The Spengler Cup: Hockey's "Where are they now?"

God bless the Spengler Cup!

Not only is it one of the oldest international hockey tournaments, but it also showcases some of the best professional players from Europe.

For those unfamiliar with the Spengler Cup, the competition is held every year in Davos, Switzerland between Christmas and New Year’s Day. There are five teams that take part: the host, HC Davos, three international clubs and a team of Canadian players - most of whom play in the European leagues.

For the record, the 2009 winner was HC Dynamo Minsk of the KHL.

This year, I was more compelled to watch the Spengler Cup than the World Junior Hockey Championship.

I feel the World Juniors has fallen into the category of “been there, done that.”

(I know, I know. I watched the gold medal final too. It was a tremendous match and very exciting. But the end result wasn’t surprising and Canada didn’t even have any provocative competition until they faced the Americans).

What I really find intriguing about the Spengler Cup is the Canadian entry. I’m always interested to see which former NHLers suit up.

You never know who will wind up in Davos. For instance, Curtis Joseph helped Canada capture the tournament in 2007.

The Canadian team that played in the 2009 competition – finishing third with a record of one win, two losses and one shoot out/overtime victory – was full of individuals who once honed their skills in the NHL.

Here’s just a sampling of some of the players and where their careers have taken them. Think of this as an on-ice version of “Where are they now?”

Ric Jackman
After winning the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007, Jackman found himself in Europe. He split the better part of two seasons with Austria’s Salzburg EC and Sweden’s Leksands IF. Jackman currently plays for EHC Biel in the Swiss Hockey League (National League A or NLA for short).

Mark Bell
Bell spent the 2008-09 season in the American Hockey League, playing for the Toronto Marlies and Hartford Wolf Pack. He picked up a combined 41 points. This past September, Bell was invited to the Philadelphia Flyers’ training camp. However, he ended up signing with a different Flyers teams – the Kloten Flyers of the Swiss league.

Boyd Devereaux
This former member of the “Two Kids and a Goat” line spent the last three years playing for the Maple Leafs and their farm team, the Marlies. In 23 games for the Leafs last season, Devereaux netted six goals and five assists. He also found his way to Switzerland this year and currently plays for HC Lugano.

Randy Robitaille
Randy Robitaille fits the definition of a journeyman. Since 1998, the 34-year-old has played for Boston, Nashville, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, the New York Islanders, Atlanta, Minnesota, Philadelphia and Ottawa. During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Robitalle played for the NLA’s ZSC Lions. In 2008, he returned to Switzerland after signing a contract with HC Lugano. Last season, he picked up 28 points in 30 games for the Swiss club.

Alexandra Daigle
Yes, the biggest flop to ever come out of the NHL entry draft still laces them up. Daigle last played in the NHL during the 2005-06 season. That year, he appeared in 46 games for the Minnesota Wild, scoring five goals and picking up 23 assists. He wound up in Switzerland the following season, where he scored an incredible 61 points in 44 games with HC Davos. Daigle continues to play in the Swiss league and is currently with the SCL Tigers.

There are several other players and officials you might be interested to know about. Yannick Tremblay is playing in Germany, while Brett McLean and Curtis Brown are competing in Switzerland. Former Edmonton Oiler player and head coach, as well as current TSN commentator Craig MacTavish flew overseas to be Canada’s bench boss for the tournament. Maple Leaf fans will also be happy to know that the team’s former Athletic Therapist, Chris Broadhurst, is still active in the game, fulfilling a similar role with the Canadian team. Broadhurst had recently been working for the Phoenix Coyotes.