Category: Europe

American International College Yellowjackets‘ graduate center, assistant captain Chris Dodero(26) heads off for his 1st pro contract in IceHL with HK Olympija Ljubljana for 2022/2023.

The 5’9″ 175 lbs. forward scored his college best last season, getting 13 goals and 16 assists in 36 NCAA Division 1 games.

He spent 5 campaigns in junior hockey, initially in the USHL, but switching to the BCHL for a year, then NAHL for the session before heading to school.

The 26-year old, West Chicago, IL native will definitely do well in Austria’s top league.

After a decent frame, scoring 10 goals and 20 assist in 39 games, he signs for 2023/2024 with a rival, Grazz99ers.

He maybe couldn’t get it started with 2 assists in 8 games and a woeful -8 rating, so pulls up the stakes and signs for the remainder of 2023/2024 with Starbulls Rosenheim of DEL2 for a new German start.

After some good seasons to start pro hockey away, he decides to return “home” and signs with Tahoe Knight Monsters for 2024/2025.

He gains 3 goals and 3 assists in 15 games, but gets dished to the struggling Cincinnati Cyclones, who need some scoring.

With an ECHL high 6 goals and 12 assists through 39 games with a +1 rating, he is once again dealt, this time heading to Idaho Steelheads for 2025/2026.

RIT Tigers‘ senior defenseman Ryan Nicholson(24) signed an ato with Savannah Ghost Pirates upon finishing school and scores 1 assist in 2 ECHL games to get his pro career started.

For his official rookie season, he will head to Finland’s tier 2 Mestis league and signs with RoKi for 2024/2025.

The 6’3″ 201 lbs. blue liner had a college high 9 assists last season.

From Mississauga, ON, he did 3 years of juniors close to home before college.

We think the 25-year old does well in this league.

He scores 1 goal and 7 assists in 47 games and will next take it to the EIHL and signs with Fife Flyers for 2025/2026.

Bentley University Falcons‘ graduate defenseman Nick Bochen(5) scored a college best 9 goals and 21 assists in 40 games with a +15 rating.

The 5’9″ 170 lbs. blue liner from North Vancouver, BC signs a 1st pro contract in tier 2 Hockeyallsvenskan with Vimmerby HC for his rookie year, 2025/2026.

He did 2 successful BCHL junior seasons before 1st heading to Quinnipiac University Bobcats for 2 seasons.

We look for the 24-year old to be successful in this league.

American International College Yellowjackets‘ Russian-born junior left wing Timofei Khokhlachev(22) heads home, signing with Lada Togliatti, but starts in the lower VHL with CSK VVS Samara for 2025/2026.

The 6’4″ 216 lbs. forward scored a college best 8 goals and 10 assists in 32 games with a +5 rating last season.

He came over fairly quickly for some school and 3 years of juniors before college..

The 23-year old should compete to move up to play with his older brother Alexander.

Dallas Stars re-signed 7th year center Tanner Kero(64) to a two-year two-way NHL contract through 2022/2023.

The former Michigan Tech captain put up some good numbers through his 4-year college career, but nothing like he did, when he was a senior captain and popped in 20 goals and 26 assists in 41 NCAA WCHA games.

He’s already a veteran of 111 total appearances with initial signing club Chicago Blackhawks and 39 games in 2020/2021 with current team, scoring 3 goals and 7 assists to earn his new deal.

The 28-year old has played 248 AHL games, and must be smiling but has worked hard to achieve all he has.

He spends the entire frame with affiliate, Texas Stars, but scores well through the playoffs.

Not re-signed to continue, he inks a minor league deal with Colorado Eagles.

For 2024/2025, he has likely made the best decision and agrees to terms with HV71 of the SHL, where we think he will find new life.

He throws up a decent frame in Sweden, but decides to head for Germany next and signs with Kolner Haie of DEL.

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.

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.

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.

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.