Rodrigo Ābols on NHL stint: Some bitterness, but no regrets

Latvian hockey player Rodrigo Ābols, who signed a three-year contract with Swiss top-tier club SC Bern in July, has spoken openly about his time in North America. In an interview with LSM.lv, he admitted that the end of his NHL chapter left some bitterness, but he does not dwell on it.

Ābols revealed that the agreement with SC Bern had been reached earlier, and the contract included a clause allowing him to leave for the US if he received a good NHL offer. However, his aim was a one-way contract. "If there is no one-way deal, I feel much more comfortable in Europe," he said.

The Latvian forward emphasized the stability provided by the three-year contract in Switzerland and noted that the country is a great place for family life.

In January, Ābols suffered a serious leg injury while playing for the Philadelphia Flyers, which kept him out for the remainder of the season. "Everyone understands that I am 30 years old and just came back from such a major injury," he stated. Despite the setback, he expressed no complaints about his time in America. "I have no regrets. It is what it is. The injury was beyond my control, and I shouldn't dwell on it. If someone had told me at age 24 that I would debut in the NHL in five years, I would have found it funny."

Over two NHL seasons, Ābols played 64 games, recording 15 points (5 goals, 10 assists). SC Bern finished ninth in the regular season last year and failed to qualify for the playoffs.