NHL Veteran Leaves the League

PUBLICATION

TJ Tucker
July 20, 2023 (5:04 PM)

SHARE THIS STORY

After 427 games in the NHL, and several in the AHL, a hockey veteran has decided to play outside of North America for the first time in his career. The ZSC Lions of the Swiss National League have announced a one-year contract with Derek Grant for 2023-24.

The Lions

ZSC is very proud of signing Grant, and believes he'll bring a lot of grit to the team.

"Derek is a physically strong striker who can hold the puck very well and will give our team both size and toughness. He goes where it hurts, and is strong in front of the net." - ZSC Lions Sporting Director Sven Leuenberger.

Well Travelled

Grant, initially from British Columbia, made a name for himself at Michigan State University as a hard-nosed player not afraid of getting his hands dirty. Grant was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round in 2008, but fought through four years in the minors before getting his first taste of NHL action in the 2012-13 season. Besides Ottawa, Grant also played for Calgary, Buffalo, Nashville, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia, as well as three separate stints with the Anaheim Ducks, where he played for the last three seasons. Grant bounced between the NHL and AHL until the 2018-19 season, but has played exclusively in the NHL since then. Grant, who is 33, helped the Binghamton Senators win the AHL's Calder Cup in 2012, and was named an AHL All-Star in 2016.