Category: Europe

25Aug

Seth Barton (27)

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Detroit Red Wings‘ 3rd round pick in the 2018 draft (#81 overall) defenseman Seth Barton(49) was signed to a 2-year entry level deal after completing his third season at UMass-Lowell Riverhawks in a very COVID cut short 2020/2021.

The very decently sized 6’3″ 185 lbs. blue liner from Kelowna, BC played a year in Canadian juniors for Trail Smoke Eaters of the BCHL putting up 27 assists in 49 games before reporting to college.

It looks as though the 21-year old reports first to affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins, but his play could gain him a look early from a team that has struggled in 2020/2021.

He skates most of his 2nd season in the system up, but gets reassigned late to Toledo Walleye, finishes the season strong with 8 points in 10 ECHL games, then adding another 13 points (1 goal, 12 assists) in 13 games in the playoffs.

With no qualifying offer to stay, he becomes an unrestricted free agent, signing a 1-year AHL deal with Hartford Wolf Pack for 2023/2024.

He starts the new season with Cincinnati Cyclones, but after just 1 game spies a new deal he is going after, a 1-year deal to sign with KooKoo and play his hockey in Liiga for the near future.

In 10 games, the big back liner scores his 1st Finnish goal and adds 5 assists with a +8 rating to earn a +1 next to his contract for 2024/2025.

After 1st full season, in 55 games scoring 6 goals and 13 assists with a +6 rating and next he will head to the SHL and signs with Malmo Redhawks for 2025/2026.

23Aug

John Stevens (16)

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5th year center John Stevens(16) has maybe started to find his footing with new team Abbottsford Canucks, scoring 3 goals and 3 assists in 22 AHL games.

He signed a one-year, two-way NHL deal with parent club, Vancouver Canucks after producing well for former affiliate Utica Comets in the weird 2020/2021 frame.

The 6’3″ 204 lbs. forward had his best season as a rookie with 19 points in 66 games for Bridgeport Sound Tigers, while under a 2-year entry level deal to New York Islanders.

He was a 3-time 20+ point player and once, as a junior 30+ for Northeastern University Huskies was maybe some of his highs, but we think the 27-year old is ready to start connecting at a higher clip.

We think the 27-year old scores an oddball recall in 2022 for his chance at the big league.

He may have not grabbed that recall, but he did run up a career best 19 goals and 24 assists with a +11 rating to secure a 2nd season under a major contract for the now 28-year old.

While he didn’t score a recall for his 6 goals and 13 assists in 43 games last season, he was still steady as she goes per usual on his playing style with a +5 rating to earn himself a 2-year minor league deal going forward.

After 4 seasons with Abbotsford Canucks and to win the 2025 Calder Cup, he is finally after 8 pro seasons heading off to try something new, signing in Liiga with Kiekko-Espoo for 2025/2026.

23Aug

Mark Cheremeta (24)

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Sacred Heart University Pioneers‘ Belarus-born, graduate left wing Mark Cheremeta(24) signs a 1st pro deal for 2024/2025 with ECHL team, Kalamazoo Wings.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward also played 3 years at Ohio State University Buckeyes and as a freshman with Boston University Terriers.

He came over as a teenager and elevated his game as a junior player to connect big in his only UPSHL/NCDC frame before school.

At 25-years old, he should do pretty well in the league.

In his rookie frame, he grabs a 1st goal and 2 assists in 14 games, but is dished to Orlando Solar Bears, where he should strike better for points.

He bounces around as a 1st year player and ultimately ends up with Worcester Railers, where he is able to strike for 3 goals and 1 assist in 9 games with a +3 rating.

For 2025/2026, he going to head home to Belarusian Extraliga and signs with Dinamo Molodechno.

22Aug

Tyce Thompson (29)

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New Jersey Devils‘ 4th round pick in the 2019 draft (#96 overall) right wing Tyce Thompson(29), selected after his first season at Providence College grabs the 5th fastest 1st NHL point in a debut in team history with an assist at 4:22.

The 6’1″ 178 lbs. forward was basically a point per game player in NCAA Hockey East, leaving a year behind to sign his two-year entry level deal.

His dad is Brent Thompson was a Los Angeles Kings‘ choice and has guided Bridgeport Sound Tigers for the last 8 years or so and brother Tage skates for Buffalo Sabres, so the 21-year old comes from lineage.

He opened his rookie season with new affiliate Utica Comets and was absolutely lighting it up, when he was recalled.

In a pair of games, he didn’t registered any more points, but was awkwardly hit and has to undergo shoulder surgery, so will miss the next couple months.

In 15 games, he has 5 assists and finds himself involved in a trade sending him to New York Islanders.

He has 3 goals and 11 assists through 51 games, but is a horrible -21 and he is wanted to return to continue to work for Bridgeport on that game.

Through 65 AHL games, he scores new best marks 8 goals and 13 assists that he will take to a new deal with Barys Astana of the KHL for 2025/2026.

21Aug

Matt Marcinew (8)

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5th year right wing Matt Marcinew(8) makes a decision he maybe should have made earlier in his career, heads off to Europe after a career year, scoring 23 goals and 25 assists in 57 ECHL games for Indy Fuel.

The 5’10” 190 lbs. forward signs with HPK of Liiga for 2021/2022.

While the former 4-year University Of Denver assistant captain as a senior consistently been a great scorer at the lower level (59-82-141 in 184 games with a +15 rating), but almost oddly has been given much opportunity in the AHL with only 1/2 season on the books.

Finland’s top hockey will be very competitive for the 27-year old that could excel his game and start a great career away from home in Calgary, AB.

He finds limited success in Finnish hockey, so decides to sign with Sodertalje SK, scoring 7 goals and 8 assists in 35 Allsvenskan games.

For 2022/2023, he returns to sign a 2-way deal with the brand new Calgary Wranglers.

After spending all of last season running up the scoresheet for Rapid City Rush to the tune of a career high 30 goals and 38 assists for 68 points in 64 ECHL games.

For 2023/2024, he signs with Allen Americans, where those scoring talents are once again very likely to flourish.

He scores 8 goals and 13 assists in 18 games to start the new session and might be looking for another step, so signs for the rest of the year with Krefeld Pinguine of DEL2.

In a full frame, he is essentially a point-per-game performer, but decides to look for another league to conquer and signs in the EIHL with Nottingham Panthers for 2025/2026.

18Aug

Wayne Simpson (21)

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wayne-simpson

Providence Bruins‘ undrafted 4th year right wing Wayne Simpson(21) is having himself a career year and that’s after only being with the team on a pto to start.

Signed to an spc one month in, he already has 7 goals and 11 assists with a +10 rating in 22 AHL games, which is only one tally off his season high set last year with Portland Pirates and may even eclipse the 28 helpers he dished in 2015/2016.

The 5’11” 194 lbs. forward was a solid performer on the stat sheet in his final three years at Union College grabbing 30+ points per campaign and a pair of NCAA/ECAC Championships in 2012 and 2013.

He started his pro career with two seasons for South Carolina Stingrays playing 131 ECHL games, scoring 22 goals as a rookie and a best 39 assists, 55 points as a sophomore skater and a +19 rating.

In an almost unprecedented move, when postseason rolled around he blew the lid off the score sheet grabbing a league high 25 assists, 38 points and +20 rating losing the 2015 Kelly Cup Championship in game 7.

At 27-years old a guy that’s had to continuously prove himself and earn every inch he’s got looks to just be getting started and may even play his way into a first big league contract for 2017/2018.

After a 6th season with ERC Ingolstadt of continued scoring and some 276 games in DEL, he decides at age 35, it’s time to adopt a new role.

17Aug

Matt Salhany (2)

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6th year right wing Matt Salhany(2) returns on a deal with Jacksonville Icemen for 2022/2023 after scoring big for Sonderjyske in 2 years (one shortened) and 41 games in Metal Ligaen.

He left after running up some good totals for Adirondack Thunder, scoring 25 goals and 26 assists in 62 ECHL games.

The 5’10” 179 lbs. forward has mostly come to life as a pro.

He only ever did 7 goals and 13 points in 34 games for University Of Alabama-Huntsville Chargers as a senior captain.

The 29-year old should find some really good scoring footing with his new club and recently competed in the debut 3Ice Hockey Tournament and came out winners on Team Trottier.

From Warwick, RI, he scores big in a 2nd frame for Aalborg Pirates, where he won the 2023 league championship in his 1st year with the team.

For 2024/2025, he heads to Ligue Magnus, signing with Spartiates de Marseille.

He basically a point-per-game player last season in France and for 2025/2026, he will return home, signing a 1-year deal with Adirondack Thunder.

17Aug

Gregor Jennersjo (2)

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South Shore Kings‘ 1st year Swedish-born defenseman Gregor Jennersjo(2) put up a mighty 39 assists last season in the USPHL/NCDC after a largely unsuccessful year scoring in another league.

The 6′ 187 lbs. blue liner commits to Gustavus Adolfus College Golden Gusties for 2025/2026.

He came over early to Canada for high school.

Almost oddly, he appeared in 1 Division3 game back home before juniors.

The 20-year old will do well at his school.

16Aug

Austin Albrecht (27)

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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.

16Aug

Alexander Tertyshny (59) with a Twitter interview 5/16-23

Posted in College Hockey Player, Europe, Juniors, Transfers, Videos | Leave a comment

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