James Wisniewski still doesn’t now how he ended up in Russia.
A year ago, he was earning $5.5 million as a power play specialist who had once ranked top 10 in scoring amongst defencemen. “And then — poof! — I was gone,” he said.
It’s a reality that many veteran NHLers are experiencing these days. From Brooks Laich and Milan Michalek to David Booth and Brandon Prust, more and more established players are being pushed out of the league as teams turn to younger and cheaper talent to fill roster spots.
“I thought when my career came to an end, I would see it coming,” said Wisniewski, 33.