It’s been nearly five years since Simon Despres last played in an NHL game and almost exactly four since his contract was bought out by the Anaheim Ducks, but he still won’t turn 30 until later this summer. The 29-year-old defenseman has re-signed with Eisbaren Berlin of the German DEL for another year, continuing his career overseas.
Despres was once an up-and-coming two-way defenseman in the NHL, armed with good size and skating ability. He scored 43 points in 193 regular season games and even went on a long playoff run with the Ducks before concussion issues forced him off the ice. His five-year, $18.5MM contract with Anaheim was bought out after just one season, meaning the team will still pay him $662,500 for each of the next three seasons. His playing career meanwhile has now taken him to the KHL, the SHL and the DEL as he tries to continue playing professionally. Last season with Berlin, he recorded 10 points in 19 games and added five more in a playoff run that resulted in the DEL Championship.
He’s not the only former NHL player that signed in Germany today, as Thomas Di Pauli has inked a deal with the Krefeld Pinguine. The 27-year-old forward sat out all of 2020-21 but suited up twice for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019-20. A fourth-round pick by the Washington Capitals, those were Di Pauli’s only games at the NHL level, instead spending most of his time in the minor leagues with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He’ll now head to Germany to try and keep his playing career on track.