Category: Europe

25Jul

Domenic Alberga (88)

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10th year center Domenic Alberga(88) leaves his team of the last 5 seasons, HC Bolzano to sign with Dundee Stars of the EIHL for 2024/2025.

The 6’2″ 209 lbs. forward maybe didn’t have the year he was used to and wants to switch things up.

He played 4 ECHL sessions to start his pro career, 3 with Norfolk Admirals and was loaned up in his final frame that maybe had him looking for more and headed overseas.

From Maple, ON, he played 4 OHL junior campaigns before heading to Ryerson University Rams for 2.

The 31-year old keeps it going.

25Jul

Carson Briere (6)

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Mercyhurst University Lakers‘ junior center Carson Briere(6) leaves a year on the table to turn pro, signing a 1-year deal with HC 19 Humenne of Slovak Extraliga.

He twice had 14 assists and as a sophomore scored 13 goals for 27 points in 31 games.

The 5’9″ 165 lbs. forward blew up the score sheet in his 2nd NAHL session for Johnstown Tomahawks, scoring 44 goals and 45 assists in 59 games.

From Haddonfield, NJ, the 25-year old son of NHL great Daniel Briere, should do well in this tough to play overseas league.

He’s already switching teams overseas before he gets started, which isn’t quite surprising considering and now will skate for Neuilley-sur-Marne Les Bisons of France2 in 2023/2024.

As we thought, he has a very good frame, scoring 14 goals and 19 assists in 25 games and will next head to AlpsHL, signing with KHL Sisak for 2024/2025.

25Jul

Nicholas Domitrovic (8)

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Elmira College Soaring Eagles‘ senior left wing Nicholas Domitrovic(8) signs for 2024/2o25 in France2 with Les Ours-de-Villard.

The 5’10” 181 lbs. forward scored a college best 18 goals and 20 assists in 28 games with a +25 rating last season.

From Ottawa, ON, he did 3 CCHL seasons before committing to college.

We do think the 24-year old will do well with the 2023/2024 league champs next season.

23Jul

Jack Drury (72)

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Carolina Hurricanes‘ rookie center Jack Drury(72) scores a first recall for his debut and pots a first NHL goal in the process to help the win.

Who had those odds?

The 5’11” 174 lbs. forward skated 23 shifts for 16:05 of ice time with 4 shots, 2 hits, 2 blocks and 2 penalty minutes, leaving the contest with +1 rating.

He’ll easily always where his former school, Harvard University Crimson on his sleeve.

As a rookie, playing in the AHL for affiliate Chicago Wolves, he wins himself a 2022 Calder Cup Championship with very good numbers.

He would split duties for just 1 more frame before becoming full-time in the show, where 8 goals and 19 assists in 74 games with a +4 rating, then adding another 5 points in 11 playoff matchups with a +7.

The restricted free agent picks himself up a nice 2-year deal to stay in a Hurricanes‘ sweater, moving forward through at least 2025/2026.

23Jul

Tomi Leppanen (5)

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American International College Yellowjackets‘ Finnish-born freshman defenseman Tomi Leppanen(5) wins himself a 2022 USHL Clark Cup Championship in his 1st junior season with Sioux City Musketeers.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. blue liner doesn’t stick though, as he signs for 2024/2025 with IPK of the tier 2 Mestis.

He had 3 goals and 6 assists in 40 games with a +8 rating.

The 21-year old will no doubt be happier and should do well in this league back home.

21Jul

Daniel Ciampini (71)

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7th year left wing Daniel Ciampini(71) started the season in Czech Extraliga, but failed to connect and split after 8 games with only a single goal and heads to IceHL, joining HC Bolzano for the remainder of 2021/2022.

In 7 games, he has 3 goals and 2 assists.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward has played 116 AHL games for 4 different clubs, scoring 13 goals and 18 assists with a +8 rating.

In the ECHL, he’s almost a point-per-game playing with 46 goals and 87 assists in 142 games.

The former Union College, 2014 NCAA Division 1 Champion, was a great scorer, especially as a junior and senior before turning pro with Worcester Sharks.

At 31-years old, he’s likely still just happy to be playing hockey at a high level.

After a decent little frame in Austria, he leaves to sign with Sheffield Steelers, which proves to be great landing ground, as he stays for 3 seasons, signing on 2024/2025, winning the 2024 EIHL Championships and walking away with a career high 34 assists last frame.

20Jul

Todd Burgess (48)

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Rookie center Todd Burgess(48) signs his first pro contract with Manitoba Moose for 2021/2022.

The big 6’2″ 195 lbs. power forward will likely step right into his game when he gets to the AHL.

He graduated from Minnesota State University (Mankato) Mavericks after doing 4 years at RPI Engineers, connecting for 27 goals and 35 assists in 127 NCAA Division 1 games.

That was nothing compared to what the 25-year old, Phoenix, AZ native did in his last season of juniors for Fairbanks Ice Dogs, wracking up 95 points (38-57) in 60 NAHL games with a +25 ratings, then added another 5 goals and 9 assists in 12 playoff contests.

This output got him on the radar of Ottawa Senators, who drafted him in the 4th round of 2016 (#103 overall) but failed to get him under contract.

We think this could just be the start.

He maybe rounded out last season with some games down with Newfoundland Growlers, where he was very close to being a point-per-game player, but did also nab 7 goals and 6 assists as a rookie.

The big man stays in the league, but moves to a divisional foe for 2022/2023, Milwaukee Admirals.

Mostly reassigned to play with the not so good ECHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals, he still busts out some numbers scoring.

He next looks at something a bit different to skate and signs in Slovak Extraliga with HK Spisska Nova Ves and ran up the scoresheet big with 19 goals and 18 assists in 45 games with a +13 rating.

Not sure why is not continuing, unless he eyes something better by heading to HockeyAllsvenskan for 2024/2025, agreeing to terms with Mora IK and we suspect he will do exceedingly well again.

19Jul

Jordan Murray (8)

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8th year defenseman Jordan Murray(8) signs on for his 4th year, 3rd DEL team, Schwenninger Wild Wings, 2024/2025.

He’s shown stronger numbers earlier in his career, but could still be worth something as a 31-year old pro.

The 6′ 194 lbs. blue liner did 3 seasons with Belleville Senators, signing with the team after finishing up 4 years at University Of New Brunswick Reds.

This followed 3 QMJHL junior frames.

Undrafted from Riverview, NB, he is likely happy to be still playing.

18Jul

Cooper Zech (68)

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4th year defenseman Cooper Zech(68) gets a little bit of a new lease on hockey life with a trade that sends him from a very decent season with Lehigh Valley Phantoms, scoring a goal and 10 assists with a +3 rating and their parent club Philadelphia Flyers in an early season dish to Chicago Blackhawks, where he’s expected to report to Rockford Icehogs.

The 5’9″ 161 lbs. blue liner only spent 1 year at Ferris State University Bulldogs before turning pro on a 2-year entry level deal with Boston Bruins.

He put up a huge amount of assists in his one BCHL junior campaign for Wenatchee Wild, amassing 58 assists in 58 games.

The 23-year old from South Lyon, MI, who had a successful little swing on loan to Slovakia with HK Nitra during the pandemic, will likely always have to prove himself.

At the trade deadline, he finds himself moved as a pawn in the deal that sends Patrick Kane to New York Rangers.

He may was a bit under-utilized in suburban Chicago, but should get more efforts with Hartford Wolf Pack, if not reassigned further done for a bit.

Reassigned down to Indy Fuel, he played only 1 game with the team.

For 2023/2024, he returns for a full session, signing a 1-year deal with HC Kosice of Slovak Extraliga.

He does well here, scoring 3 goals and 15 assists in 32 games with a +13 rating in a very tough league, but has maybe been wooed to join the EIHL and signs with Nottingham Panthers for 2024/2025.

18Jul

C.J. Smith (49)

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JYP left wing C.J. Smith(49) quickly signs up for a 1-year extension after 1 goal and 4 assists through 5 games looks like a lock for him to score goals in Liiga after starting the season late with the team.

After 3 years at UMASS-Lowell Riverhawks, the 5’11” 183 lbs. forward signed an NHL entry level deal as an unrestricted free agent with Buffalo Sabres and stayed in their system for 4 years.

The 29-year old from Des Moines, IA is said to be coming back from surgery due to an injury, so this is a nice landing spot for him to re-stake his game.

He comes away with 8 goals and 12 assists in 33 games, which gains interest from Barys Astana of the KHL for 2024/2025.