Category: Europe

05Nov

Denis Smirnov (8)

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Norfolk Admirals‘ 2nd year Russian-born left wing Denis Smirnov(8) is looking to up his totals from his 1st year with the team, when he scored 9 goals and 12 assists in 39 ECHL games.

The 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward already has 7 goals and 9 assists, so things are looking quite positive.

He came over pretty quickly to play youth hockey, displaying amazing numbers to get drafted into juniors and wins the USHL Clark Cup Championship in his 1st of 3 years in the league.

Penn State University Nittany Lions‘ 4-year scorer took a couple of years after college hockey through COVID to establish his game as a pro.

He is an exciting player to watch.

In 51 games, he scores 14 goals and 32 asssists with a +3 rating to earn an easy invite back in an Admirals‘ jersey for 2024/2025.

He’s a high scoring free agent heading into 2025/2026 and a powerhouse team, Toledo Walleye step in to offer him a 1-year deal.

In a league high 54 games, he scores 15 goals and 20 assists, but gets a trade to Greenville Swamp Rabbits, where he will very likely just continue.

He scores 2 goals and 3 assists in 13 games that Cleveland Monsters are eyeing and sign him to a 2-way deal that has him going to new affiliate Wheeling Nailers for 2026/2027.

31Oct

Chris Dodero (55)

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American International College Yellowjackets‘ graduate center, assistant captain Chris Dodero(55) heads off for his 1st pro contract in IceHL with HK Olympija Ljubljana for 2022/2023.

The 5’9″ 175 lbs. forward scored his college best last season, getting 13 goals and 16 assists in 36 NCAA Division 1 games.

He spent 5 campaigns in junior hockey, initially in the USHL, but switching to the BCHL for a year, then NAHL for the session before heading to school.

The 26-year old, West Chicago, IL native will definitely do well in Austria’s top league.

After a decent frame, scoring 10 goals and 20 assist in 39 games, he signs for 2023/2024 with a rival, Grazz99ers.

He maybe couldn’t get it started with 2 assists in 8 games and a woeful -8 rating, so pulls up the stakes and signs for the remainder of 2023/2024 with Starbulls Rosenheim of DEL2 for a new German start.

After some good seasons to start pro hockey away, he decides to return “home” and signs with Tahoe Knight Monsters for 2024/2025.

He gains 3 goals and 3 assists in 15 games, but gets dished to the struggling Cincinnati Cyclones, who need some scoring.

With an ECHL high 6 goals and 12 assists through 39 games with a +1 rating, he is once again dealt, this time heading to Idaho Steelheads for 2025/2026.

He’s effective with his new team, recording a new high 21 assists and 27 points with a +11 rating and gets signed by Wheeling Nailers for 2026/2027, but after just 1 game has a change of heart and will head back overseas, signing with Glasgow Clan.

25Oct

Quinn Wichers (5)

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Undrafted defenseman Quinn Wichers(5) signs a first pro contract for his rookie campaign 2021/2022 with Rapid City Rush.

The 6’4″ 217 lbs. blue liner has never been exactly the biggest point scorer through 4 years at Mercyhurst University Lakers, but did connect for a junior hockey high 19 assists and tying 24 points in 45 CCHL games in his 4th frame before heading to school with Kemptville 73s.

From Metcalfe, ON, the 24-year old should be able to elevate his game in the ECHL.

He will return to South Dakota for 2022/2023 after scoring 2 goals and 8 assists in 43 games with a +3 rating, then adding 4 assists through 11 playoff contests.

Multiple loans up to Tuscon Roadrunners, where he skated 16 games with no points, but was decently enough steady.

We expect everything to go just that much better in his 2nd year.

Through 50 games, he basically mirrors his rookie point production with the same club, but for 2023/2024, he gets himself traded to Wheeling Nailers and we shall see if that changes anything.

We think it might.

After 3 games with no points, he gets himself dished to a perfect location for the big forward, Utah Grizzlies.

In 52 games, his scoring pops some with 2 goals and a new best 14 assists, but he is looking for something new, different, so signs with Nottingham Panthers of the EIHL for 2024/2025.

After 38 games in England, he is next heading for Asia League and signs with Tohuko Free Blades for 2025/2026.

In 35 games, he grabs 11 assists with a +1 rating and HC Innsbruck Sharks is watching and signs him to a tryout for the IceHL in 2026/2027.

He suits up for only 9 games, gaining 1 assist, but gets an invite to return under contract for 2026/2027 to stay a Sharks.

15Oct

Steve Moses (12)

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12th year right wing Steve Moses(12) returned to the 1st place he skated after graduating University Of New Hampshire Wildcats, Liiga to play for HPK last season.

He skated 2 seasons with long-time club Jokerit in the league, then moved onto the KHL with them, offering up mostly good results in 6 different campaigns with the team.

The 33-year old from Leominster, MA is headed to a new place for 2023/2024, signing a 1-year deal with HC Kometa Brno of Czechia Extraliga, which should work out well for him.

He gets himself 20 goals and 13 assists in 52 games, so does pretty well in the league, but instead of returning, opts to sign to a rival, inking with BK Mlada Boleslav for 2024/2025.

After 21 games with 9 goals and 3 assists, he is asked to return for 2025/2026 and accepts.

For 2026/2027, the 37-year old returns from a successful stint in Czechia and signs with the local to him, Worcester Railers.

14Oct

Ethan Prow (12)

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After a super strong showing for EHC Munchen, scoring 4 goals and 16 assists in only 26 DEL games with a +18 rating, 6th year defenseman Ethan Prow(12) nets a 1-year NHL deal from Buffalo Sabres for 2021/2022.

It’s the 6′ 185 lbs. blue liner’s first big league deal after 220 AHL games, with his best season coming in his 3rd for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, scoring a crazy 18 goals and 32 assists.

He originally left for Germany’s top league with a +32 plus/minus.

The former St. Cloud State University Huskies‘ d-man scored 30 assists to go along with 8 goals and a +29 as a senior.

It’s likely he’s destined for reasignment to affiliate Rochester Americans, but the 28-year old could be ready for a look in the show.

And he does some scoring business in the minors to merit a first game in the show, in which the now 29-year old scores a 1st NHL goal on a 1st shot.

For his 9th season, he simply returns to where he’s been playing his hockey for a 1-year deal with the Amerks.

After 4 years playing hockey in the same place, he for a 1st time jumps to an overseas opportunity, signing with Grizzlys Wolfsburg in DEL for 2025/2026.

He has a pretty good season in Germany and will up in for 2026/2027 and join Liiga, signing with Assat for 2026/2027.

14Oct

Casper Soderling (56)

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After taking a year to turn pro prior to 2 NAHL seasons with Maine Nordiques, Stockholm-born defenseman Casper Soderling(56) skated for Nacka HK of Division 2, running some decent numbers, 2 goals and 16 assists in 26 games last season.

The 6′ 172 lbs. blue liner seems to have changed his mind and accepted a commitment to American International College Yellowjackets for 2022/2023.

As a 21-year old, he will likely find some room to play his game in Atlantic Hockey and may even really take to it well.

He struggled a bit with not much use and transferred to Curry College Colonels for his junior year and played 25 games, scoring 4 goals and 10 assists with a +7 rating.

As a senior, he may have played and scored less, but left with a +13 rating to next sign a contract for his rookie season with Fayetteville Marksmen, 2026/2027.

08Oct

Petter Wickstrom-Stumer (31)

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University Of Maine Black Bears‘ Swedish-born big 6’6″ 218 lbs. junior goaltender Petter Wickstrom Stumer(31) transferred from 2 years at Canisius College Golden Griffins potentially to gain a little more notice from Hockey East work.

He did 2 NAHL seasons before committing and even played a single game in Hockeyettan back home.

We look for him to knuckle down and start playing really well.

06Oct

Jacob Modry (2)

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6’6″ 216 lbs. defenseman Jacob Modry(2) signs a 1st pro deal with Savannah Ghost Pirates, where in 3 ECHL games he’s like having a lot of fun, but also has a 1st assist.

He finished up college with 2 years at SUNY-Plattsburgh State Cardinals after maybe two underwhelming frames with Merrimack College Warriors.

As a senior, he tied his best 4 goals and got a new high 19 assists, 23 points in 28 D3 games with a +21 rating.

The 24-year old from El Segundo, CA will need maybe just settle a bit to find his team.

He started 2023/2024 with Newfoundland Growlers, but after 20 ECHL games with 2 goals and 2 assists, he gets shipped to Greenville Swamp Rabbits, which is probably the best landing spot possible for the big man on wheels.

No points after 22 games, but he maintains a nice +6 rating on accountability and they easily see something there to continue working with and sign him up to stay in a Swamp Rabbits‘ sweater for 2024/2025.

After 3 seasons with 1 club, he looks elsewhere and signs Mountfield HK in the tough to play, Czechia Extraliga for 2026/2027.

03Oct

Jeff Baum (6)

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Undrafted defenseman Jeff Baum(6) spent a 1st collegiate year at Providence College Friars, but after a somewhat flat season entered the transfer portal to attend American International College Yellowjackets and completed his education, along with showing a nice uptick in his Atlantic Hockey play.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner will next head to the EIHL, joining Belfast Giants for 2021/2022.

Never the biggest point getter, in his 2nd season of juniors for Wichita Falls Wildcats, he was able to take it up a level with 10 goals, 20 assists and a +21 rating in 57 NAHL games, his best effort.

The 25-year old from Colleyville, TX native should find his footing in England’s top hockey.

Winning a league 2022 Championship, scoring a tidy 2 goals and 16 assists with a massive +28 rating, it’s a bit of a no brainer for him to return for a 2022/2023 sophomore run.

He may not be quite as generous as he was last year with his scoring 2 goals and 6 assists, but maintained a +22 rating in 10 less, 43 games.

It’s a complete easy thinker to return him for a 3rd campaign in his role as fan favorite to a team that has won 2 straight titles with him in the teal lineup.

After 4 seasons and 2 championships, he decides to play his hockey a little closer to home for 2025/2026 and signs with Idaho Steelheads, where we know he will contribute well.

In 55 ECHL games, he scores 1 goal and 16 assists to get an easy invite to return for 2026/2027.

02Oct

Jack Dougherty (5)

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6th year defenseman Jack Dougherty(5) heads back to Belleville Senators after only 1 AHL game with Providence Bruins.

He has signed with that team twice previous with decent enough results to stick.

The 6’1″ 211 lbs. blue liner was originally a Nashville Predators‘ 2nd round pick in the 2014 draft (#51 overall) selected after a solid USNTDP showing, then only one year at University Of Wisconsin Badgers before bolting to put up 41 assists with Portland Winterhawks.

He spent two years in the system before getting dished to Buffalo Sabres to play out his entry level deal.

It wouldn’t be entirely out of the possibility that soon the 25-year old from St. Paul, MN looks overseas for something a little more lucrative.

He has a pair of tough seasons through the COVID shuffle, but decides to stick around and signs his 1st ECHL deal with Orlando Solar Bears for 2022/2023.

This will likely be a very good decision for the now 26-year old.

He actually leaves for DEL near the end of this session, then signs with Nurnberg Ice Tigers for 2023/2024.

Doing just ok wasn’t good enough, so he takes his game to IceHL for 2024/2025, signing with Vienna Capitals, which should equal a lot of fun for him.

He does well with 11 assists in 43 games, but decides to move on and signs with Sheffield Steelers.

In the EIHL, he comes away with his best scoring 13 assists and 15 points in 49 games with a +23 rating.

For 2026/2027, he looks to return home and re-signs with the Solar Bears for 2026/2027 and will look to improve his numbers.