Category: Europe

12Jul

Reed Lebster (13)

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UMass Minutemen senior right wing Reed Lebster(13) is going to extend college for another year and will attend Michigan State University Spartans for the start of a graduate program.

Last season the 6′ 187 lbs. forward had a college career best 14 assists and 22 points.

He was on the team, who won the 2021 NCAA Division 1 Championship.

A Grand Rapids, MI native, he had a strong 2nd frame of USHL junior hockey with Des Moines Buccaneers.

The 24-year old will likely do pretty good in Big Ten Conference play.

He holds his own at his new school, scoring 6 goals and 13 assists with a +11 rating to signing a 1st pro contract with Florida Everblades, where he has only been able to figure in 1 playoff game on the reserved list.

Appearing in 5 playoff games for some experience en route to the team’s 3rd straight Kelly Cup Championship, he is liked enough for his contributions to sign up for his rookie season, 2024/2025.

As he is to get started on a pro career, a pitfall occurs almost immediately, as he is traded to Utah Grizzlies, where he will definitely be a valued team member.

After skating in 67 games as a rookie, scoring 17 goals and 27 assists on a non-playoff team, he is well-liked invite to score a return to the Grizzlies for 2025/2026.

Playing his last season for the team, he scores a big 31 goals and 31 assists, which he takes to a nice new deal in DEL with Schwenninger Wild Wings, 2026/2027.

12Jul

Xander Lamppa (19)

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Maine Mariners‘ rookie left wing Xander Lamppa(19) had a pretty healthy start, signing with the team off 4 years at Penn State University Nittany Lions, where he had 13 assists as a junior and senior.

In that 16 games period, he scored 3 goals and 5 assists.

The 6’1″ 205 lbs. forward did 2 USHL seasons for Waterloo Blackhawks, scoring big in his 2nd frame.

In 22 games, he has 2 goals and 4 assists and will likely post new ECHL bests through the entire session.

From Rochester, MN, the 24-year old is likely happy to get a chance to play pro hockey.

In 65 games, he scores 11 goals and 20 assists to earn a new deal to stay a Mariners for 2025/2026.

After scoring a new best 16 goals in 68 games last season, he decides to head off and search for a bit of a different style game in the EIHL, agreeing with Fife Flyers for 2026/2027.

11Jul

Harrison Rees (27)

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University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ graduate defenseman Harrison Rees(27) signs a 1st pro contract with Fort Wayne Komets and nets a 1st ECHL goal in his debut and has a +1 rating.

The 6’2″ 175 lbs. blue liner from Mississauga, ON wasn’t a huge scorer in college hockey, but was a reliable +23 player.

He took 2 successful OJHL campaigns with North York Rangers to his college commit.

The undrafted 24-year old was likely looking forward to the moment he could lace up a pair of pro game skates for awhile.

In 8 games, he scores 2 goals and 2 assists with a +2 rating to gain a 1 AHL game loan up to Hartford Wolf Pack.

He will return to the Komets for his official rookie season, 2024/2025.

The entire of 2025/2026 was spent in the lower league, where he played well deep into a playoff run, but for 2026/2027, he is looking elsewhere and signs with HK Dukla Michalovce of Tipsport Extraliga.

10Jul

Brady Keeper (25)

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Vancouver Canucks have picked up unrestricted free agent Brady Keeper(25) as his one-year extension to stay in Florida Panthers‘ system was up.

And even though the undrafted, 6’2″ 196 lbs. blue liner has only ever skated 2 NHL games, he is given a 2-year one-way deal to come play zone in the big league.

He originally came from three seasons of juniors in the MJHL for OCN Blizzard, serving as captain in his final session, before committing to University Of Maine Black Bears.

The Cross Lake, MB native played one full AHL campaign for affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds, earning 6 goals and 18 assists in 61 games.

He was loaned last season to Syracuse Crunch, where he figured into 11 games, scoring a goal and 2 assists.

They must see something in the 25-year old that looks ready to step it up full-time and it just may work.

He wouldn’t actually figure into any games for 2021/2022 after breaking 2 major bones in his leg, but returned for the next frame, contributing 1 goal and 5 assists in 35 games.

For 2023/2024, he has options and signs with Montreal Canadiens, but really is on a high-priced minor league deal with affiliate  Laval Rocket.

He only figures into 22 games last season, but his accountability is good.

For 2024/2025, he signs with HK Poprad of Slovak Extraliga, which should provide the challenge the 28-year old needs.

Instead of reporting to his new, overseas team, he elected to sit last year out and returns in 2025/2026 to sign with Glasgow Clan of the EIHL.

Injuries continue to nag him, as he tries to move towards a comeback, but it turns out to be too much and he needs to hang up the skates, having 2 goals in 4 NHL games.

Something is nagging him and he signs for 2025/2026 with South Carolina Stingrays.

He actually heads to the semi-pro SaskEHL, but with 7 goals and 2 assists in 5 games, maybe thinks he should really play, gets a trade to and signs with Rapid City Rush.

In a very short stint, he does exceedingly well, but gets traded to Idaho Steelheads, where his leadership is going to be very nicely welcomed.

10Jul

Carson Musser (4)

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Long Island University Lakers‘ graduate portal transfer from 4 years at Bowling Green State University Falcons, defenseman Carson Musser(4) took a college best scoring 4 goals and 11 points in 31 NCAA games to a 1st contract with Norfolk Admirals.

In 7 ECHL games, he had an assist and left with no playoffs a +2 rating.

The 6’1″ 192 lbs. blue liner has never really scored many goals, but did manage 10 assists in his 2nd USHL year with Fargo Force.

From Grand Rapids, MI, it’s seems likely the 25-year old could score a new contract for 2022/2023 in the league, if he wants.

As considered, the d-man decides to go for a full session in Virginia to see what’s possible.

He is able to connect for 4 goals and 9 assists, but needs to clean up a -19 rating and hopefully the team posts a better record, as he re-signs to stay.

Increasing his numbers as he goes is easily the way to keep attention, so he scores a new best 8 goals and 18 assists, while bringing up that horrible +/- to a +13 rating in 57 games, then in 11 playoff matchups adds another 7 points, +5.

He is easy to continue to bring back in an Admirals‘ jersey.

For a 4th straight season, he will return to Norfolk after scoring a new high 23 assists and 29 points.

He maybe lost a little production last season, which has caused him to looked elsewhere and signs for 2026/2027 with Coventry Blaze of the EIHL.

10Jul

Tyler Busch (13)

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Former Arizona State University Sun Devils‘ undrafted 2 year team captain Tyler Busch(13) quite possibly was waiting to see where North American pro hockey was going to settle before agreeing to leave the country for his next pursuit and decided to sign on with Sweden’s tier 3 league HockeyEttan joining Tranas AIF.

He did sign with Cincinnati Cyclones during the summer but then decided to forego the 2020/2021 due to COVID restrictions.

The 6’3″ 195 lb. power forward scored a healthy diet of four goals and 5 assists in 17 games before adding an assist in the playoffs.

He put up 21 points in two straight seasons before graduating with a career high 18 assists and +15 rating as a senior.

The Lloydminster, AB native played 3 years in the AJHL for Spruce Grove Saints and arrived at college after his best session as a more than point-per-game performer serving as captain.

What the 25-year old does next is up in the air but he could easily continue where he’s at and likely receive a look from the NL.

For 2021/2022, he was initially signed with the Cyclones return, but switched it up closer to the start of the frame and went with Fort Wayne Komets in 2021/2022, ending up getting 8 goals and 11 assists in 59 games, including a 4 game AHL loan to Henderson Silver Knights.

He re-signs to stay where he played as a rookie and we only see things improving for this young player.

Traded to Iowa Heartlanders early in the season, he managed to connect for 14 goals and 14 assists in 56 games.

He’ll take that ECHL experience to the EIHL next, signing for 2023/2024 with Cardiff Devils.

After 2 seasons, scoring decently, he will switch things up to sign with rivals, Guilford Flames for 2025/2026 and hopes to increase his play.

He would put up a new league best scoring 21 assists and 32 points to easily get another 1-year deal to stay a Flames for 2026/2027.

09Jul

Sean Collins (61)

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12th year center Sean Collins(61) has been league jumping for the past couple seasons, going through the KHL, DEL, Liiga and the SL to finally arrived at Steinbach Black Wings Linz of IceHL for 2023/2024 .

Originally a Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 7th round pick in 2008 (#168 overall), he was able to get in a few games with the big club, recording a few assists, but no goals.

The solid 6’3″ 190 lbs. forward has played 278 AHL games, scoring 71 goals and 91 assists with a +23 rating.

From Saskatoon, AB, the 33-year old 4-year Cornell University Big Red senior, assistant captain scorer has to be happy with the way things are going, having come off a season, scoring a best 27 goals and 30 assists.

He is playing good hockey, scoring points, helping his team win, where he is at, so is staying put for a 3rd season in a Wings‘ jersey.

His 3rd year numbers maybe ticked down a notch and that has the 37-year old maybe still waiting to play, but take it to another level, signs with Sheffield Steelers.

We look for him to become an EIHL favorite in no time.

09Jul

Jake Witkowski (83)

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Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ transfer portal, graduate right wing Jake Witkowski(83) has made a good decision trading 4 seasons at Hockey East, Boston University Terriers for Atlantic Hockey.

in 6 games, he almost unbelievably has outpaced anything he did previously, as those became his first college tallies.

The 5’10” 180 lbs. forward played 4 years at Malden Catholic High, which was near to where he was born in Melrose, MA,

He would leave for a year at Avon Old Farms School, lighting it up for 13 goals and 27 assists in 27 games, then head off to the BCHL.

Signed for his only junior campaign with Alberni Valley Bulldogs, he continued to gain notice with 23 goals and 17 assists and agreed to head to his first school.

It will be interesting to see what the 25-year old ends up with and where he looks to take his hockey next.

He scores a college career best 5 goals and 6 assists in 32 games with a +6 rating and signs a rookie contract with Pensacola Ice Flyers just as the season starts.

In 2 SPHL games, he has an assist.

He will likely find room in this league to put the puck in the back of the net.

After 9 games last season, scoring 2 goals and 1 assist, he leaves for the 2nd tier league NIHL, signing with Leeds Knights and putting up a bundle of points, 46 (16-30) in 26 games.

He waits a tiny bit, but re-signs to head back to the small English town team for 2023/2024.

For 2024/2025, he left for the lower NIHL 1 league and signed with Deeside Dragons.

He’s absolutely blown up scoring and is having a lot of fun to continue for a 3rd & 4th frame through 2027/2028.

09Jul

Dawson Good (14)

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University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ senior, assistant captain, left wing Dawson Good(14) plays in a college best 34 games last season, scoring a new high 4 assists and 6 points.

The 6’1″ 214 lbs. forward signs a 1st pro contract to play in France2 with Chamonix Mont-Blanc Pionniers, as a rookie in 2026/2027.

He was always a good scorer through youth hockey and gained notice with point-per-game numbers in his 2nd BCHL frame with Chilliwack Chiefs.

From Abbotsford, BC, the 24-year old should score well in France’s tier 2 league to gain notice.

08Jul

Patrick Brown (38)

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Philadelphia Flyers‘ 8th year center Patrick Brown(38) signed a two-year one-way deal with Vegas Golden Knights after participating in their taxi squad for most of 2020/2021, while serving as captain of affiliate Henderson Silver Knights, but participating in only 9 AHL games with booming numbers.

He was scooped off waivers and has played a pair of NHL starts with his new team.

Will be interesting to see what happens if the former Boston College Eagles‘ senior captain gets released, but chances are decent on his contract could report to Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

The 5’11” 214 lbs. forward needs to step it up to stay, no doubt.

He actually did and spent all of his time with the big club, skating 87 games before a trade sent him up to Ottawa Senators, where his fortunes seemed to change slightly for the better.

In 18 games, he had 2 goals and 3 assists with a +4 rating on a non-playoff team.

Boston Bruins step in on opening day of free agency and welcome him back to his college home for a 2-year deal worth a tidy $800,000 AAV.

After his 2nd year as team captain of Providence Bruins, playing a new high 71 games, scoring new best 20 goals and 34 assists with a +36 rating.

The 34-year decides to embark on something new and heads of to sign in DEL with Adler Mannheim for 2026/2027.