Category: Europe

UMASS-Lowell Riverhawks‘ Hungarian-born, junior goaltender Beni Halasz(35) signs a 1st pro deal with Idaho Steelheads after some fairly impressive college hockey numbers.

The 5’11” 181 lbs. net minder transferred after his sophomore frame from Northern Michigan University Wildcats.

He did youth hockey back home, appeared in a bunch of international play and even tended net 12 pro games in the AlpsHL before coming across.

In 2 NAHL frames, he showed outstanding growth his 2nd year before committing to college.

The 24-year old wasn’t having a tremendous amount of luck, so decides to head back, signing in IceHL with Feverhar AV19 for his rookie run, 2026/2027.

Undrafted senior center Carter Turnbull(98) takes a solid year as team captain, pushing his University Of Connecticut Huskies to its deepest Hockey East climb to the Finals and a loss in overtime to a 1st pro contract with South Carolina Stingrays.

The 5’8″ 181 lbs. forward took a few games to get situated, but finally popped in his 1st ECHL goal and a 2nd one a couple nights later to sit at 2 tallies in 6 games.

He had 30 goals and assists throughout his 3 years with Powell River Kings in 155 BCHL games.

The 23-year old from Nanaimo, BC should be able to light up the league and climb, if he sticks.

He would finish his first pro contract with 2 goals and 3 assists in 11 games to warrant a full look in North Charleston for his rookie season 2022/2023.

After lighting things up to the tune of 24 goals and 18 assists in 41 games, he decides to head off for an opportunity overseas, joining HKM Zvolen for their Slovak Extraliga playoff run.

He appears in 6 games during the end of the regular frame, then skates 7 in the postseason, scoring 1 goal and 1 assist in 7 games.

Slovak rivals HC Banska Bystrica swoop in an sign him up for 2023/2024, and we should see his numbers improve.

He is well over a point-per-game player in the tough to play Slovak hockey, equaling 25 goals and 31 assists in 41 games, but heads of to IceHL for a new experience with Asiago Hockey that could put him back on the radar for a better deal back home.

While scoring isn’t an issue with his new club, on ice accountability is faltering, so he up and moves back to Slovakia, signing once again with HC Banska Bystrica to hopefully regain some glory.

He gets on board and is invited to return to the tune of 20 goals and 17 assists in just 22 games with a +17 rating and there is a desire to keep him around long-term on a 2-year extension through 2026/2027 with HC Banska.

In 51 games, he scores a league most goals, 31 and assists, 32 and ultimately decides to not stick for the 2nd year of his deal and signs with Dusseldorfer EG of DEL2.

University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ graduate center Chris Jandric(7) signs for his 3rd pro season with ERC Ingolstadt 2025/2026 after a 40 assist ECHL season as a 2nd year player with a +23 rating.

Then the 5’11” 180 lbs. forward scored another 13 points in 21 games to capture the 2025 Kelly Cup Championship.

He had a college best scoring 29 assists last year.

From Prince George, BC, we look for the 27-year old to continue to do well.

In 28 DEL games, he scores 1 goal and 4 assists, which is something rivals Nurnberg Ice Tigers can use and sign him for 2026/2027.

Long Island University Sharks‘ senior left wing Brett Rylance(55) takes a college best scoring, 11 goals and 13 assists in 30 games with a +2 rating last season to a 1st pro contract in Ligue Magnus with Le Rapaces de Gap in 2026/2027.

The 5’10” 181 lbs. forward transferred in after his junior year at American International College Yellowjackets, as that program informed students of its’ shift to D3 college play.

From Edmonton, AB, the 24-year old should do very well there and will likely continue to look.

6th year center Kevin Roy(12) signs for 2021/2022 with Laval Rocket.

It’s his 2nd contract in the league, as he skated for Tuscon Roadrunners, getting 11 goals and 19 assists in 35 AHL games last season.

Originally an Anaheim Ducks‘ 4th round pick in the 2012 draft (#97 overall), he played for 3 years on 2 contracts in their system and appeared in 28 NHL games over a pair of years, scoring 6 goals and an assist.

The 5’9″ 172 lbs. forward has 56 goals and 97 assists through 218 games in the farm league.

In his one campaign of junior hockey for Lincoln Stars, he got voted USHL Player Of The Year, Most Points, Most Goals, Most Assists, Best Plus/Minus and Forward Of The Year with his 54 goals and 50 assists in 59 games.

He was easily set to go to Northeastern University Huskies, where he twice struck for 19 goals and averaged 26 assists as a sophomore then junior before being named team captain as a senior.

The 28-year old should put up good numbers for his Montreal Canadiens‘ affiliate club and may even spark some notice.

After a very solid frame in Quebec, scoring 13 goals and 20 assists, he decides to split for Sweden, joining Brynas IF of the SHL late, but after 6 games with little pop, leaves for Liiga, and signs with HIFK.

Only getting 1 goal and 5 assists in 19 games, has him looking for a good next stop and he has found it, signing with HC Innsbruck of IceHL f0r 2023/2024.

He posts an almost silly 25 goals and 33 assists with a +20 rating in 47 games, and next will skate for rivals Graz99ers in 2024/2025.

After a 2nd 39 point season, which included the 2026 IceHL Championship, he’s an easy invite back for a 3rd term with Graz99ers in 2026/2027.

Junior center Matt Hubbarde(81) will take 2 years at Dartmouth College Big Green to continuing his education and hockey with Providence College Friars.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. scored fairly equally in his 1st 2 seasons at school.

From Pickering, ON, he played most of his junior hockey in Canada and had a most impressive bit of a shortened frame in the BCHL with Langley Rivermen.

The 23-year old will be taking on a new challenge playing Hockey East.

He would only figure in 13 games, scoring 1 goal, so no surprise he will do his senior year at University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks for 2024/2025 and will likely give him the room he needs.

In a ties for college high 30 games played, he scores new best 13 goals and 10 assists for 23 points playing the independent schedule.

With no postseason, he signs a 1st pro deal with Iowa Heartlanders and scores a 1st ECHL goal in his debut.

He would sign for 2025/2026 with them, but traded to Rapid City Rush after just 6 games, then he is moved again to Bloomington Bison.

After a rookie season with 3 different clubs, he looks elsewhere and signs Ringerike Panthers of Norway for 2026/2027.

New Jersey Devils‘ 4th round pick in the 2019 draft (#96 overall) right wing Tyce Thompson(29), selected after his first season at Providence College grabs the 5th fastest 1st NHL point in a debut in team history with an assist at 4:22.

The 6’1″ 178 lbs. forward was basically a point per game player in NCAA Hockey East, leaving a year behind to sign his two-year entry level deal.

His dad is Brent Thompson was a Los Angeles Kings‘ choice and has guided Bridgeport Sound Tigers for the last 8 years or so and brother Tage skates for Buffalo Sabres, so the 21-year old comes from lineage.

He opened his rookie season with new affiliate Utica Comets and was absolutely lighting it up, when he was recalled.

In a pair of games, he didn’t registered any more points, but was awkwardly hit and has to undergo shoulder surgery, so will miss the next couple months.

In 15 games, he has 5 assists and finds himself involved in a trade sending him to New York Islanders.

He has 3 goals and 11 assists through 51 games, but is a horrible -21 and he is wanted to return to continue to work for Bridgeport on that game.

Through 65 AHL games, he scores new best marks 8 goals and 13 assists that he will take to a new deal with Barys Astana of the KHL for 2025/2026.

In 57 games, he scores 15 goals and 10 assists with a pretty horrible +/-, but is wanted to return for 2026/2027 to Barys Astana.

Detroit Red Wings‘ 6th round pick in the 2015 draft (#170 overall) defenseman Patrick Holway(6) signed an AHL ato with affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins as he was finishing up his last year of college hockey at Merrimack College.

I guess we’ll see if the parent club follows through to sign the very big 6’5″ 220 lbs. blue liner, but if that doesn’t materialize we feel that the Cohassett, MA native will become an irresistible unrestricted free agent signee.

After appearing in 6 games without registering a point and having his rights expire with the club that selected him, the 24 year old signs with South Carolina Stingrays to play his first full year of pro hockey and should do well in the ECHL.

The giant-sized forward was loaned up to San Jose Barracuda after a goal and 12 assists with his original contract team.

He finished the frame there, playing 43 AHL games, scoring 4 goals and 8 assists to grab a new contract with the team for 2022/2023.

Playing in only 27 games, scoring 2 assists with a -9 rating without being reassigned definitely has him searching where next and lands at Florida Everblades for 2023/2024.

He is playing well and scores a new best 7 goals and 9 assists in 31 games with a +2 rating, but maybe feels like he needs more and decides to leave, signing with HC Slovan Bratislava of Slovak Extraliga.

In 13 games, he records 7 assists, then scores a goal and 2 assists in 4 playoff matchups to make this journey a success.

For 2024/2025, he heads off to IceHL, signing with Villacher SV, which should continue to yield good results.

In 41 games, he yields 3 goals and 15 assists with a +7 rating, but decides to sign with Dragons de Rouen of Ligue Magnus for 2025/2026.

In 44 games, he scores 6 goals and 28 assists with a +23 rating, then adds another 5 assists in the playoffs.

For 2026/2027, he gets another year with de Rouen.

St. Anselem College Hawks‘ senior left wing Hunter Brackett(11) leaves for Germany4 and signs with EC Lauterbach 2012 for 2025/2026.

The 6′ 181 lbs. forward scored a college best 20 goals and 20 assists last season.

He did most of 3 years in junior hockey, jumping around leagues.

In 5 games, he has 5 goals and 2 assists, which we think gets him a look at a higher level.

He is scoring well and gets a trade to potentially a playoff team, ECW Sande.

For 2026/2027, he will head to France3 and signs with HC Dijon Ducs.

Fischtown Pinguins‘ big defenseman Matthew Abt(42) signs on for a 3rd straight season, 2026/2027 after scoring a best 12 goals and tying his 22 points from a year earlier.

The 6’4″ 181 lbs. blue liner played 3 seasons with Luuko after seemingly exhausting opportunities in the AHL.

From Leduc, AB, he graduated RIT Tigers after 4 campaigns of AJHL juniors.

The now 32-year old looks to continue to do well.