GSHC still counting on Romain Loeffel for the upcoming season

Yesterday it was reported that Romain Loeffel, who had been sent from Fribourg to Geneva at the end of January in a highly debated trade, has signed a two-year-deal with EV Zug starting next season.

With HC Fribourg-Gottéron, Loeffel would still be under contract until 2015, but his agent believes that with Loeffel's trade to GSHC this contract became invalid and the defenseman is therefore free to leave.

However, Genève-Servette does not agree with that view. "Romain will play with us until 2015, at least. Confirming that he will join Zug does not make any sense because up until now, no other team has been in contact with us", Chris McSorley tells the Tribune de Genève today.

And GSHC's coach continues: "We are in possession of his license since we have acquired his contract from Fribourg. If he still wants to leave, we will have to be compensated for it, that's required by the regulations."

On February 12, Loeffel's agent had contested the transfer of the defenseman's contract from Fribourg to Geneva. But according to Genève-Servette HC's lawyer Trevor Purdie, the 23-year-old had already participated in practice and played games with GSHC by that time, which can be considered as an acceptance of the transfer.

While it is still an ongoing legal procedure, Trevor Purdie tells the newspaper, that the club is now in negotiations with the representatives of the player to reach an agreement.