Park signs with Swiss team - 08-07-12

The second Richard Park era has officially come to an end.

Park has joined HC Ambri Piotta of Switzlerand's NLA. Joining the Penguins as a free agent last summer, Park, 36, appeared in 54 regular season games and scored 14 points (seven goals, seven assists). In two postseason games, he recorded one assist. A second-round pick in 1994, Park previously played for the club in parts of three seasons from 1994-95 until 1996-97.

With Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each missing games in the early part of the season, Park filled in as the team's top center for part of October. His primary value was as a fourth-line center and in the faceoff circle. At 55.7 percent, Park was tied with Joe Vitale for the team's best faceoff success rate in the regular season.

Park previously played in the NHL with Genève-Servette during the 2010-11 season and Langnau in 2004-05.

EN Says: It's hard to imagine Park didn't have several offers from NHL clubs. He's still a reliable, responsible fourth-liner who can fill in at all three forward positions. But Ambri Piotta offered him a two-year deal and likely threw in more money than any NHL club would offer Park at this stage of his career.

(Photo: Claus Andersen/Getty Images)