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Rangers’ Diaz signs with Swiss team

Raphael Diaz, Mike Sislo

Raphael Diaz, Mike Sislo

AP

Raphael Diaz’s time within the New York Rangers organization is coming to a close.

On Wednesday, EV Zug of Switzerland’s National League A announced it had signed Diaz to a five-year deal, beginning in 2016-17.

Diaz, who is Swiss, has spent all of this season with the Rangers’ AHL affiliate in Hartford, appearing in 10 games.

According to a (pretty rough) translation of the Zug website, Diaz will play out the year in North America before joining the club. His contract in Switzerlad does have an out clause, where he can stick in North America if any NHL team offers a one-way contract of at least two years in length.

Prior to the start of the season, the Rangers exposed Diaz to waivers, where he went unclaimed.

Back in October, the New York Post reported that Diaz was mulling a move to Europe after he lost out on the Rangers’ final d-man spot to Dylan McIlrath.

Diaz’s agent, Ritch Winter, told the Post at the time that Diaz signed a one-year, $700,000 deal with the Rangers “to play with the Rangers.”

Other defenseman have since been recalled from Hartford ahead of Diaz, including Chris Summers and highly-touted prospect Brady Skjei.

(To be fair, Diaz has been out injured since mid-November.)