Former NHL star Bobby Ryan headed to Spengler Cup

When Canada pulled out of the upcoming Spengler Cup, the tournament added a sixth team, known as the Bern Selects. The team that was chosen is made up of players from across the Swiss league mostly but also has a familiar face to many NHL fans.

Bobby Ryan will participate in the tournament, listed as a free agent on the new squad. There are others who will also spark memories of the NHL, including Phil Varone, Lauri Korpikoski and Cory Conacher, but Ryan is the biggest name in the group.

The 34-year-old scored 569 points in an 866-game NHL career, including 14 in 33 games for the Detroit Red Wings in 2020-21. He signed a professional tryout with the Red Wings again this year but failed to receive an NHL contract by the end of camp.

That doesn’t mean his playing career is over though, as participation in the Spengler could actually hint at some further plans for Ryan. A member of the 2010 U.S. Olympic team that took home a silver medal in Vancouver, perhaps Ryan will get another chance to represent his country 12 years later. With the NHL expected to officially pull out of Olympic participation in the coming days, there will be a scramble for players at the minor league, European and college levels. A strong showing at the Spengler would certainly make a case for Ryan to be on the team.