Ex-Canuck Virtanen finds new team in Germany after removal from Swiss club

Feb 14 2023, 4:19 pm

Jake Virtanen has found a new home in Germany.

The 26-year-old has joined the Fischtown Pinguins, also known as REV Bremerhaven, in Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) after an abrupt ending to his tumultuous time with EHC Visp of the Swiss League — a tier below Switzerland’s National League.

“I’m more than happy that the Penguins are giving me the chance to show that I’m a decent person and a good hockey player here in the north,” Virtanen told the Pinguins website, according to Google Translate. “I will do everything to ensure that the trust placed in me is rewarded.”

Virtanen, who had 25 points (14 goals, 11 assists) in 21 games with Visp, cancelled his contract with the team to join Bremerhaven, who sit eighth in the league standings.

The 26-year-old was no longer wanted by Visp after he reportedly got into a “verbal and muscular altercation” with teammate Daniel Eigenmann during a game on January 31, according to Swiss outlet Le Matin.

Eigenmann reportedly told management “it’s him or us” after the altercation.

Virtanen had signed a two-year contract with Visp in November after failing to earn a contract on a training camp try-out with the Edmonton Oilers in September. It was Virtanen’s latest NHL setback after he was bought out by the Canucks in 2021.

Virtanen, the No. 6 pick in the 2014 draft by Vancouver, played 317 career NHL games over parts of six seasons with the Canucks, collecting 100 points (55 goals, 45 assists).

He now joins his third team in his third league since being bought out by Vancouver. Virtanen spent the 2021-22 season with Spartak Moskva in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), netting 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in 36 games.

He becomes Fischtown’s second Canadian alongside captain Alex Friesen, who was selected in the sixth round (No. 172) of the 2010 NHL Draft by the Vancouver Canucks and played one game with the club in 2016.

Virtanen also has a player option to remain with the Pinguins next season.

Offside StaffOffside Staff

+ Offside
+ Hockey
+ Canucks
ADVERTISEMENT