Canadian defenseman Nelson Nogier, 28, has signed a one-year contract with the Straubing Tigers, the DEL club announced on Monday.
“I am incredibly excited to have signed with the Straubing Tigers and to be part of such a passionate and dedicated organization,” said Nogier. “I have heard nothing but good things about the team and the incredible support from the fans. I know it will be special to play here. I look forward to contributing to the team’s success this season, both on and off the ice. There is a lot of excitement around the club and I can’t wait to come to Straubing and settle in here.”
Originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Nogier played junior hockey for the hometown Blades and the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL. He was drafted in the fourth round, 101st overall, by the Winnipeg Jets in 2014.
From 2016 to 2022, Nogier played mostly for the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, but he also played 11 NHL games for the Jets, in which he did not record any points but got five penalty minutes, probably for fighting. Late in the 2021-22 season, Nogier was traded to the Los Angeles Kings for defenseman Markus Phillips and played the remainder of the season for the AHL’s Ontario Reign.
For the past two seasons, Nogier has played in the KHL for the league’s Kazakhstan-based team, Barys Astana. In 117 KHL games, Nogier scored seven goals, added 13 assists and had 62 penalty minutes.
Nogier now brings his 6-foot-3, 207-pound frame to Germany for the first time.
“Nelson is a solid defender with international experience who will definitely help our team move forward,” Straubing sports director Jason Dunham said. “He brings a strong physical presence and defensive skills, which will help us enormously to be stable in the coming season. I am convinced that he will be a valuable addition to our team.”
Dunham is one of eight players on the team’s roster with NHL experience – most notably veteran American defenseman Justin Braun.
Last season, the Tigers finished third in the DEL regular season and advanced to the semifinals. As a result, they are competing in this year’s Champions Hockey League, where they have taken five of six possible points in their first two games. It’s unclear if Dunham will play in either of the team’s games this weekend in Zurich or at home to Pardubice.
Straubing’s first DEL game of the season is September 20 at home to Düsseldorf.
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