Canadian forward Zach Boychuk, 35, has signed a one-year contract to play for HK Olimpija Ljubljana, the Slovenian-based ICEHL club announced via social media on Monday.
Boychuk played the last five seasons in Germany for Eisbären Berlin, where he was part of four DEL championship teams.
In Ljubljana, Boychuk joins a team that includes fellow ex-NHLer Nick Bonino and Slovenian national team captain Robert Sabolič.
Originally from Airdrie, Alta., Boychuk played junior hockey for the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL and was drafted in the first round, 14th overall, by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
Between 2009 and 2015, Boychuk played 127 NHL games for the Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators, recording 30 points and 16 penalty minutes. He spent the majority of that time in the AHL, most notably with the Charlotte Checkers, where he recorded 65- and 74-point seasons.
Boychuk has played in Europe since 2015, first in the KHL for Sibir Novosibirsk, Slovan Bratislava and Severstal Cherepovets, then in Switzerland for SC Bern and Fribourg-Gottéron before moving on to Berlin. Boychuk recorded 209 points in 259 DEL regular-season and playoff games. He also had 24 points in 23 Champions Hockey League games, leading the competition in goals in 2022-23.
Internationally, Boychuk won two IIHF World Junior Championship gold medals in 2008 and 2009 and played for Team Canada at three Spengler Cups, winning twice. Last month, he was invited to Canada’s training camp ahead of the World Championship and played in two pre-tournament games, recording a goal and an assist.
Off the ice, Boychuk has developed a significant social media presence, with almost 800,000 followers on X and 135,000 on Instagram. He co-hosts the Athlete & Artist Show podcast.
Nick Bonino Re-Signs With Slovenian Club
American center Nick Bonino, 37, has re-signed to
play an additional season with HK Olimpija Ljubljana, <a href="https://www.hkolimpija.si/140243/">the
Slovenian-based ICEHL club announced on Sunday</a>.