DETROIT – Damien Brunner’s path to the NHL just got a little more cloudy.
Brunner had planned to return to his team in Switzerland, EV Zug, and then return once the Grand Rapids Griffins season began and stay there until the NHL lockout ended.
He may however have to stay with his team until the lockout ends according to Wings general manager Ken Holland.
“(It’s) up in the air,” Holland said.
The sticking point seems to be that when his club released him from the final year of his contract it was under the agreement that it was to play in the NHL and not the American Hockey League.
Brunner said earlier this month that he would return to Grand Rapids at the start of the AHL season on Oct. 12.
He felt it was important for him to get accustomed to the smaller ice surfaces and the North American style of hockey.
Brunner feels very obligated to the Swiss team.
that is interesting .. swiss broadcasts say he decided to stay because he thinks the lockout will be longer and he doesn’t want to play a full year in the ahl.