Multiple teams interested in signing Jalen Smereck

This could be the new start he needs. 

It has been reported by TSN insider Chris Johnston that Jalen Smereck, who was the victim of a racist gesture from an opposing player in the Ukrainian Hockey League earlier this week, could end up back in the American Hockey League. 

Smereck has heard from multiple clubs interested in signing him. 

“Jalen Smereck has some options here developing and one of those paths is coming back to North America,” Johnston said on Insider Trading. “He is a native of Detroit, he spent the last couple seasons in the American Hockey League and there have been multiple AHL teams that have reached out to his representative to see if there might be a fit and perhaps a home for him back here.”

Smereck was the victime of a foul and disgusting gesture this week after Andriy Deniskin, a forward for HK Kremenchuk, mimed peeling and eating a banana at Smereck, a Black defenseman who plays for HC Donbass. The intent, I suppose, was to compare the dark skinned Smereck to an ape, which is unacceptable. 

This prompted Smereck, a player who spent time in the Arizona Coyotes organization to take a personal leave of absence from his team and from professional hockey in general as he awaited Denyskin to be punished. 

“I will not play another game in the [Ukrainian Hockey League] until Andrey Denyskin is suspended and removed from the league. Thank you.”

Denyskin has been suspended three games + 10 games ( however, he can come back after 3 suspended games if he pays a fine of ₴50 000, which equals around 1883 US$.). The decision was made by the Disciplinary Committee of the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine.
 
Smereck later added his “heart dropped” when he learned of how light Deniskin’s discipline was. He has decided to “play next week for HD Donbass in their champions hockey league game, but he doesn’t see a long-term future for himself in Ukraine. So, as he works through his options, it does appear coming back to North America is among them.”

The defenseman has one goal and four points in three games with HC Donbass Donetsk this season. He had two goals and six points in 17 games with the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners last season.

And it’d be great for him to return to the AHL.