Michal Neuvirth, who's played close to 260 NHL games with a few different teams, is returning to professional hockey. The netminder has signed a contract to play in his home country for the remainder of the season. He joins HC Sparta Prague of the Czech Extraliga immediately.
Neuvirth had a professional tryout with the Toronto Maple Leafs for this season's training camp but an injury unfortunately stopped him from earning a spot with the team. The 31-year-old has faced some health issues throughout his career, including collapsing on the ice while a member of the Philadelphia Flyers during a game against the New Jersey Devils in April of 2017. He was rushed to a nearby hospital after being taken off the ice on a stretcher. The Flyers announced the next afternoon he had been released from hospital and all tests were normal.
Neuvirth has actually be training with Sparta Prague for a couple of months after undergoing surgery following his departure from the Maple Leafs.
"I want to help the team, the guys in the locker room, whether I do well or not," Neuvirth said in an interview on Sparta Prague's website. "If not, I will be glad to discuss goalies on the other side and help our guys to be even better."
Besides Philadelphia, Neuvirth has also suited up for Washington, Buffalo and the New York Islanders throughout his NHL career. He won the AHL's Calder Cup as a starter with the Hershey Bears in both 2009 and 2010. Neuvirth played for Sparta Prague during the NHL lockout in 2012-13.
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