Former Penguins draft pick reportedly leaving NHL for KHL after no offers in free agency
Photo credit: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
Calen Addison, a former Penguins second rounder, has reportedly signed a one year deal in the KHL after a tough finish with the Devils organization.
Calen Addison's NHL journey looks like it might be on pause for a while.
The 26-year-old defenseman was expected to sign a one-year contract with Shanghai in the KHL, according to a report that surfaced this week and it was just made official.
Addison was a second round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins back in 2018, going 53rd overall, though he never actually got the chance to suit up for Pittsburgh.
He was shipped to Minnesota a little over a year later as part of the Jason Zucker trade, a move that ended up shaping the rest of his career path in a big way.
Since that trade, Addison has bounced around the league, appearing in 152 career NHL games between the Wild and the Sharks.
He's racked up 50 points along the way while averaging over 16 minutes a night, numbers that show his offensive game was never really the problem.
It was always the defensive side of things that made it tough for him to hold down a full time roster spot.
a
A rough finish in New Jersey
Addison signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Devils last summer looking for a fresh start, but things didn't break his way.
He spent the entire season down with Utica in the AHL, aside from a brief stint representing Canada at the Spengler Cup.
Even so, he still produced, picking up six goals and 25 assists, good for fifth on the team in scoring and the top mark among all Comets defensemen.
New Jersey ultimately chose not to give him a qualifying offer, sending him to free agency this summer.
A new chapter overseas
Now it looks like Addison's next stop will be in China, joining a growing group of players opting for the KHL route rather than waiting out a crowded NHL market.
He's still only 26, so a return to North America down the line isn't out of the question, but for now his career is heading overseas.
Also read on House Of Hockey :
Sidney Crosby's longtime trainer made some stunning comments about John Chayka and the Leafs
Sidney Crosby's longtime trainer made some stunning comments about John Chayka and the Leafs