Former Vancouver Canucks first-round draft pick Jake Virtanen, 27, has signed a one-year contract with the Iserlohn Roosters of Germany’s DEL.

“Jake is an offensive player who fits our requirements profile perfectly: He is physically present and dynamic and is a good skater who can also do something with the puck,” Roosters assistant GM and director of player development Axel Müffeler was quoted on the club’s website.

Picked sixth overall in 2014, Virtanen’s career never met its expectations. He recorded exactly 100 points in 317 NHL games spread over six seasons before his contract was bought out by the Canucks in May 2021 after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced against him. He was cleared of all charges in 2022.

Since then, Virtanen has played in Russia with Spartak Moscow, in Switzerland with EHC Visp and in Germany with the Fischtown Pinguins. Last season, Virtanen recorded 21 points in 36 regular-season games for the Bremerhaven team that finished first overall in the DEL. Virtanen missed nearly two months with an injury between February and April, only returning for the last two games of the finals, which Bremerhaven lost to Eisbären Berlin.

During his time in Vancouver, Virtanen became somewhat infamous for the “Shotgun Jake” campaign. Whenever Virtanen scored a goal, fans would post a picture of themselves on social media “shotgunning” a beer – puncturing the side of the can and quickly drinking its contents – using the hashtag #ShotgunJake.