After splitting time between the NHL and the AHL in recent seasons, center Austin Czarnik has decided it’s time to try something different. SC Bern of the Swiss NL announced that they’ve signed the veteran to a one-year contract.
The 31-year-old spent extended time with both Detroit and Grand Rapids last season. With the Red Wings, he got into 34 games, his highest total since the 2018-19 campaign. However, Czarnik wasn’t able to muster up much offensively, recording just one assist while winning 49% of his faceoffs in just 8:26 per game, a career low.
However, he was once again a key producer in the minors with the Griffins. In 38 regular season games with them, Czarnik potted 10 goals and 18 assists before adding four goals and four assists in nine postseason contests.
That follows a recent trend for Czarnik. In the minors, he has been a top point-getter, notching 290 points in 308 career games at that level. But it hasn’t translated to much offensive success in the NHL as he has just 51 points in 205 career appearances. Most of that came early in his career as Czarnik has just 16 points in 92 games over the last five years.
It seems reasonable to infer that Czarnik would have had two-way offers on the table if he wanted to continue in the role he has had in recent seasons. But now, he’ll have a chance to play an impactful role for a full season overseas, giving him some stability in the process. Depending on how things go in Switzerland, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Czarnik back in the NHL two-way mix next summer.