Pittsburgh Hockey Insider has no direct affiliation to the Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL or NHLPA
Tomas Tatar giving up on the NHL? Making surprising career decision
Tomas Tatar, a veteran forward in the National Hockey League, is apparently thinking about making a transfer that would allow him to play for the first time outside of North America since 2012–2013.
Following a somewhat disappointing 2023–24 season divided between the Colorado Avalanche and Seattle Kraken, Tomas Tatar is attempting to maximize his readiness for unrestricted free agency this summer.
Tatar will undoubtedly receive offers from NHL teams for contracts, or at the at least, a professional tryout contract (PTO) that includes an invitation to training camp in the fall. Could the six-time 20+ goal scorer move to Europe, though? It seems like a plausible possibility.
Tatar stated last week in an interview with the European media site Denik Sport that he has gotten in contact with the Czech Extraliga team HC Dynamo Pardubice, but he will hold off on making any choices regarding his 2024–25 season until the NHL free agent market opens.
Note: the following quote is translated from Slovak.
"Yes, I called the management of Pardubice, but I'm not dealing with anything in Europe at the moment and I'm waiting until the NHL market opens," Tatar said to Denik Sport.
"Yes, I called the management of Pardubice, but I'm not dealing with anything in Europe at the moment and I'm waiting until the NHL market opens," Tatar said to Denik Sport.
Tatar, 33, has played in 853 NHL games with six different teams: Detroit, Vegas, Montreal, New Jersey, Colorado, and Seattle. In those games, he has recorded 296 penalty minutes and 479 points (220 goals, 259 assists). In addition, he participated in 52 Stanley Cup Playoff games on skates.
The Slovakian native from Ilava may not be the same player he once was, but he may still be a compelling bottom-six option with a modest cap charge on a one- or two-year deal. Whether Tomas Tatar signs on July 1st or waits until the dust settles to see what choices are there for him after the big-name players pen their deals will be interesting to watch.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 23 | 73 ANSWERS Tomas Tatar giving up on the NHL? Making surprising career decision Where do you think Tomas Tatar will play next season? | ||
| NHL | 15 | 20.5 % |
| HC Dynamo Pardubic (Czech Extraliga) | 31 | 42.5 % |
| Another European team | 27 | 37 % |
| List of polls | ||