Former Vancouver Canucks forward finds new home after having NHL contract terminated
Photo credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
A former member of the Vancouver Canucks has found his new home very quickly after having his National Hockey League contract terminated on Friday morning.
After three seasons in Switzerland's top division, National League, former Vancouver Canucks forward Juho Lammikko made the big decision to return to North America and put pen-to-paper on a one-year contract for the 2025-26 season with the New Jersey Devils worth $800,000 USD.
Lammikko's time with the New Jersey Devils didn't go as he was hoping, with low ice times, including 7:13 on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets and 6:13 against the Carolina Hurricanes in mid-January, along with a number of healthy scratches.
Instead of remaining in his 13th forward/fourth line role with the Devils, the two sides decided to go their separate ways and on Thursday, Juho Lammikko was placed on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract.
"#NEWS: We've placed F Juho Lammikko on waivers for the purposes of terminating his contract." the Devils said on X.
Former Vancouver Canucks forward finds new home after having NHL contract terminated
The most logical option for the Noormarkku, Finland native was to head back overseas to Europe for at least the remainder of the 2025-26 season and potentially beyond, and it looks like that's exactly what he'll be doing.
In a press release on Saturday, the ZSC Lions in Switzerland's National League, announced that they've signed Juho Lammikko to a contract that runs until the conclusion of the 2027-28 season, bringing the ex-Vancouver Canuck back to the club he spent the previous three years with.
Note: the following has been translated from German
"We all know Juho's qualities. As a two-way center, he can be used in any situation, and his energy gives the whole team a boost. Juho's return is also valuable because we now have our old center forward trio of Malgin, Grant, Lammikko, and Sigrist back." ZSC Lions Sporting director Sven Leuenberger said.
"We all know Juho's qualities. As a two-way center, he can be used in any situation, and his energy gives the whole team a boost. Juho's return is also valuable because we now have our old center forward trio of Malgin, Grant, Lammikko, and Sigrist back." ZSC Lions Sporting director Sven Leuenberger said.
During Lammikko's time in Zurich the last three seasons, he's registered 112 points (48 goals, 64 assists), 92 penalty minutes and was a plus-60 in 144 games, helping his club win back-to-back National League titles in 2024 and 2025.
It's unclear if the 30-year-old will make another attempt to return to the National Hockey League at the conclusion of his contract in Switzerland, but for now, there's no question that this is the best move for him as the ZSC Lions chase the three-peat, something that hasn't been done in the NL since EHC Kloten won four in a row in the mid 1990s.
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| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 7|854 ANSWERS Former Vancouver Canucks forward finds new home after having NHL contract terminated Do you think Juho Lammikko will try to return to North America & the NHL in 2028? | ||
| Yes | 306 | 35.8 % |
| No | 548 | 64.2 % |
| List of polls | ||