Former Canucks First-Round Pick Ends NHL Career at Just 28-Years-Old To Sign New Contract Overseas
Photo credit: Sportsnet
A former Vancouver Canucks first round pick has found a new home for the 2025-26 season in Europe, putting an end to any possibility of a return to North America.
It's been quite a busy summer for a ton of former Vancouver Canucks who were looking for new teams ahead of the 2025-26 campaign with Linden Vey signing in Austria, while Ryan Spooner is expected to remain in the KHL.
Vey and Spooner aren't the only former members of the Vancouver Canucks organization to deicide that they'll remain in Europe for at least one more year as an ex-first round pick of the club has also put pen-to-paper on a new deal to stay overseas.
Former Vancouver Canucks first round pick finds new team in Europe
In a press release on Wednesday, Slovak Extraliga club HK Dukla Michalovce announced that they've agreed to terms on a one-year contract with free agent forward and former Vancouver Canucks first rounder Jake Virtanen.
Note: the following was translated from Slovak
"Transfer bomb of summer 2025!
HK Dukla Michalovce reports a big name - attacking lines will be strengthened by Jake Virtanen!
28-year-old Canadian winger, 6. The 2014 NHL overall draft pick has more than 300 games in the world's most prestigious league in the Vancouver Canucks jersey.
Virtanen comes to Zemplin with a clear goal - to bring strength, experience and productivity to our offensive. After stint in NHL, KHL, DEL and the Swiss league, Dukla Michalovce will put on the jersey and fans can look forward to a real hockey show!
Jake, welcome to Dukla!" HK Dukla Michalovce said.
HK Dukla Michalovce reports a big name - attacking lines will be strengthened by Jake Virtanen!
28-year-old Canadian winger, 6. The 2014 NHL overall draft pick has more than 300 games in the world's most prestigious league in the Vancouver Canucks jersey.
Virtanen comes to Zemplin with a clear goal - to bring strength, experience and productivity to our offensive. After stint in NHL, KHL, DEL and the Swiss league, Dukla Michalovce will put on the jersey and fans can look forward to a real hockey show!
Jake, welcome to Dukla!" HK Dukla Michalovce said.
Virtanen, 28, was selected sixth overall by the Vancouver Canucks and went on to make 317 appearances for the club between 2015 and 2021 before being placed on leave and having his contract terminated after allegations of sexual assault were brought forward by the Vancouver Police Department.
The Langley, British Columbia native continued with his hockey career overseas in the KHL with Spartak Moscow and one year after he was formally charged, he was found not guilty.
Over the last few years, Virtanen has suited up for EHC Visp in Switzerland's second division, Bremerhaven Penguins in Germany and last summer, signed a one-year contract to remain in the German DEL, joining Iserlohn Roosters where he had 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) in 46 games.
Source: HK Dukla Michalovce
The transfer bomb of the summer
The transfer bomb of the summer
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 30 | 1571 ANSWERS Former Canucks First-Round Pick Ends NHL Career at Just 28-Years-Old To Sign New Contract Overseas Do you think Jake Virtanen will return to North America following the 2025-26 season? | ||
| Yes | 254 | 16.2 % |
| No | 1317 | 83.8 % |
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