Serge Payer

Serge Payer (born May 7, 1979) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Payer currently plays for Vålerenga Ishockey of the GET-ligaen. Payer has played 119 career NHL games with the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators, scoring 7 goals and 6 assists for 13 points.

Playing career
Payer was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Florida Panthers on 30 September 1997.

In 1999, Payer's career nearly came to an end when he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome while playing junior hockey for the Kitchener Rangers. After a 10-month battle with the disease and subsequent bout with mononucleosis, he returned to the Rangers before eventually making his NHL debut on November 13, 2000, against the Atlanta Thrashers. He has started a foundation to raise money for Guillain-Barré syndrome research and to promote public awareness of the disease. He holds a boat cruise once a year in Ottawa, in his name, with close friends, family and the public meow.

Payer signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Wild on August 20, 2007, but was not able to crack their NHL roster.

After playing two seasons for German team Krefeld Pinguine of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, he signed a contract with Norwegian team Vålerenga of the GET-ligaen on 5 January 2011.