Category: Europe

02Aug

Georgii Merkulov (10)

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Ohio State University Buckeyes‘ Russian-born, freshman left wing Georgii Merkulov(10) leads NCAA Division 1 players in goal scoring with 18.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward spent all of his youth hockey in his homeland and played junior hockey in the MHL for a couple seasons, including 6 VHL games for HK Tambov before leaving during the 2019/2020 session to start his American.

He joined Youngstown Phantoms and was a bit of an instant success with 6 goals and 27 assists in 36 USHL games.

The 21-year old played one more successful campaign of juniors before committing to school.

Undrafted, he will easily be a player to watch.

Boston Bruins waste no time and scoop him from one successful year at college hockey to a 3-year NHL entry level deal starting next season.

He scores a meager 24 goals and 31 assists with Providence Bruins and is back up in rookies training camp to begin the 2nd year of his entry level deal for 2023/2024 and by the looks of it is ready to compete for a spot on the big club.

After a 3rd season of 30+ assists, with a new high 39 last season, he gets a new 1-year deal to stay a Bruins and keep building.

He’s still our pick to make the big club on a more permanent basis.

After 4 years looking to break through the system, it’s time to move on and he signs a 1-year deal with Colorado Avalanche to see if a new environment can improve his chances.

02Aug

Matt Marcinew (8)

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5th year right wing Matt Marcinew(8) makes a decision he maybe should have made earlier in his career, heads off to Europe after a career year, scoring 23 goals and 25 assists in 57 ECHL games for Indy Fuel.

The 5’10” 190 lbs. forward signs with HPK of Liiga for 2021/2022.

While the former 4-year University Of Denver assistant captain as a senior consistently been a great scorer at the lower level (59-82-141 in 184 games with a +15 rating), but almost oddly has been given much opportunity in the AHL with only 1/2 season on the books.

Finland’s top hockey will be very competitive for the 27-year old that could excel his game and start a great career away from home in Calgary, AB.

He finds limited success in Finnish hockey, so decides to sign with Sodertalje SK, scoring 7 goals and 8 assists in 35 Allsvenskan games.

For 2022/2023, he returns to sign a 2-way deal with the brand new Calgary Wranglers.

After spending all of last season running up the scoresheet for Rapid City Rush to the tune of a career high 30 goals and 38 assists for 68 points in 64 ECHL games.

For 2023/2024, he signs with Allen Americans, where those scoring talents are once again very likely to flourish.

He scores 8 goals and 13 assists in 18 games to start the new session and might be looking for another step, so signs for the rest of the year with Krefeld Pinguine of DEL2.

In a full frame, he is essentially a point-per-game performer, but decides to look for another league to conquer and signs in the EIHL with Nottingham Panthers for 2025/2026.

Not surprising, he is a point-per-game player for his new club and decides to return to Germany, but signs with rivals EC Bad Nauheim for 2026/2027.

30Jul

Daniel Eruzione (21)

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Curry College Colonels‘ graduate transfer Daniel Eruzione(21) signs a 1st pro deal with Brixen/Bressanone Falcons of Italy2 for his rookie season 2022/2023.

The small-ish 5’9″ 165 lbs. forward is coming off a college career low goal and 9 assists in 22 NCAA Division3 games, but 3 times was a 20+ point scorer for his 1st school, Salve Regina University Seahawks.

He started his junior hockey with tier 3 Walpole Express after graduating Cushing Academy and lit up with 41 points in 40 EHL games, then was selected in the NAHL draft and played the next frame for New Jersey Junior Titans.

The 26-year old, Winthrop, MA native should light up where he is headed and may even get a promotion to a higher level club.

He has a very successful first run in Italy’s tier 2 league (12 goals, 19 assists in 20 games) and will return, but signs with rivals Feltre for 2023/2024.

25 assists ties a mark twice set in college play and 17 goals goes back to his 2nd junior season for that total, so he is scoring and will take that to a 3rd Italy2 team for 2024/2025, HC Eppan Pirates, maybe in hopes of winning a championship.

He blows up scoring with 20 goals and 35 assists in 32 games, then adds another 4 in 4 playoff matchups and will return for 2025/2026 in a Pirates‘ jersey.

After a 2nd 50+ points season, he is taking it up a notch an signs AlpsHL with Cortina for 2026/2027.

30Jul

Joey Musa (8)

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UMass Minutemen senior left wing Joey Musa(8) signs a 1st pro deal in France2 with Les Dogs de Cholet for his rookie season, 2025/2026.

The 5’9″ 160 lbs. forward has a pretty crazy 10 goals and 7 assists in 11 games with a +12 rating.

From Orange Park, FL, he did 3 years at Dartmouth University Big Green before transferring.

After a successful 20 goal, 29 game season with 14 points in the playoffs, he next takes off for Italy2 and signs with Varese for 2026/2027.

25Jul

Sean Malone (17)

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Buffalo Sabres‘ 6th year center Sean Malone(17) continues with Rochester Americans under a new 1-year deal from the team he’s skated 5 seasons for.

The former Harvard University Crimson senior scorer is coming off a career year, getting a new best 20 goals and 37 points.

He only has 2 NHL games to his credit, with an assist in his 2nd appearance with 1-year contract club, Nashville Predators.

A Buffalo, NY native, the 27-year old is definitely keeping his hockey close to home.

Following 6 years and 284 AHL games, the 28 year is heading off to Switzerland to skate in the NL with SCL Tigers in 2023/2024.

He has two good Swiss seasons and takes it to a new deal with Orebro HK of SHL for 2025/2026.

At the end of the session, he would get loaned back to the SCL Tigers of NL, but for 2026/2027 elects to sign with Augsburger Panther.

24Jul

Nicholas Grabko (33)

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2nd year Bentley University Falcons‘ goaltender Nicholas Grabko(33) is definitely garnering some attention.

He has put up an impressive pair of victories vs. ranked clubs, but even in losses has performed with gymnastic-like theatrics, stopping pucks.

The almost unassuming 5’11” 181 lbs. net minder was a late add to the college after a 2nd season on good junior hockey stats for Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL, even though he was basically an upcoming star in the Chicago Mission 13U – 16U AAA.

For a 2nd time in 3 weeks, the 21-year old has been named Atlantic Hockey Goalie Of The Week.

He has decided to take on a graduate season at University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks for 2024/2025 and we should watch him help his new college team win games.

In 20 games, he goes 5-11-4 with a 2.74 GAA and .899 SV%, which he takes to a 1st pro contract with Idaho Steelheads.

After 1 unsuccessful start, he finds himself on the move, signed by Toledo Walleye, where he notches a 1st ECHL win.

For 2025/2026, he leaves to sign with Yetis du Mont-Blanc of France2, which is likely to give himself a completely new start.

He returns to sign with Fresno Falcons of the FPHL, where we think he will loan up higher.

23Jul

Anthony Romano (29)

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Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ graduate right wing Anthony Romano(29) leaves scoring 9 goals for a 3rd time and has now a twice best 13 assists.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. Arizona Coyotes‘ 6th round pick in the 2019 draft (#176 overall) won the USHL Clark Cup Championship with Sioux Falls Stampede the year he was selected.

From Richmond Hill, ON, the 23-year old seems like an easy NHL entry level sign.

He actually signs with Texas Stars for his 1st pro contract, a pto, but could get reassigned as well.

Through 8 games, he scores no points, but is wanted to return for his rookie AHL year, 2024/2025 in a Stars‘ jersey.

In his 2nd season on reassignment to Florida Everblades he puts up some pretty amazing points, including 17 in the playoffs to win a 2026 Kelly Cup.

For 2026/2027, he sees a good opportunity to sign in DEL with Lowen Frankfurt.

23Jul

Reilly Walsh (8)

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Faced with the prospects of no senior year, it was a no brainer for Harvard University‘s defensive wunderkid Reilly Walsh(8) to sign his three-year entry level with New Jersey Devils, the team that drafted him 3rd round, 2017, #81 overall.

In his minor league debut with affiliate Binghamton Devils, he gets credited for the overtime 4-3 game-winner and his first pro AHL goal and currently has 2 goals and 5 assists in 12 games, which is impressing big at the struggling parent club.

The 6′ 185 lbs. 21-year old blue liner may have to spend some time honing his game at the stage lower than the show but look for him to get an opportunity.

And after scoring new career bests: 9 goals and a whopping 34 assists in 69 games with a +11 rating for affiliate Utica Comets, gets him the nod for his NHL debut.

In his 1st game, he skated 20 shifts for 14:23, got an assist, had 2 shots, 2 blocks and 1 giveaway in a 5-4 loss.

The Framingham, MA gets traded to his hometown Boston Bruins as free agency looms after 2 seasons of 30+ assists in the minors.

He strikes his 3rd straight season of 9 goals in the minors, but shows maybe a bit more focus in the playoffs with 2 assists in 4 games.

For 2024/2025, he signs a 1-year, 2-way deal with Los Angeles Kings.

He would get 26 assists with affiliate Ontario Reign, but spots something more for 2025/2026 and signs with Barys Astana.

In 68 games, he posts 30 assists and gets an invite to another big league contract from Montreal Canadiens.

22Jul

Ryan Nicholson (24)

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RIT Tigers‘ senior defenseman Ryan Nicholson(24) signed an ato with Savannah Ghost Pirates upon finishing school and scores 1 assist in 2 ECHL games to get his pro career started.

For his official rookie season, he will head to Finland’s tier 2 Mestis league and signs with RoKi for 2024/2025.

The 6’3″ 201 lbs. blue liner had a college high 9 assists last season.

From Mississauga, ON, he did 3 years of juniors close to home before college.

We think the 25-year old does well in this league.

He scores 1 goal and 7 assists in 47 games and will next take it to the EIHL and signs with Fife Flyers for 2025/2026.

In 54 games, he gets 1 goal and 12 assists, but decides to continue to cycle and signs for 2026/2027 with Rapaces de Gap of Ligue Magnus.

22Jul

Jackson Jutting (9)

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Undrafted left wing Jackson Jutting(9) trades in a pair of seasons at Colorado College Tigers, scoring a college best 3 goals and 7 assists in 35 NCAA Division 1 games for a junior year, closer to home with Bemidji State University Beavers.

The 5’10” 196 lbs. forward was a solid scorer through 4 years at Prior Lake High, always increasing his point totals through USHS-MN seasons until hitting 42 points in 24 games as a senior captain.

He was selected by his 1st school early in his sophomore session.

The 21-year old will likely find the CCHA a little tougher going, but should be able to find space to add to scoring.

By the time he hit a graduate frame at his new school, he had 14 goals and a 2nd season of 22 points to his credit.

He signs a 1st pro contract with Kansas City Mavericks, where he runs up scoring to 30 goals and 29 assists in 66 ECHL, then adds another 18 points in 17 playoff games to the Kelly Cup Finals. and also gets loaned up for 4 AHL games to Grand Rapids Griffins.

For 2026/2027, he decides to look for something different and signs to MODO Hockey of HockeyAllsvenskan.