Swiss winger Simon Knak, 23, who currently plays for HC Davos of Switzerland’s National League, has signed a five-year contract with the ZSC Lions – a rival National League club – which will run from 2026 to 2031.
In Switzerland, signing a future contract to play for a team other than the one the player is currently with is legal and common practise.
Knak was selected in the sixth round, 179th overall, in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators, who retain his NHL rights. The Zurich club’s announcement does not explicitly state whether it includes an out-clause should Knak receive an NHL offer.
“Simon is a power forward who brings an intensity to the ice that only few Swiss forwards can match,” Zurich sports director Sven Leuenberger said of the 6-foot-2, 203-pound winger. “His scoring stats are already impressive at such a young age. He fits perfectly into our team in terms of age structure and, together with our many home-grown players, is set to become part of the next generation that can grow together.”
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announced on Sunday.
Knak was born in Zurich but in his youth played primarily for suburban EHC Kloten before playing a couple of years in North America for the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks.
Since 2021, Knak played almost exclusively for Davos, except for a two-game stint at the end of the 2022-23 season with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals – Nashville’s top farm team. He has five points in Davos’ first nine games this season.
Internationally, Knak represented Switzerland at one IIHF U-18 World Championship and three World Juniors, and was the team captain in three of those four tournaments. This past spring, he played in his first senior-level World Championship, recording six points in 10 games and earning a silver medal.
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National League club announced on its website on Wednesday.