German forward Dominik Kahun, 29, is moving from SC Bern to National League rival Lausanne HC, both clubs announced on Tuesday.
After recording 50 points in 47 regular-season games for Bern last year, Kahun has only two goals and nine points in 24 games this season. He was out of action nearly two months earlier in the season with a hand injury, which may be having a negative impact on his production.
“SC Bern and Dominik Kahun have mutually agreed to immediately terminate his contract, which was to run until 2027,” Bern announced in a press release. “The forward contacted the club yesterday evening with the request to end his contract early. After joint discussions, this request was granted.”
Kahun’s contract in Lausanne will also run until 2027.
“It’s excellent news for our organization to be able to count on such a player,” said Lausanne sports director John Fust. “The opportunity to sign him now came recently and we believe that he is a major reinforcement for the upcoming deadline. We are very happy to welcome him to Lausanne in the coming days.”
Kahun was born in Planá, Czechia and he played youth hockey in nearby Mariánské Lázně before his family moved to Mannheim, Germany. Kahun is a dual Czech-German citizen and speaks both languages fluently.
Kahun played junior hockey for Jungadler Mannheim in Germany and then for the Sudbury Wolves in the OHL. Never drafted, Kahun played professionally for Red Bull Munich in the DEL, where he won three league titles, then parlayed a strong performance at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang – where Germany won silver – into an NHL contract.
From 2018 to 2021, Kahun played 186 NHL regular-season games for the Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres and Edmonton Oilers, recording 83 points and 16 penalty minutes. He also played two playoff games for Edmonton in 2021.
Kahun had played in Bern since leaving the NHL in 2021. In 152 National League regular-season and playoff games, Kahun has 134 points and 45 penalty minutes.
Kahun leaves fourth-place Bern for first-place Lausanne with just four games remaining in the regular season. He joins a team that has ex-NHLers Michael Raffl, Brendan Perlini, Gavin Bayreuther and Janne Kuokkanen.
Internationally, Kahun has represented Germany at three IIHF World Junior Championships, seven World Championships and two Winter Olympics. He could play in a third Olympic tournament next year and he was chosen by THN International to Germany’s Quarter-Century Second Team.