Reports: Honka to play in Finland as he awaits NHL trade

Restricted free agent defenseman Julius Honka has decided to play in his native Finland while the Dallas Stars attempt to work out a trade for him.

According to multiple reports Thursday, Honka signed with Liiga's JYP Jyväskylä, and the deal includes an NHL opt-out clause.

He has until Dec. 1 to sign with an NHL team to retain eligibility to play in 2019-20. Since the Stars made a qualifying offer to Honka, they retain his NHL rights.

The 23-year-old Honka has played in 87 games over three seasons since the Stars made him the No. 14 pick in the 2014 draft. He hasn't lived up to their expectations, averaging just 13-plus minutes of ice time in each of the past two seasons. In his career, he has 13 points (two goals, 11 assists).

Stars general manager Jim Nill acknowledged to reporters in September that Honka had asked to be traded and that his NHL game hadn't developed as expected.

"Did we handle him right at times? Yes or no, we don't know. And it's on the player, too," Nill said. "You get an opportunity, you've got to grab it. Sometimes, things don't work out. There's different personalities, but that's sports and that's life. Some people fit in, some people don't, and away we go."

--Field Level Media