NHL veteran Marcel Goc will play next season in his home country, after signing a five-year contract with Adler Mannheim in Germany’s Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), according to the team. No word if there’s an out-clause for him to play in the NHL again, should the opportunity arise.
The 32-year-old Goc has bounced around frequently the last couple of seasons, playing for the Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues over a tumultuous couple years that included a pair of trades.
He’s a veteran of 636 NHL games, which includes stops with the Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks.
Last season, through 74 games, Goc contributed three goals and six assists while averaging just 11:41 of ice time. While that doesn’t look great, the decline in his production comes after being a contributor for the Panthers at the start of the 2013-14 season, scoring 11 goals and 12 assists through 62 games before a trade to Pittsburgh.
By the end of last season, Goc was regularly a healthy scratch with the Blues, including sitting out two playoff games during the Blues opening round series against the Wild.