Category: Europe

Rookie left wing Austin Albrecht(27) did make a quick appearance last year for 1 ECHL game with Wichita Thunder, but everything was pretty much up in the air, especially for newer players in 2020/2021.

For 2021/2022, he branches out entirely, heading to Germany3 on a try-out that easily turned into a 1-year deal with Hochstadter EC, where he’s connected for 3 goals and 6 assists in just 6 games.

The 6′ 196 lbs. forward committed to his first school UMass Minutemen after a 2nd season of point-per-game production numbers for Wichita Wildcats of the NAHL.

He would then be drafted to the USHL by Sioux Falls Stampede and he maybe didn’t have the year he did previous but 10 goals and 35 assists in 57 games was definitely ok.

The Flemington, NJ native had a decent rookie run in Western Mass, but decided he would continue school down the road at American International College Yellow Jackets, where he did slightly better in Atlantic Hockey play.

It would be interesting to see where the 25-year old is able to land next, if he continues to put up big numbers in Germany’s tier 3 pro league.

After 8 games, he is wooed to join Manchester Storm of the EIHL and accepts.

He would return and work his way up from the SPHL to loans up to Maine Mariners, where he connected and was re-signed for a full campaign.

Doing well with a career best 16 assists and 21 points, he finds himself dealt to Tulsa Oilers.

He wouldn’t come away with any points in 7 games, but spies an opportunity and no stranger to hockey overseas, heads off to Australia for part of the summer to play in the AIHL for Melbourne Ice, where he should see his numbers climb.

Blowing up scoring to the tune of 26 goals and 42 assists in 21 games through his 2nd frame over there, he returns to the Oilers for 2025/2026.

Maybe in a somewhat oddball move, he actually agrees with Monroe Mocassins of the FPHL for next frame.

American International College 2021/2022 commit, defenseman Alex Tertyshny(59) will challenge for a roster spot when he arrives for training camp.

A former assistant captain with Northeast Generals, he managed to score new career highs 6 goals and 25 assists in 57 NAHL games with a modest +1 rating on a non-playoff club.

The 6′ 170 lbs. d-man did a pair of years in junior hockey over in Russia’s MHL with Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk and did alright with points but was a nice +13.

He only left near the onset of his 2nd season back at his 2nd home before coming over to skate for Corpus Christi Icerays but that experiment went south, so he got himself a trade and once in MA, things started improving big.

Only figuring into 1 game as a freshman, he ups and leaves for Stonehill College Skyhawks.

While he gets into 30 games, he scores 4 assists with tough +/- on a team that didn’t win much.

He would only get into 9 games as a junior, but decides to leave 1 year of school on the table to accept a contract back in Russia VHL with Chelmet Chelyabinsk for 2025/2026.

 

–Do you feel healthy to get started in a few months?
Yes, although I’ve been home, I’ve been working very hard on my body and my game. I know these next two years are very crucial for me and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity David and Darrel Borges have given. Currently just putting myself in the best position to deliver for them and their program.

The 21-year old will definitely look to continue to shine and is the next subject of our video feature: one question interview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9c7wGmYpqk

7th year defenseman Ian McCoshen(3) is off trying something new this season, playing on a 1-year deal in Finland’s top league, Liiga for Assat.

In 23 games, the 6’3″ 215 lbs. blue liner has 3 goals and 11 assists with a +4 rating.

He was always decent with scoring in the AHL, where he played some 242 games, but was a more accountable +15 rating.

The oddball Anaheim, CA native also has 60 games NHL experience, all with draft club Florida Panthers, round 2, 2013 (#31 overall).

A former 3-year Boston College Eagles, he left a year on the table, to sign his entry level deal.

At just 27-years old, he’s likely just getting started over there.

He takes a very decent frame in Finnish hockey to another stop overseas and skate Czechia Tipsport Extraliga with Bili Tygri Liberec doing well enough to be wanted back for another season and he’s still not yet 30.

Just like that he gets a better deal from a KHL club to play with Kunlun Redstar for 2024/2025 instead.

He takes some ok scoring, but a terrible +/- to a new contract for 2025/2026 with rivals, Barys Astana.

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.

9th year right wing Rocco Grimaldi(28) was unable to chase down an NHL deal for 2022/2023, so has decided to sign a 1-year AHL deal with San Diego Gulls to keep his game going.

The small 5’6″ 160 lbs. forward surpasses the 300 games played mark in the league this season and is already on top of scoring with 6 goals and 11 assists in 15 games.

He once scored 30+ goals, once 20+ and 3 times 10+ and also struck for 10 goals in 2 seasons in the upper league and also had 21 assists in his best showing for Nashville Predators, where he spent 4 campaigns.

The 29-year old, 3-year University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks may not be done, but we’re a little surprised the Anaheim, CA native hasn’t left for some overseas action in say Sweden, instead of playing kind of close to home.

After putting up point-per-game numbers for his current out of playoff contention team, he gets a trade to Rockford Icehogs, who are in a battle for the last spot in their division.

For his 10th season 2023/2024, he signs a 1-year contract with Chicago Wolves, which should be a lot of fun for him.

Despite running up point-per-game numbers with 73 of them, he signs only a pto with Cleveland Monsters for 2024/2025.

Well, after 6 goals and 17 assists in 15 games, as the team leading scorer, they grace the 31-year old with a 1-year contract.

In 66 games, he records a career high 41 assists, but will take his game elsewhere for a 1st time in his pro career, signing a 1-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg for 2025/2026.

Colgate University Raiders‘ graduate, captain defenseman Reid Irwin(43) scored a new college best 6 goals and 17 points in 32 games last season, which he took to a 1st pro contract with Wichita Thunder and scored a 1st ECHL goal and assist in 9 games.

The 6’1″ 198 lbs. blue liner decides to sign with Belfast Giants of the EIHL for his official rookie year, 2025/2026.

From Victoria, BC, the 25-year old transferred from 2-years at University Of Denver Pioneers.

He did 3 years of junior hockey.

Alvernia University Golden Wolves‘ senior defenseman Logan vande Meerakker(46) takes a college best 14 goals and 19 assists in 27 games with a +24 rating to a contract for his rookie season, 2024/2025 with Evansville Thunderbolts.

He joined them upon graduation and didn’t register a point in 3 SPHL games, but then popped for 2 goals and 1 assists in 5 playoff matchups with a +1 rating.

The 6′ 209 lbs. solid blue liner from Dieppe, NB should do well in a full frame and it’s possible the 24-year old gets loaned up.

After an outstanding frame, scoring 18 goals and 19 assists in 54 games with a +4 rating, then another 7 points (4-3) in 7 playoff matchups, he will take these numbers over to the NIHL and signs with Swindon Wildcats for 2025/2026.

7th year defenseman Sam Jardine(21) leaves for overseas hockey a 2nd time, this time signing with Bratislava Capitals of IceHL for 2021/2022.

Originally a 6th round pick by Chicago Blackhawks in 2011 (#169 overall), he initially signed a one-year minor league deal with affiliate Rockford IceHogs to stay in the system but was sent further down for most of his rookie campaign.

The almost deceptively built 6’2″ 209 lbs. d-man has played 228 ECHL games and won a pair of Kelly Cups: 2017 and most notably 2019 in a great run with Newfoundland Growlers.

He’s also had 4 AHL contracts and played 71 games.

The Lacombe, AB native spent 2019/2020 overseas with Cardiff Devils of the EIHL, not scoring a load of points (15) but was a nice +24 rating for on-ice accountability.

He decided to spend 2020/2021 a little closer to home after confirming a return to England, and, inked with Greenville Swamp Rabbits, where he exploded for a personal best 41 assists and 44 points in 67 games.

The 29-year old, former 3-year, 10+ assist man at Ohio State University Buckeyes will likely do well in Austria’s 6 nation league.

As said, he excelled pretty well with a pair of goals and 4 assists in 14 games with a +2 rating to gain a look from HIFK of Liiga, so will head to Finland.

For 2022/2023, he went to skate in England’s top league for another spell with Cardiff Devils and although he may have not scored a ton of points, was an accountable +7.

He decides to return to the states for 2023/2024 and will come back to the Swamp Rabbits, where he recorded his greatest assist total.

Spending a bit more time on loan to Calgary Wranglers, he finishes up the year and has decided to return to Austria to sign with Fehervar AV19 for 2024/2025.

He actually has a change of attitude and signs in the Senior AAA Alberta league with Lacombe Generals, probably to just play some hockey somewhere to keep in shape.

For 2025/2026, he’s making a big return and signs with Idaho Steelheads.

Reading Royals 2nd year captain, defenseman Garrett McFadden has decided to take his game to SlovakExtraliga for 2023/2024, signing a 1-year deal with HK Poprad.

He had 6 goals and 35 assists in 71 ECHL games with a +13 rating last season.

The 5’11’ 181 lbs. blue liner skated 5 years in the OHL, 2 as captain of Guelph Storm and even signed an ato with Laval Rocket, grabbing an AHL assist.

He would next head off to a degree program at Acadia University Axemen, where he stayed for the next 4 years.

With 1 goal and 18 assists, he decides to leave for Czech Extraliga, joining HC Energie Karlovy Vary.

He would go to IceHL last season, but he maybe would do quite as well as he wanted and will head to a team, where he will likely be very useful, Belfast Giants for 2025/2026.

Ohio State University Buckeyes‘ Russian-born, freshman left wing Georgii Merkulov(10) leads NCAA Division 1 players in goal scoring with 18.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward spent all of his youth hockey in his homeland and played junior hockey in the MHL for a couple seasons, including 6 VHL games for HK Tambov before leaving during the 2019/2020 session to start his American.

He joined Youngstown Phantoms and was a bit of an instant success with 6 goals and 27 assists in 36 USHL games.

The 21-year old played one more successful campaign of juniors before committing to school.

Undrafted, he will easily be a player to watch.

Boston Bruins waste no time and scoop him from one successful year at college hockey to a 3-year NHL entry level deal starting next season.

He scores a meager 24 goals and 31 assists with Providence Bruins and is back up in rookies training camp to begin the 2nd year of his entry level deal for 2023/2024 and by the looks of it is ready to compete for a spot on the big club.

After a 3rd season of 30+ assists, with a new high 39 last season, he gets a new 1-year deal to stay a Bruins and keep building.

He’s still our pick to make the big club on a more permanent basis.