Category: Europe

Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod‘s 2nd year center Kenny Agostino(11) is already off to a good start for 2022/2023 with 2 goals and 3 assists in 7 KHL games with a +3 rating.

Last season he scored 20 goals and 20 assists in 46 games with a +8, his 1st season overseas.

The former 4-year 10+ goal scorer and 2 time 20+ assist guy at Yale University Bulldogs was originally a Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 5th round pick in the 2010 draft (#140 overall).

He was traded to Calgary Flames and signed an entry level deal before his skates ever hit the ice.

The Morristown, NJ native bounced around on 1-year deals mostly before getting signed to a 2-year, 1-way contract late with Toronto Maple Leafs, yet he only appeared in 1 NHL game with them.

At 30-years old, he’s done ok enough, but is still likely earning his way in Russia and playing some elite puck.

For 2023/2024, he is trading in a couple of seasons where he is for new surroundings in the SHL and will join Skelleftea AIK.

He actually switches things up and heads to Germany instead, signing with Dusseldorfer EG of DEL and scores himself point-per-game numbers in 48 (14-34), but will ink with rivals, ERC Ingolstadt for 2024/2025 and likely do just as well.

With another 19 goals to his credit last season, he is easily wanted to return for a 3rd frame at Ingolstadt 2026/2027.

University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ graduate left wing Chris Theodore(26) may have not put up best in his 6th college frame, but was still a competent 8 goals and 6 assists in 27 outings.

The 5’6″ 178 lbs. forward came down from his hometown in Beaconsfield, QC for USHS-Prep, which he detonated, then slipped away for a junior year in the CCHL before committing.

He originally committed to 4 years at American International College Yellowjackets, and may have been granted a year of exception due to only 3 games as a sophomore.

From there, he moved onto what must have been his senior year at Union College Dutchmen.

The 26-year old certainly would get a look if he decides to turn pro.

He signs for 2024/2025 as a rookie in Ligue Magnus with Les Jokers Cergy-Pontoise.

After scoring 8 goals and 8 assists in 44 games, he will next head to DEL2, signing with Lausitzer Fuchse for 2025/2026.

With a decent 10 goals and 10 assist frame, he is asked to return for a 2nd year in Fuchse, 2026/2027.

11th year center Corey Trivino(86) switches up 3.5 years with EC Kassel Huskies to rivals Eisbaren Regensburg for 2022/2023 in DEL2.

He has been very successful dishing helpers in 2 of the last 3 seasons, amassing 30+ assists in each frame.

Originally a New York Islanders‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#36 overall), he never signed, spending most of his 1st 3 seasons in the ECHL, but then turned a 39 AHL game loan into an overseas deal.

He switched up his early time overseas between the KHL and EBEL mostly before leaving for Germany’s tier 2 league.

The 32-year old, former Boston University Terriers‘, 2009 NCAA Division 1 Champion doesn’t seem to see an end line anywhere.

In the new session with his new club he has already run up a league best for himself 18 goals and is projected to possibly do better than his assist best of 39, so he agrees to stay on for a 2nd campaign 2024/2025, because he’s having a grand old time.

He continues at a clip of almost point-per-game numbers and is asked to return for a 4th season with Eisbaren.

12th year center Robbie Czarnik(77) signs on for a 3rd tour with Ravensburg Towerstars after posting exactly 30 assists for a 2nd time and adding 15 goals with a +13 rating, then popped in another 10 points in 13 playoff games.

His 241 games in DEL2 mark the most in any league he’s played.

The 6′ 190 lbs. former Los Angeles Kings‘ 3rd round pick in the 2008 draft (#63 overall) has scored 120 goals and 145 assists with a +54 rating and a 2019 Championship in his 1st run with current club.

He was pretty much a similar sniper in the ECHL through 183 games.

The 32-year old from Detroit, MI, who played his college hockey for just two years at University Of Michigan Wolverines has to have a little smile on his face, seeing how smoothly things go.

He signs on for a 6th season in a Towerstars‘ jersey 2024/2025, where he recorded his 3rd straight 40+ point session.

Another 29 goals and 29 assists in 50 games and it’s another no-brainer to have him return as a 36-year old in a Towerstars‘ uniform.

5th year center Myles Powell(17) helps his team HV71 win the 2022 HockeyAllsvenskan Championship with a nice job, 3 goals and 10 assists in 15 games and earns an SHL promotion, but in the process jumps ship and signs to rival IK Oskarshamn for 2022/2023.

The 5’9″ 181 lbs. forward, former R.I.T. Tigers‘ captain scored 13 goals and 26 assists as a senior before heading to Rochester Americans and affiliate Cincinnati Cyclones to start his pro career.

He stayed there for his rookie season not connecting in the AHL, but was a point-per-game guy in the ECHL.

The Comox, BC native bounced around the minors for the next two years before heading overseas.

At 27-years old he’s still elevating his game.

He scores 9 goals and 6 assists in 50 games, but will head back to the lower league in Sweden to take up with IF Bjorkloven for 2023/2024.

In 41 games, scoring 20 goals and 23 assists is very good, so he will next take his game to DEL, where he signs with ERC Ingolstadt for 2024/2025.

He is scoring well in 2 seasons with his new club and signs on to stay a 3rd at Ingolstadt 2026/2027.

Michigan State University Spartans‘ senior captain defenseman Nash Nienhuis(4) scored a college career best 9 goals and tied his 15 assists set as a junior.

The undrafted 5’10” 181 lbs. blue liner will take his game overseas for his rookie frame, as he signs with EC Red Bull Salzburg of IceHL.

From Sarnia, ON, he did 1 season GOJHL before transferring to the USHL, where he skated mostly with Muskegon Lumberjacks before heading to school.

We look for the 24-year old to do well in Austria’s top league.

In his 1st frame with the team he would win the 2025 Championship and sign on for a more productive 2nd season with 17 assists and 19 points in 47 games with a +20 rating, then 3 more points in the playoffs.

No doubt, he signs for a 3rd year at Red Bull.

Undrafted 6th year center Andrew Poturalski(22) circles back to rejoin his original team, Carolina Hurricanes on a 1-year 2-way contract for 2021/2022.

He spent the last two years away under a pair of contracts to Anaheim Ducks, which saw him only play for their affiliate San Diego Gulls.

The 5’10” 183 lbs. forward was basically a point-per-game guy in 2020/2021, scoring 9 goals and 34 assists in 44 AHL games.

He was an outstanding scorer for then farm club Charlotte Checkers, averaging 20+ goals and 35+ assists in 3 years.

The 2-year University Of New Hampshire Wildcats‘ skater put up big numbers in Hockey East, just like he did in his 2nd year of the USHL with Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.

Although he may have only seen two NHL games as a rookie, we think he may be on a short list for a quick recall in 2021/2022.

Almost oddly, he is recalled for 2 games and grabs 2 assists, but is captain of affiliate Chicago Wolves and absolutely blows up scoring with 28 goals and 73 assists in 71 games, then goes on to win the 2022 Calder Cup Championship.

He is twice the league leading scorer.

As a free agent, he signs a 2-year deal with Seattle Kracken and helps lead their affiliate, Coachella Valley Firebirds to a pair of minor league finals before bowing out.

For 2024/2025, he signs another 2-year pact, but moves on to the rebuilding San Jose Sharks.

He steps away for something different, signing with Avangard Omsk for 2025/2026 and we think will do really well in the KHL.

In 67 games, he comes away with 27 goals and 39 assists with a +29 rating and most game-winning goals (7) to sign for another year with Omsk 2026/2027.

Mercyhurst University Lakers‘ junior center Carson Briere(16) leaves a year on the table to turn pro, signing a 1-year deal with HC 19 Humenne of Slovak Extraliga.

He twice had 14 assists and as a sophomore scored 13 goals for 27 points in 31 games.

The 5’9″ 165 lbs. forward blew up the score sheet in his 2nd NAHL session for Johnstown Tomahawks, scoring 44 goals and 45 assists in 59 games.

From Haddonfield, NJ, the 25-year old son of NHL great Daniel Briere, should do well in this tough to play overseas league.

He’s already switching teams overseas before he gets started, which isn’t quite surprising considering and now will skate for Neuilley-sur-Marne Les Bisons of France2 in 2023/2024.

As we thought, he has a very good frame, scoring 14 goals and 19 assists in 25 games and will next head to AlpsHL, signing with KHL Sisak for 2024/2025.

In 36 games, he scores 23 goals and 26 assists with a +8 rating and scores a little in 2 playoff games as well before he is loaned to the Croatian team of similar name and goes on to put up even more points.

For 2025/2026, he decides to move on for another opportunity, signing with EC Peiting, where he should do exceedingly well in Germany3.

He explodes for 33 goals and 34 assists in 52 games with a +16 rating to gain another year to stay with EC Peiting.

Undrafted 4th year right wing Nick Jones(8) is coming off a career AHL season, scoring 12 goals and 22 assists in 60 games to add a 3rd season with Manitoba Moose to his resume.

The 5’11” 186 lbs. forward had an interesting two year run through the AJHL before committing to Ohio State University Buckeyes for 2 years, after which he decided on a pair of BCHL sessions, scoring almost equal 60+ point totals and winning the 2017 Championship with Penticton Vees and then heading to University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks for a junior and senior frame.

From Edmonton, AB, the 26-year old may be off to a bit of a late start connecting with the net.

In 47 games last season, he scores 6 goals and 10 assists with a +4 rating, but wants more and eyes an opportunity in the tough to play Tipos Extraliga, signs with Vlci Zilina for 2024/2025.

He explodes scoring to the tune of 24 goals and 21 assists in 41 games with a +7, but he decides to head off to close by Czechia Extraliga and signs with HC Dynamo Pardubice, where he may do even better.

In 9 games, he scores 3 goals and 3 assists, then in 16 playoff contests, grabs 2 goals and 9 assists.

For 2025/2026, he takes this success and signs with rivals HC Energie Karlovy Vary.

After scoring 13 goals and 18 assists in 46 games with a 0 rating, he is invited to return HC Energie for 2026/2027.

3rd year right wing Jordan Kaplan(47) recently signed with Newfoundland Growlers after a somewhat inactive year in 2021/2022.

The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward already has a helper in a couple of appearances with his new club.

After graduating from University Of Vermont Catamounts, which followed up 3 years at Sacred Heart University Pioneers, he signed as a rookie with Adirondack Thunder, scoring 11 goals and 21 assists in 65 ECHL games, but also had a somewhat disastrous -32 rating.

From Bridgewater, NJ, we think the 25-year old will fit in nicely with his new club.

After 6 games with his new team, he gets released and claimed by Worcester Railers, but only lasts a couple of appearances before he’s on the move again, this time heading overseas to join Saale Bulls Halle for the remainder of 2023.

Germany3 hockey should come pretty easy for him to score big for his new club.

He does almost exactly as we saw would happen, scoring 4 goals and 6 assists in 11 games during the regular frame, then adding another 7 goals and 11 assists in 13 playoff matchups.

For 2023/2024, he will start his 3rd season in the league he’s mostly known with a 6th club, Indy Fuel and we think will find ways to put in points.

He actually played no games with who he initially signed and ended up bouncing around for a few games here and there, but lacking anything close to what he had as a rookie.

Playing maybe a bit of the waiting game, he decides to sign with Savannah Ghost Pirates to help make an impact with the new team and scores 1 in his 2nd game.

A couple months prior to 2024/2025, he finds himself traded after 14 goals and 14 assists in 51 games on a non-playoff team.

He returns to Worcester Railers, where he played 2 games and feel he will easily fit back into team mentality.

After 18 goals and 31 assists in an almost full run of 68 games, he re-signs to stay a Railers to see if he can help push this team further in 2025/2026, as they know they should be going.

As the new season approaches, he finds himself as part of a three team trade sending him to Wheeling Nailers, where we are sure he will be a big part of this team.

In 16 games with his new team, he has 1 goal and 5 assists with a +2 rating, but finds himself traded to a Cincinnati Cyclones, who maybe need him to score for them a bit more.

In 29 games, he gets 2 goals and 5 assists, but is a -9 rating, so gets waived then re-adopted for a 3rd time by Worcester Railers.

He did score league best here.