American forward Austin Czarnik, 31, has signed a one-year contract with SC Bern, the National League club announced this weekend.

“Czarnik is a center who is strong on both sides of the puck and can be used in all situations. We are convinced that he can help the team with his experience and leadership skills,” said Bern GM Patrik Bärtschi.

Undrafted, the Detroit native was captain at the University of Miami (Ohio) before signing as a free agent by the Boston Bruins upon graduation. Over the past nine seasons he has played 205 NHL regular-season games with the Bruins, Calgary Flames, New York Islanders, Seattle Kraken and Detroit Red Wings, scoring 18 goals and adding 33 assists.

His most productive season as a pro was 2018-19 when he spent the entire season in the NHL with the Flames recording 18 points in 54 games and also suiting up for the only NHL playoff game of his career. He split last season between Detroit and the AHL’s Grand Rapid Griffins.

Internationally, Czarnik, who is nicknamed “Z” by his teammates, was a member of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program and played in the 2010 IIHF U18 World Championship, where he contributed to the USA’s gold medal with six points in seven games. He then had four points in six games at the 2012 World Junior Championship.

To make room for Czarnik on Bern's import roster, Finnish forward Kalle Kossila was cut. Czarnik joins goaltender Adam Reideborn, defensemen Anton Lindholm and Patrik Nemeth and forwards Victor Ejdsell, Dominik Kahun and Waltteri Merelä as imports on the Bern roster. Austrian Benjamin Baumgartner is also on the team but qualifies as a non-import because he played youth hockey in Switzerland.