Sabres top scorer Briere joins Swiss league team

TORONTO -- Buffalo Sabres center Daniel Briere agreed to a deal Wednesday with SC Bern of the Swiss league, becoming the latest NHL player to head to Europe.

Briere, who was awarded a one-year, $2.55 million contract by an NHL arbitrator in August, led the Sabres in scoring with 28 goals, 37 assists and a career-high 65 points.

Three other NHL players signed with European teams Wednesday. Calgary Flames center Steve Reinprecht signed with Muhouse in France, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Konstantin Koltsov signed with Dynamo Minsk in Belarus and Nashville Predators wing Vladimir Orszagh joined Banska Bystrica in Slovakia.

There are 178 NHL players in Europe, about 25 percent of the league's roster spots. Most of those players have clauses in their contracts that permit them to return to the NHL if the labor impasse ends in time to salvage a season.

The Czech league leads the way with 49 players, including Jaromir Jagr of the New York Rangers, followed by Sweden at 40 and Russia at 38.

AP NEWS
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