Former Sabre Signs In Slovakia

Canadian center Nicholas Baptiste, 30, has signed a one-year contract with Dukla Trenčín, the Slovak Liga club announced on Friday.

While Trenčín hasn’t had a bad start to the season overall, sitting sixth in the 12-team league after 10 games, GM Mário Bližňák expressed concern over the fact the team has only scored 25 total goals so far.

“We need to significantly increase our offensive output – this is one of the steps,” said Bližňák, who was a center who played in the NHL, AHL and WHL. “We’ve been talking about it with the coaches and the players. I believe that everyone understands the situation and is taking our on-ice goals seriously.

“Nick should be one of the offensive leaders, he has experience from the top leagues, and he is also at the ideal hockey age,” Bližňák said about the 30-year-old center. “In addition, he is an assertive, hard-working player, and that is exactly what we will expect from him here.”

Born in Ottawa, Baptiste played junior hockey for the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves and Erie Otters, and was chosen in the third round, 69th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

Baptiste played 47 NHL games for the Sabres between 2016 and 2018, recording 10 points and 20 penalty minutes. He also played in the organizations of the Nashville Predators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Dallas Stars.

Baptiste has played in Europe since 2021 – in Finland for both Ilves and Tappara Tampere, in Germany for Kölner Haie and the Augsburger Panther, and 11 games in the KHL for Vityaz Moscow Oblast.

Internationally, Baptiste won a gold medal with the Canadian team at the 2013 IIHF U-18 World Championship.

Ex-Shark, Sabre, Duck Signs In Germany German-born American forward Danny O’Regan, 31, has signed a one-year contract with the Schwenninger Wild Wings, the DEL club announced on Sunday.