While many of the NHL's top players are heading overseas for the duration of the lockout, Montreal Canadiens forward Scott Gomez has decided to join the Alaska Aces of the ECHL on a professional tryout agreement, the team announced Friday.

Along with Gomez, current NHL players Nate Thompson and Joey Crabb have also joined the club.

Gomez, who is originally from Anchorage, Alaska, spent the 2004-05 lockout playing in the ECHL with the Aces and scored 13 goals to go with 73 assists in 61 games.

In 38 games with the Canadiens this past season, Gomez scored two goals -- his first goal on Feb. 9 ended what had been a pretty absurd goal drought that lasted more than a calendar year. It was one of the worst seasons of his 12-year career.

Whenever the NHL resumes, he has two years remaining on a contract that pays him more than $7 million per season.

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