Category: Europe

10Dec

Chris Brown (11)

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11th year center Chris Brown(11) takes 4 seasons with Nurnberg Tigers and trades it in to return to Iserlohn Roosters, the team he started with overseas, for 2022/2023.

The 6’3″ 214 lbs. forward was originally a Phoenix Coyotes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#36 overall) and was in their system for only about a year and a half before being traded to Washington Capitals. , where he arguably had his best success, but still only played 23 NHL games with 2 goals, 1 assist and a +1 rating.

He’s a 3-time 10+ goal scorer and 20+ assist guy in DEL.

The 31-year old former 3-year University Of Michigan Wolverines from Flower Mound, TX keeps on ticking very nicely.

For 2023/2024, he will start a new adventure at now 32-years old and head to Slovak Extraliga to suit up for HC Slovan Bratislava.

He scores kind of big in Austria with 14 goals in 24 games and decides to head back to Germany and signs with Schwenninger Wild Wings.

After 7 seasons in the same league, he looks to switch things up a bit and signs with Fehervar AV19 of IceHL and comes away with 21 goals and 12 assists in 48 games.

For 2025/2026, he late was going to retire, but decides to come play hockey a little closer to home and agrees to terms with Tahoe Knight Monsters of the ECHL.

09Dec

Davis Bunz (7)

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Undrafted defenseman Davis Bunz(7) takes 4+ years at Providence College Friars to a 1st pro contract with Wheeling Nailers for the 2022/2023 season.

The 6’1″ 181 lbs. blue liner has never been much of a scorer, but did leave a USHL frame for Central Illinois Flying Aces to head to school mid-campaign.

A Middleton, WI native, his senior year was way off the hook with 23 goals in 24 games.

The 23-year old should have a really good rookie run.

3 goals and 20 assists in a 1st ECHL frame was impressive enough to want to keep him in West Virginia another season.

He’ll have to work on his +/- some.

Accomplishing exactly what he needed to, he walks away from 2023/2024 with a league high 10 goals and 21 assists with a new accountable +20 rating in 2nd 58 games, then adds another 5 points in the playoffs.

For his new move, he skates overseas, accepting a 1-year EIHL deal with Nottingham Panthers for 2024/2025.

He comes home for 2025/2026 and signs with Orlando Solar Bears, but after 13 games with no points gets traded to Reading Royals.

09Dec

Anton Rubtsov (11)

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University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks‘ Russian-born, graduate left wing Anton Rubtsov(11) had a college best 8 goals and 20 assists in 30 games with a +6 rating as a junior.

He skated only 13 games last season, grabbing 3 goals and 1 assist.

The 5’11” 181 lbs. forward did most of 2 seasons in the NAHL, but also previous to it played most of 2 frames in Switzerland’s tier 3 league, Hockeyettan.

He signs a 1st pro contract with Danbury Hat Tricks and in 10 games has a nice 2 goals and 9 assists.

27Nov

JC Campagna (93)

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Undrafted 6th year, left wing J.C. Campagna(93) comes off a season, where he skated only 4 ECHL games for Florida Everblades and Wichita Thunder, but mostly took 2020/2021 off.

He has played 171 games in the league, scoring 65 goals and 58 assists.

The 6’4″ 205 lbs. power forward played in three junior leagues (OJHL, OHL and QMJHL) before turning his sights on St. Thomas University Tommies for two years, then University Of Prince Edward Island Panthers for one before turning pro with Adirondack Thunder, potting 6 goals and 4 assists in 16 games.

Nothing strange about that, except the former Ohio Blue Jackets 16U AAA is a Dallas, TX native.

The 28-year old signs with Toledo Walleye for 2021/2022 and we think that could be a super-charged good choice to pocket some career point totals.

He actually switched out his signing to Allen Americans more than midway through the frame, scoring 10 goals and 5 assists in 21 games to agreeing to a new contract for 2022/2023 with Tulsa Oilers, which should be an awesome resting space for him.

Not exactly sure what happened in Oklahoma, but it wasn’t necessarily bad stats, yet he decides to switch things up big and leaves for HC Presov of Slovak Extraliga and already has 4 goals and 1 assist in 4 games, so must be liking it alright.

He actually scores 6 goals and 6 assists in 17 games, but maybe his -10 wasn’t all that great, so left for DEL2, signing with EHC Freiburg, maybe taking it up a little in the playoffs.

For 2023/2024 though, he decides to return and signs with Utah Grizzlies.

He played in only 12 games, getting 1 goal and 4 assists.

It’s taken maybe a little bit to decide where to head next and will once again head across the pond and signs in Slovakia2 with MHK Humenne.

He was limited to only 4 games, but hammered home 2 goals.

For 2025/2026, he returns to shores and signs with Worcester Railers, who will welcome his size into their lineup.

After being let go before skating for his new team, Grizzlies steps back in to give him a contract.

22Nov

Austin Mourar (18)

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Hobart College Statesmen graduate defenseman Austin Mourar(18) leaves college hockey winning a 3rd NCAA D3 college hockey championship, while recording a best +33 rating.

He had his best scoring year as a sophomore with 10 goals and 13 points, but did record a very close 9-12 last season.

The 6’2″ 216 lbs. blue liner heads to France2 for his 1st pro hockey and signs with Courchevel-Meribel-Pralognan Bouquetins, as a rookie 2025/2026.

From Spring City, PA, the 26-year old has 2 goals and 3 assists in 9 games, which we think is worth a look up.

20Nov

Bo Hanson (3)

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Northern Michigan University Wildcats‘ graduate defenseman Bo Hanson(3) is set to turn pro and signs a 1-year 2022/2023 ECHL deal to skate for Jacksonville Icemen.

He played 9 games on an ato for Wheeling Nailers after graduating last season, scoring 2 assists with a +3 rating.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. blue liner has hit 10+ assists three times, twice while at St. Lawrence University Saints.

He also did his senior year on the interim at University Of Denver Pioneers.

The 24-year old from Boise, ID will likely have a fantastic rookie season.

After a decent enough 1st year playing pro hockey, he’s off and gone to Metal Ligaen, signing up with Aalborg Pirates to play Danish-style in 2023/2024.

He has an outstanding season in Denmark, scoring 7 goals and 20 assists in 45 games with a +26 rating, then adds another 5 assists in 14 playoff matchups.

For 2024/2025, it looks like he wants to go with a championship, as he signs with Belfast Giants of the EIHL.

After 51 games, he scores 2 goals and 28 assists with a +35 rating and goes on to help the team win the 2025 Championship, so he is an easy ask to return to be a Giants for 2025/2026.

20Nov

Michael Garteig (34)

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8th year goaltender Michael Garteig(34) signs on for a 2nd DEL season with ERC Ingolstadt after appearing in 42 games, posting a 25-15 record with a 2.22 GAA and .914 SV%.

A bit oddly, it’s the 1st time he has signed twice with a team.

The undrafted 6’1″ 190 lbs. net minder originally signed a 1-year NHL entry level deal with Vancouver Canucks after an outstanding 4-year run at Quinnipiac University Bobcats.

For his 3rd season he signed an ECHL contract to tend net for Newfoundland Growlers, a team on the other end of Canada from where he was born, Prince George, BC.

With a 23-14-6 record in the regular frame, then 16-6-1 in the playoffs, he backstopped the team to the 2019 Kelly Cup Championship.

He left a storybook career at BCHL juniors with awards in his name, so it’s almost mystical to see the 31-year old settle down for a 1st time.

After spending a 4th season with the same club, he moves on to rivals, Augsburger Panther in 2025/2026.

19Nov

Tanner Main (28)

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Bentley University Falcons‘ senior defenseman, assistant captain Tanner Main(28) signs a 1st pro contract for his rookie season in France2 with Strasbourg.

The 5’11” 175 lbs. blue liner had a college best 2 goals and 7 assists in his last frame.

From Welland, ON, the 25-year old already has 1 goal and 7 assists in 5 games with a +5 rating, making us think he gets looked at for a higher level contract.