, played a total of 315 games in the NHL, all with Vancouver, scoring 55 goals and putting up 100 points.
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