Bruins forward Daniel Paille indicated a few weeks ago thathe was getting close to the time when he would decide to leave for Europe.
Paille became the 12th Bruins playerto agree to a lockout contract overseas in Europe, and will play for Ilves Tamperein FinlandsSM-Liga, according to their teams website. (A few weeks ago hethought he might have ended up in the Elite Hockey League in England.)
The 12 Bs players in Europe is by far the most of any NHLteam during the lockout, and leaves Shawn Thornton, Milan Lucic and BradMarchand as the lone Bruins players still skating in Boston at least part ofthe time.
Paille, a fourth-line winger, had been one of a handful of Bruinsplayers still remaining in Bostonthrough the entire lockout dating back to Sept. 15, and has been heavilyinvolved with the CBA negotiations as NHLPA player rep for the Bs. Paillebecomes the second Bruins player to join the Finnish Hockey League afterforward Rich Peverley, and will join Max Talbot as the second NHL player on Tampere.
Paille finished with nine goals and 15 points in 69 gameslast season for the Bruins while averaging slightly more than 11 minutes of icetime, and is a key part of the Bostonpenalty-kill unit.
Over the course of his career, the 28-year-old Paille has 60goals and 64 points in 381 games along with plus-14 rating while playing all ofhis games for the Buffalo Sabres and Bruins. As with all otherNHL players in Europe, Paille has an out clause in his contract that allows himto return to Bostonwhenif the NHL season actually begins.
Conversely Tuukka Rask is expected tohave returned from Bostonthis week after dominating in the Czech League for the last two months.