Vegas Golden Knights UFA Signs Overseas

After earning a one-year deal with the Vegas Golden Knights last summer, things haven't gone exactly as planned for 31-year-old Finnish center Sakari Manninen.

Manninen didn't make the team out of camp, but was hoping to be one of the first recalls from the Henderson Silver Knights of the AHL if the need arose on the big club. 

That call never came. Now, as an unrestricted free agent, Manninen has decided to take his talents back overseas, signing with Geneve-Servette of the Swiss NLA. 

𝐒𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐫𝐢 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐧 𝐞𝐧 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭 🦅

Nous sommes heureux d’annoncer la signature de Sakari Manninen pour la saison prochaine 🔥🔥

Le centre international 🇫🇮retrouvera quelques-uns de ses compatriotes dans l’équipe 🤩

Plus d'infos ici 👉https://t.co/AJRxPPNajj pic.twitter.com/aqWrWVUiVo

— Genève-Servette HC (@officialGSHC) May 12, 2023

An Olympic champion with Finland in 2022 and double world champion, Manninen registered 14 goals and 40 points in 53 games for the Silver Knights this past season. 

Before coming to North America, he had been a top player in the KHL, with 176 points in 233 games over four seasons.

“We are very happy to have been able to recruit Sakari," said the release from the Geneva team. "He is an extremely dynamic player with excellent playmaking qualities and a very high “hockey IQ”. For the past three years, he has been the number one center for the Finnish national team, with which he has enjoyed great success. It gives him a winning mentality and that's exactly what we were looking for."

Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports