Former first-round pick Michael Frolik signs in Czechia

There will be no NHL return for Michael Frolik but he’s not ready to hang up his skates just yet. After spending last season in the Swiss league, the veteran forward has signed a one-year deal in his native Czechia with Bili Tygri Liberec.

Frolik, 34, played nearly 900 games in the NHL before departing for Europe last year, suiting up for the Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers (not to mention a PTO with the St. Louis Blues) throughout his long career. A Stanley Cup champion in 2013 and a two-time Olympian, the versatile winger was an excellent role player for quite some time.

Now, with a new deal in place and his last effective NHL season coming in 2018-19, we can put a period on his North American career. In 858 games, he scored 159 goals and 384 points while appearing in the playoffs just 47 times. He sits 12th in scoring from his 2006 draft class (Frolik was picked 10th) and made nearly $35M in his career, according to CapFriendly.