9th year defenseman Patrick Wiercioch(28) has decided one full season in the minors with Utica Comets, while under contract to Vancouver Canucks is plenty enough after playing in 268 NHL games and leaves for the KHL signing a one-year term with Dinamo Minsk.
The big 6’5″ 209 lbs. blue liner spent the entire 2017/2018 in the AHL and almost ironically took up his offense nicely scoring a career tying 10 goals, new best 27 assists and 37 points with a pair of short-handed tallies and one game-winner.
Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#42 overall), he spent his first six years with the team and as a rookie help affiliate Binghamton Senators win the 2011 Calder Cup Championship.
As a Canadian-born skater he took an interesting route playing one year in the BCHL for Coquitlam Express, then one campaign in the USHL with Omaha Lancers resulting in the 2008 Clark Cup before heading to University Of Denver for two years.
The 27-year old, who turns 28 before the start of 2018/2019 will likely do very well in Russia’s top league.