Halifax Mooseheads captain Tomas Knotek has signed a one-year contract with HPK of Finland’s SM-Liiga, according to the club’s official website.
Knotek, who has been named the Mooseheads’ team MVP the past two seasons, is expected to report to training camp with the club on a tryout basis and won’t return to Halifax or the QMJHL if he cracks the roster.
The six-foot-one centre came to Halifax as the sixth overall pick in the 2007 Canadian Hockey League import draft and has spent three seasons with the club. He stands 11th in Mooseheads history in scoring with 70 goals and 103 assists for 173 points in 182 games.
He had a team-best 58 points in 61 games last season.
The Mooseheads would miss Knotek’s leadership and skill, but also want to “go young” and can replace him with a younger European with the third overall pick in the import draft later this month.
His departure would start to clear up a murky over-age picture for the Herd. As of now, goaltender Peter Delmas, forwards Gerrad Grant and Charles Bety and defenceman Pascal Amyot and Paul Dimitruk are in the mix to fill the three available jobs.
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