Heading into his 10th pro season right wing Francis Pare(91) signs with Avtomobilist Yekaturenburg for 2017/2018 to return to the KHL for a 5th season.
After winning the 2013 Calder Cup Championship with his original contract team Detroit Red Wings‘ affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins the unrestricted free agent decided to move on with no NHL games played, agreeing to a 2-year deal with TPS of Liiga.
He would only stay with the team for half a season before getting his first deal in Russia’s top league with Metallurg Magnitorgosk, where he won a second straight title, the 2014 Gagarin Cup.
The forward stayed for another campaign but was traded after a slow start to Traktor Chelyabinsk through the beginning of 2015/2016 before moving once again to HC Slovan Bratislava.
He only stayed there for 16 games before heading back to Finland.
After another brief visit there (18 contests and 8 in the playoffs) and a return to the type of scoring which made him sought after, he signed his next contract with Medvescak Zagreb and was able to achieve scoring totals closer to what he achieved in the AHL (10-26-36) before once again moving on a month before the season concluded to Geneve-Servette HC of the NLA.
He’ll turn 30-years old before the start 2017/2018.
It’s unlikely this will be this next stop will be a last one for the journeyman skater.
Francis Pare(9) Grand Rapids Griffins
Detroit Red Wings‘ undrafted fifth year right wing, Francis Pare(9) scored the winning goal for minor league affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins in game 2 of the 2013 Calder Cup Finals to help give his team a 2-0 series lead.
Appearing in all 20 postseasons contests, he has 3 goals and 9 assists. 2 of his strikes came on the power play, including the recent game-winner.
In 68 2012/2013 regular season outings he notched 22 goals and 22 assists
He is currently in the final campaign of his 2-year contract extension, which he signed as his tw0-year entry level deal was wrapping up.
In his first year as a pro he signed a one-year agreement with the Griffins.
He has played in 363 AHL games, all with Grand Rapids, scoring 102 goals and 135 assists with a +19 rating.
The 5’10” 191 lbs. forward had an outstanding junior career registering 1.12 points per game over 4 seasons in the QMJHL. He was selected league MVP in his final season.
The soon-to-be 26-year old enters his first off season as an unrestricted free agent. He has yet to skate in an NHL game but we have to think his chances of re-upping one more time are good, unless he feels the need to explore the market.