Former New York Ranger and Stanley Cup champion Nick Bonino has given up on the idea of playing in America. His 15-year career in the NHL is over, and he is now headed to Slovenia to continue to play professional hockey.![Nick Bonino]()
Nick Bonino has had a storied NHL career, playing a total of 800 games, with the Anaheim Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, Minnesota Wild, and Vancouver Canucks.
Originally drafted 173rd overall in the 6th round of the 2007 NHL Draft by the Anaheim Ducks, he'd win the Stanley Cup twice with the Penguins.
After becoming a respected journeyman in the NHL, it appeared that after the 2023-2024 season, he couldn't crack a roster spot.
In 2024-2025, he played in Austria with HK Olimpija Ljubljana, and played 22 games and scored 17 points (6 goals, 11 assists). Instead of staying in Austria, he's decided to ship off to Slovenia to continue playing professional hockey.
Bonino has been playing a bottom-six role in the NHL before he exited after a season with the New York Rangers, where he'd play 45 games, and scored 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists).
And now, the 37-year-old will have a chance to show his defensive abilities and leadership skills in Slovenia, where he can be the kind of contributor he wasn't able to be in the NHL.
It'll be difficult to peg where the veteran will land next season, or whether he'll be satisfied with an AHL contract in 2025.
Bonino played a total of 868 games in the NHL and scored 358 points (159 goals, 199 assists).
