Category: Europe

27Mar

Scott Pooley (12)

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5th year center Scott Pooley(12) trades in a 1st good season overseas for Lukko, scoring 18 goals and 16 assists in 55 Liiga games for a new experience with HockeyAllsvenskan, signing for 2022/2023 to IF Bjorkloven.

The 6’2″ 201 lbs. forward has signed 3 times with Toronto Marlies and played 63 AHL games, while being reassigned down to the ECHL Newfoundland Growlers, where he was a point-per-game player and helped them win the 2019 Kellly Cup.

He had 34 points in 36 NCAA Division 1 games as a senior at Holy Cross College Crusaders and 20+ points each previous frame.

The 28-year old from Granger, IN was never much of a point getter in 2 years of junior, one north in the AJHL, but definitely figured out how to connect at the higher levels.

He would spend 2 years scoring for his tier 2 Swedish hockey team and decides to trade it in for a contract with rivals AIK for 2024/2025.

After another very successful season with the most league points, 59, he signs on for another 2 seasons to stay AIK through 2027/2028 and we’d say is pretty happy.

27Mar

Noah Kane (92)

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Long Island University Sharks‘ junior center Noah Kane(92) decides he wants a switch it up after 2 years at Mercyhurst University Lakers and commits to the new school for 2022/2023.

The 5’11” 181 lbs. forward played a season high 26 games, scoring new college bests 5 goals and 9 assists for 14 points.

He spent 3 years in juniors, but really came alive when he joined Maine Nordiques before agreeing to school.

As the first team captain ever, he would produce 20 goals and 44 assists in 54 NAHL games.

The 22-year old will likely continue to take his scoring up.

And he did, collecting a 2nd round of 8 goals per frame, but his assists popped to a by-a-mile best 22.

He graduates and signs a 1st pro contract with Cincinnati Cyclones.

In 16 ECHL games, the Buffalo, NY native comes away with 2 goals and 4 assists on a non-playoff team.

For 2024/2025, he steps out to sign with JoKP of Mestis.

He is doing ok overseas with 7 goals and 11 assists in 28 games, but maybe misses home and will return to Cincinnati.

In 12 games, he records only 1 assist and is traded to a team that wants him, Allen Americans, who give up a player to obtain him.

He plays 19 game with his new team, scoring 2 goals and 8 assists, but signs with Bloomington Bison, who trade him to Kalamazoo Wings after just 1 skate.

Not skating much, he sees an opportunity with Lindau Islanders of Germany3 and explodes scoring for 11 goals and 21 assists in 30 games with a +7 rating, then adds another 5 points in the playoffs.

His play earns him a new contract for 2026/2027.

24Mar

Patrick Newell (14)

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Undrafted 3rd year right wing Patrick Newell(14) will next take his game to Stjernen Hockey of Fjordkraftligaen for 2021/2022, and we think will find some excellent results, as his 2-year entry level deal with New York Rangers doesn’t net a qualifying offer.

The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward was signed upon completing 4 years at St. Cloud State University Huskies, pocketing 21 goals and 26 assists for 47 points in 39 NCHC games with a highly impressive +35 rating and a Hobey Baker Finalist nod.

From Thousand Oaks, CA he quickly moved to play a split frame of juniors, both successful, with Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the NAHL and USHL‘s Indiana Ice, where he stayed to play a follow-up frame.

He would help them win the 2014 Clark Cup Championship, scoring 13 goals and 30 assists in regular season, then another 4 and 3 in 12 playoff contests to the title.

Next he would move up to a year with Penticton Vees before committing to college and yup, his 16 goals and 31 assists in the natural frame, then 3 tallies and 11 helpers in 22 playoff games led to a 2015 BCHL Championship.

The 25-year old small spark should light up Norway hockey.

Exactly what we thought would happen, happened, as he struck for 21 goals and 30 assists with a +15 rating in 42 games, then added another 8 points in 12 playoff contests.

This performance got him looking and he signs for 2022/2023 with Fehervar AV19 of IceHL, and no doubt he will be more challenged in this top Austrian league.

He actually leaves after 17 games with decent scoring for HockeyAllsvenskan, signing for the rest of the frame with Sodertalje SK and does ok with 15 points in 30 games.

Something has changed his mind though and he is returning for 2023/2024 on a 1-year ECHL deal with Orlando Solar Bears.

Through 18 games, he has 4 goals and 10 assists, which is maybe a little easy pickins’, so decides to head to Slovakia Extraliga joining HK Nitra and has 1 goal in 2 games.

He does quite well here, scoring 3 goals and 7 assists in 16 games with a +9 rating, then adds another 9 points in 21 playoff games with a +6 to win the 2024 Slovakian Extraliga Championship. , but has decided he’ll return to playing pro hockey closer to home, signing with Tahoe Knight Monsters for 2024/2025.

Through a career high 67 games, he scored a new best by a mile 10 goals and 28 assists with a +7 rating, then added more in the playoffs.

For 2025/2026, he heads off to sign with another new team to the league, Greensboro Gargoyles.

He would become assistant captain and in 46 games scored a tidy 8 goals and 21 assists, but Kalamazoo Wings look to add him to their roster.

23Mar

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.

20Mar

Caden Villegas (36)

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Union College Dutchmen senior right wing Caden Villegas(36) had a college best 22 assists in his final season.

The 5’8″ 174 lbs. forward from Plano, TX moved through the ranks of youth hockey before heading to juniors, where he moved up before college.

He signed a 1st pro deal with Adirondack Thunder and in 12 ECHL games, recorded 1 goal and 2 assists.

For his rookie run, he will need a contract.

He finally does come around to sign a 1-year deal to remain a Thunder for 2025/2026, but actually changes things up to become a free agent and signs for a 1st year with Maine Mariners instead.

Through 21 games with 1 goal and 5 assists, he leaves for Swindon Wildcats of the NIHL, maybe to prove something for his  game going for the next step forward.

Scoring does blow up for 15 goals and 23 assists in 20 games to re-sign and stay a Wildcats for 2026/2027.

20Mar

Declan Bronte (27)

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Franklin Pierce University Ravens‘ Australian-born, sophomore defenseman Declan Bronte(27) came over from just 2 games use at Salem State University Vikings, as a freshman.

He played only 11 games in 2023/2024, scoring 1 assist.

The 5’10” 160 lbs. blue liner did 2 EHL years with Connecticut Chiefs, and even left to head back home to play some pro hockey in the AIHL with CBR Brave, scoring quite nicely.

He looks to be doing that each season now, which is a great idea.

The 22-year old from Melbourne is a good hockey story.

He actually finished up with 2 years at Fitchburg State University Falcons, scoring best as a senior with 3 goals and 5 assists in a high 26 games and turns pro as tournament play wraps up, signing with Danbury Hat Tricks.

18Mar

TJ Trevelyan (24)

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Augsburger Panther‘ left wing TJ Trevelyan(24) signs on for what must be a record for one player, 15th season with the club.

He has 8 seasons of 10+ goals and 8 of 10+ assists and 7 worth 20+ points.

The 5’9″ 172 lbs. forward did 5 years of the AHL, scoring pretty big after graduating St. Lawrence University Skating Saints.

From Mississauga, ON, the 41-year old doesn’t want to quit.

But after a career low 20 games played for 4 goals and 3 assists, he ticks another year and decides it’s time.

In all likelihood, he should stay with the club he has mostly been with.

08Mar

Brendan Walkom (96)

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Bentley University Falcons‘ graduate left wing Brendan Walkom(96) maybe a little conservatively signs for 2022/2023 with Bees IHC of England’s tier 2 league NIHL.

The 6′ 190 lbs. forward scored pretty well in his 1st NAHL junior season and equaled his 14 assists in his 2nd in the USHL for Madison Capitals, but didn’t maintain that in college, but still played a full hard battle game.

From Moon Township, PA, the 24-year old should find some great success in this league.

He had phenomenal success in this league, scoring 49 goals and 38 assists in 56 games and then headed to New Zealand’s NZIHL during the summer to help Skycity Stampede win the 2023 Championship.

Next he signs with ERSC Amberg and goes on scoring sprees each season to want to continue and will join the team for a 4th Germany4 season in 2026/2027.

06Mar

Odeen Tufto(26)

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After a four-year career at Quinnipiac University, finishing with a 2020/2021 season NCAA Division 1 best 39 assists, center Odeen Tufto(26) signs a 1-year entry level deal as an unrestricted free agent with Tampa Bay Lightning and will report to affiliate Syracuse Crunch to see if he can add to that helpers stat.

The small 5’7″ 175 lbs. forward has always connected with the scoresheet in college play, 3 times with 30+ assists and 40+ points.

A Minnesota-native he spent a year in the BCHL before heading back “home” to join the USHL and skated with three different club s in a campaign before heading off to school.

He’s small but we have a feeling he will find his space to grab numbers.

Mostly shipped as a rookie to ECHL affiliate Orlando Solar Bears, where he was close to point-per-game player.

In 2022/2023, he was signed by Tuscon Roadrunners, but played 13 games with Atlanta Gladiators before heading to DEL2, signing with Krefeld Pinguin, getting 15 points in 12 games, then 11 in 12 through the playoffs.

He’ll return in 2023/2024, agreeing to terms with Iowa Heartlanders.

Through 29 games, he managed 3 goals and 19 assists, but isn’t great with his plus/minus and maybe gets a little bored, looking elsewhere and signs with EHC Olten of the tier 2 Swiss League, SL.

He will return for 2024/2025 after a successful little run through Switzerland’s hockey and signs with Fort Wayne Komets.

A point-per-game player again during regular season, he returns for 2025/2026 and scores 3 goals and 2 assists in 5 games, but decides to head back to DEL2 and signs with Ravensburg Towerstars.

With 8 goals and 17 assists in 25 games, including a nice +12 rating, he is asked to return for 2026/2027 as a Towerstars.

04Mar

Derek Grant (27)

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After spending the last 6 of his 7 NHL days in an Anaheim Ducks‘ uniform, 13th year right wing Derek Grant(27) will take his game overseas for a 1st time, signing a 1-year deal with ZSC Lions of NL, which should be a lot of fun for the 33-year old.

The 6’3″ 209 lbs. forward tower has 3 times had 10+ goals and twice 10+ assists in a frame.

From Abbotsford, BC, he played 2 BCHL seasons before committing to Michigan State University Spartans, where he stayed for 2 years before turning pro.

Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 4th round pick in 2008 (#119 overall), he spent the 1st 4 years of his career in their system.

He takes 427 games in the big league and 320 in the AHL over to his new venture, which should keep him smiling out there.

The 35-year old is scoring very well and signs on for a 4th season to continue a Lions for 2026/2027.