Category: Europe

11Sep

Lee Lapid (28)

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Undrafted, Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ graduate center Lee Lapid(28) agrees to a 1st pro deal with Cincinnati Cyclones for 2022/2023.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. power forward scored a college career tying 11 goals and new best 12 assists and 23 points in 33 NCAA Division 1 games with a +6 rating as a senior.

A Thornhill, ON native, he played 3 seasons in the OJHL, really lighting things up as a 3rd year player.

The 24-year old is going to be a great ECHL rookie.

He scored 13 goals and 29 assists in 59 games with a +33 rating and for his 2nd frame with the club is very much in line with 8 goals, 19 assists in 34 with a +18 and he eyes some better hockey to play, signing with SaiPa of the Finnish elite league Liiga going forward.

in 14 games, he grabs 2 assists and they want him to return for 2024/2025, back in a Sputniks‘ uniform.

He actually reconsiders and elects to sign with a bit closer to home Abbotsford Canucks for the upcoming frame.

Sent to Kalamazoo Wings, he skated 47 games, scoring 10 goals and 17 assists with a +3 rating.

A free agent, heading into 2025/2026, he signs a 1-year deal with Indy Fuel.

09Sep

Evan Luxford (38)

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Thunder Hockey Club 1st year right wing Evan Luxford(38) scored 13 goals and 17 assists in 52 USPHL/NCDC games last season, while also putting up nearly 100 penalty minutes.

The 5’11” 179 lbs. forward heads home for college hockey, committing to University Of Wisconsin-Stout Blue Devils for 2025/2026.

He came up from 1 year in USPHL Premier, where he blew up scoring.

From Sun Prairie, WI, the 20-year old may catch hold close to his house.

07Sep

Brandon Yip (18)

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12th year right wing Brandon Yip(18) re-ups with Kunlun Red Star after taking a single COVID volatile season away, skating for Jukurit of Liiga.

It will be his 4th season with the team he served as team captain for the last couple years.

The 6’1″ 198 lbs. forward has played 174 NHL games, 103 in the AHL, 163 so far in the KHL, and a 2015 DEL Championship with Adler Mannheim, when he first arrived overseas.

He’s always been a decent scorer in these leagues but as a junior in the BCHL, he twice equaled more than point-per-game  totals in the 2 years with Coquitlam Express.

The Maple Ridge, BC native would take his game to Boston University Terriers next and strike for 22 assists as a rookie and put up 43 points (20-23) in 47 Hockey East games as a senior and help the team win the 2009 NCAA Championship.

You have to wonder if the 36-year old has it anywhere in his mind to retire soon.

He just can’t stop and returns for a 5th overall season with the China-based, Russia-league club.

Staying on as 2nd year captain, he only appears in 8 games for 2 assists.

After 347 KHL games and 7 years in the league for the newly named Shanghai Dragons, he at age 40 says it’s time to find something else for his ice time.

06Sep

Tommy Pasanen (18)

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Bowling Green University Falcons‘ 2nd year German-born defenseman Tommy Pasanen(18) heads home for his 1st pro contract, signing with Lowen Frankfort for 2025/2026.

The big 6’4″ 218 lbs. blue liner came over for 2 USHL seasons of juniors with Sioux City Musketeers after doing youth hockey back home and Czechia.

He started college hockey with 2 fairly successful frames with Clarkson University Golden Knights.

05Sep

Jeremy Welsh (15)

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14th year center Jeremy Welsh(15) stays put for 2025/2026, after scoring virtually point-per-game numbers in Erste Liga last season after signing with CSM Corona Brasov.

The 6’3″ 207 lbs. forward has played 27 NHL with 3 clubs, scoring 1 goal and 1 assist.

He did 4 years in DEL, 2 in the EIHL before coming here.

The 37-year old, former 3-year Union College Dutchmen goal scoring machine still grooves right along.

05Sep

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.

01Sep

Isac Jonsson (32)

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UMASS-Lowell Riverhawks‘ Swedish-born senior defenseman Isac Jonsson(32) takes with him 138 games played, 10 goals and 41 assists with a +6 rating to a 1st deal with Kansas City Mavericks after tournament play concluded, scoring 1 goal and 1 assist in 3 ECHL games with a +1 rating.

The 5’10” 183 lbs. blue liner did 1 USHL junior season after coming across from 6 SHL games and 3 Hockeyettan.

He will return on a 1-year deal with IK Oskarshamn of HockeyAllsvenskan for 2025/2026, as a rookie.

28Aug

Louie Caporusso (23)

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11th year center Louie Caporusso(23) signed for a 2nd season with Cincinnati Cyclones after lighting it up for 22 goals and 44 assists in 67 ECHL games last season.

The 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward has 7 times had 10+ goals, 3 times 20+ assists and once had 30 assists in his 3rd DEL campaign.

He also had three 20+ goals and twice 20+ assists at University Of Michigan Wolverines.

Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 3rd round pick in 2007 (#90 overall), he was in their system for a couple of sessions, but left unqualified and signed the next year with Reading Royals.

He would last only 24 games before leaving for his 1st of 6 frames in Germany’s top hockey.

At 33-years old, the Toronto, ON native is likely just still having fun.

After 3 seasons of point-per-game scoring with Cincinnati Cyclones, he decides looking back on some 265 ECHL games and 216 in DEL Germany is quite enough and will at now 36-years old ease into a special team coaching role with his former, still current team.

26Aug

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.