In a blue collar city such as Nashville, fans love rooting for the underdog. And, in an NHL club’s training camp, is there more of an underdog than a free agent invite who’s only there thanks to a tryout agreement?
According to his agent Georges Muller, Swiss winger Simon Moser has agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Predators and will start with their AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.
Just before yesterday’s Meet the Team Party, Moser was seen heading into General Manager David Poile’s office. A few hours later, news broke that Moser has inked his new deal.
An interesting caveat to the deal is that Moser can exercise a release clause as early as December 15, according to his National League A team SC Bern. That clause apparently states that, if he’s still at the AHL level, Moser can return to Switzerland.
We’ll have more on this story — including quotes from Moser himself — in the morning.
UPDATE (9:10am): The team has made it official. The press release is below.
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Nashville, Tenn. (September 30, 2013) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has signed free-agent forward Simon Moser to a one-year entry-level contract worth $550,000 at the NHL level and $70,000 at the AHL level. Moser attended Predators training camp under a professional tryout agreement.
Moser, 24 (3/10/89), has spent the last five full seasons with Langnau of the Swiss Elite League, posting 110 points (56g-54a) and 179 penalty minutes in 232 games since making his league debut during the 2007-08 season. In 2012-13, the 6-1, 214-pound winger posted 21 points (10g-11a) in 35 games while serving as team captain, and in 2011-12, tied for 12th in Swiss League goals (18).
A native of Bern, Switzerland (the same hometown as Roman Josi), Moser has represented his nation in the past three world championships, posting five points (3g-2a) in 10 games in their silver medal performance of 2013, the highest finish by the Swiss since 1935. He also helped Switzerland to a gold medal at the 2009 Division I World Junior Championships, and played in the 2007 Under-18 World Championships.
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PHOTO CREDIT: Sarah Fuqua (used with permission)