In today's Edmonton Journal, you'll find a piece about how ex-Oilers Sean Brown and Cory Cross are leaving the NHL, possibly for good, and taking jobs in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga:
Most attractive to Cross is that having played 659 NHL games -- including three seasons with the Oilers -- and not having a contract for the coming season is "the life experience."How many chances do you get to do something like this?" he asked. "I've done the same route here for 12 years. Why not change things up?
"They set you up with an apartment. They give you a car. The salaries aren't comparable to the NHL. But the money is tax free.
"When you add up the bonuses, the apartment, the car and the tax-free salary it's comparable to the minimum NHL salary ($450,000 US last season)," Cross said.
Funny, but his reasoning sounds a lot like the thought process a number of European-based soccer players go through when they decide to spend a few seasons in MLS.
