Ryane Clowe became the latest locked-out player to seek refuge in the ECHL after signing a deal Tuesday to play with the San Francisco Bulls.

The Sharks forward wanted to use the next few days to determine if he was ready for action. If he does not play, Clowe could serve as an assistant on the San Francisco bench.

"We're excited to have a player of Ryane's caliber join the team," Bulls GM and coach Pat Curcio said in a statement. "We look forward to having him around the locker room, as he gets back into game shape. The rest of the players on the team will have a chance to learn from his work ethic."