Michael Raffl is Leaving the NHL, Signs in Swiss National League

After an announcement from Lausanne Hockey Club of the Swiss NL, Michael Raffl's career in the NHL appears to be over. In nine NHL seasons with three clubs, the 33-year old Austrian forward scored 179 points in 590 games, including 11 points in 39 playoff games.

Even at this stage in his career, Raffl is an effective player. His scoring touch has never really been there, his season-best totaling 31 points, but he still provides adequate offensive depth while being a top-tier defensive forward. Raffl sports a strong penalty differential & strong penalty-killing numbers, which are useful to every hockey team. So it would be surprising if this player did not receive NHL offers. Instead, I almost wonder if he elected to return to Europe for family purposes because he is still a decent player.

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