Category: Europe

14Jun

Connor Jean (12)

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2022/2023 was certainly a busy 1st season for Connor Jean(12) coming off 11 games for Holy Cross College Crusaders, his 2nd stint with the college club, but decided to turn, signing a contract with Fort Wayne Komets.

After 5 ECHL games, that relationship went south and he switched to Indy Fuel, where he lasted 14 games, grabbing a 1st goal an an assist.

The 5’10” 183 lbs. forward then shifted down to sign with Evansville Thunderbolts and connected for 3 goals, including 2 in his debut and 2 assists in 5 SPHL games, but seems to be on the move again.

This time he’s really going away to agree with Perth Thunder for the summer league, AIHL in Australia, where the seasons are opposite.

The 26-year old from Oakland, MI will likely find his scoring footing nicely in the land down under and hopefully parlay that into something good for himself in 2023/2024.

He takes some insane numbers from Australian, 17 goals and 25 assists in just 19 games to a new deal for 2023/2024 with Kalix HC of HockeyEttan.

Through 34 games, he nets 12 goals and 17 assists, then another 7 points in 7 playoff games.

In what we see as a bit of an oddball move, unless he was somehow wooed, he signs with Les Remparts des Tours of France2 for 2024/2025 and should absolutely blow up scoring there.

He scores point-per-game numbers and even better in the playoffs, so he is easily wanted to return to des Tours for 2025/2026.

13Jun

Tyler Welsh (44)

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In his year of eligibility, right wing graduate student Tyler Welsh(44) chose to attend Long Island University Lakers after completing four years at Yale University Bulldogs with a drop season due to COVID.

He made a good choice, because he came away tying his career high 23 points, while managing a career best 16 assists in only 25 NCAA games.

The 5’10” 174 lbs. forward was a point-per-game guy in his 2nd year of BCHL for Victoria Grizzlies, where he first committed to school.

It will be interesting to watch what the 25-year old, Whistler, BC native will do next.

Newfoundland Growlers sign him for the remainder of 2021/2022 and he’s already appeared in one absolute 9-4 ECHL drubbing, so hopefully has that kind of game worked out of his system for a bit.

He would end up with 1 goal and 2 assists in 9 games with a +4 rating, so obviously fortunes changed.

For his official rookie season, he decides to leave for Ligue Magnus, signing for 2022/2023 with Scorpions Mulhouse.

He takes essentially point-per-game numbers (36 points, 12-24 in 36 games) in France to a new adventure, agreeing to 1-year with Nottingham Panthers, which will likely see him to just as good in the EIHL.

After just one season in England, he’s heading back to France, but signs with rivals, Les Jokers de Cergy-Pontoise for 2024/2025.

He scores close to point-per-game totals, but once again next inks with rivals Spartiates de Marseilles for 2025/2026.

13Jun

Chase Dubois (16)

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University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks‘ senior right wing Chase Dubois(16) didn’t quite throw up the 11 goals and 11 assists he did as a junior, but still managed ok and in his final 2 college seasons, leaves with a +16 rating.

The 5’9″ 174 lbs. forward from Williams Lake, BC is heading over to Ligue Magnus to start his rookie season with Diables Rouges de Briancon.

He did 3 BCHL seasons with West Kelowna Warriors, continuously adding to his junior scoring numbers.

We think the 26-year old scores big in France’s top hockey league.

In 44 games, he gets 17 goals and 19 assists with a +6 rating, then added another 4 points (3-1) in 6 playoff games.

For 2025/2026, he returns, as he is likely already a fan favorite of de Briancon.

12Jun

Derek Barach (19)

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Former two-time Mercyhurst University Lakers‘ center captain Derek Barach(19) signs himself a nice tw0-year deal to head to Finland’s top hockey Liiga, joining Assat starting 2021/2022.

He skated 31 AHL games last season for Texas Stars, scoring 3 goals and 4 assists.

The small 5’8″ 165 lbs. forward has always been a good scorer and hard player on ice but probably no period was better than when he scored 38 points in 37 Atlantic Hockey games as a junior, then in his senior frame grabbed 37 points in 38 contests.

That’s just math.

The 26-year old native of Glenmont, NY will likely find enough open space to become a big scorer in the league.

In 2 seasons playing the highest hockey in the Finnish culture, he pots 33 goals and 27 assists in 114 games, then adding another 6 in 8 during the playoffs last frame.

He is rewarded for his efforts with a contract to play his game in the KHL with Vityaz Moscow Region for 2023/2024.

Through 68 games he scores 10 goals and 25 assists, yet is a horrible -21 rating, but is wanted back.

After a 2nd solid session of increased scoring even, he decides to switch ranks, joining up with rivals, Metallurg Magnitorgorsk for 2025/2026 and will likely just continue.

10Jun

Luke Santerno (25)

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Undrafted left wing Luke Santerno(25) re-signs to stay with Greenville Swamp Rabbits after joining them upon finishing up his graduate year at Clarkson University Golden Knights.

The big 6’3″ 201 lbs. forward scored only an assist in 5 ECHL games on an ato, but could definitely light up this league, much like he did Atlantic Hockey with assists for Bentley University Falcons.

He scored nicely in his 3rd and final season of junior hockey in the BCHL for Trail Smoke Eaters. as a more than point-per-game scorer.

The 26-year old from Smithers, BC should find some room to pocket points in his official rookie season.

After just 2 games, recording 1 assist, he gets dished to Wheeling Nailers, where in 15 games he scored 2 goals and 3 assists and now is on the move a 2nd time as a 1st year player to Kansas City Mavericks, where he may find better footing to score.

Decently effective with 1 goal and 5 assists in 14 games with a +1 rating, he’s invited to return to Missouri for hopefully a full season with one team.

He’s actually doing pretty decently in a full round with the team, scoring 3 goals and 5 assists in 34 games with a +2 rating on a very good team, but finds himself traded to another good club Florida Everblades to continue.

Once again, he scores well with his new team, 4 goals and 6 assists in 19 games with a +4 rating, but finds himself dealt to Cincinnati Cyclones and continues to score with 2 goals and 1 assist in 7 games with a +2.

He would play for 3 different teams last season and scored decently with good accountability.

For 2024/2025, he is looking for something new to his game and signs with Budapest Jégkorong Akadémia.

He explodes scoring in Erste Liga to the tune of 16 goals and 20 assists in 37 games with a +19 rating.

For 2025/2026, he heads of to Ligue Magnus and signs with Rapaces de Gap.

10Jun

Andrew Lucas (6)

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University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ graduate defenseman Andrew Lucas(6) turns pro and signs an ato with San Diego Gulls.

He scored a new college best 5 goals, but didn’t equal those 22 assists and 24 points he set as a senior.

The very solid 6′ 179 lbs. blue line played only 1 season of junior hockey, bouncing from the BCHL quite successfully to Brooks Bandits, where he won the 2019 AJHL Championship before committing.

He started with 3 seasons at University Of Vermont Catamounts and became team captain for 2 years as a sophomore.

The 25-year old from Alexandria, VA already looks like a pro has 3 assists in 6 AHL games, so just needs a permanent jersey.

It’s an absolute no brainer to have him return for his rookie season for the Gulls, 2024/2025.

He was mostly reassigned down to Tulsa Oilers, where he blew up scoring a bit with 6 goals and 23 assists in 39 ECHL games.

For 2025/2026, he will challenge himself further by signing in the Slovak Extraliga with HC Banska Bystrica.

07Jun

Spencer Berry (3)

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RIT Tigers‘ graduate, assistant captain defenseman Spencer Berry(3) seems to pull a bit of a fast one for a 1st pro deal and will that initially had him heading over to Germany to join DEL2, agreeing EC Kassel Huskies , but has flipped that to now agree with SC Bietigheim Steelers for 2023/2024.

He scored a 1st college career goal and added a new high 6 assists in 37 games with a +4 rating last season.

The 6’1″ 181 lbs. White Rock, BC native played 2 campaigns of BCHL for Langley Rivermen, getting 3 goals and 20 assists in his 2nd frame.

He likely ready to get going and the 24-year old looks good to do well in Germany’s tier 2 league.

Through 50 games, he records 3 goals and 7 assists, but is a terrible -16 rating, so decides to move to the lower league, Germany3 and signs with Hammer Eisbaren that is worth 14 assists and a +13 rating.

For 2025/2026, he agrees with Heilbronner Falken.

05Jun

Sean Malone (37)

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Buffalo Sabres‘ 6th year center Sean Malone(37) continues with Rochester Americans under a new 1-year deal from the team he’s skated 5 seasons for.

The former Harvard University Crimson senior scorer is coming off a career year, getting a new best 20 goals and 37 points.

He only has 2 NHL games to his credit, with an assist in his 2nd appearance with 1-year contract club, Nashville Predators.

A Buffalo, NY native, the 27-year old is definitely keeping his hockey close to home.

Following 6 years and 284 AHL games, the 28 year is heading off to Switzerland to skate in the NL with SCL Tigers in 2023/2024.

He has two good Swiss seasons and takes it to a new deal with Orebro HK of SHL for 2025/2026.

05Jun

Girts Silkalns (16)

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UMass-Lowell Riverhawks‘ Latvian-born, sophomore right wing Girts Silkalns(16) figured into only 10 games last season and 18 as a freshman, so it’s little guess he enters the transfer portal and will next skate at Northern Michigan University Wildcats.

The 6’2″ 187 lbs. forward did his youth hockey at home and even played some games prior to doing 1 year USHL before college.

We will see if the strategy finds him more opportunities to play and score.

04Jun

Tyler Busch (13)

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Former Arizona State University Sun Devils‘ undrafted 2 year team captain Tyler Busch(13) quite possibly was waiting to see where North American pro hockey was going to settle before agreeing to leave the country for his next pursuit and decided to sign on with Sweden’s tier 3 league HockeyEttan joining Tranas AIF.

He did sign with Cincinnati Cyclones during the summer but then decided to forego the 2020/2021 due to COVID restrictions.

The 6’3″ 195 lb. power forward scored a healthy diet of four goals and 5 assists in 17 games before adding an assist in the playoffs.

He put up 21 points in two straight seasons before graduating with a career high 18 assists and +15 rating as a senior.

The Lloydminster, AB native played 3 years in the AJHL for Spruce Grove Saints and arrived at college after his best session as a more than point-per-game performer serving as captain.

What the 25-year old does next is up in the air but he could easily continue where he’s at and likely receive a look from the NL.

For 2021/2022, he was initially signed with the Cyclones return, but switched it up closer to the start of the frame and went with Fort Wayne Komets in 2021/2022, ending up getting 8 goals and 11 assists in 59 games, including a 4 game AHL loan to Henderson Silver Knights.

He re-signs to stay where he played as a rookie and we only see things improving for this young player.

Traded to Iowa Heartlanders early in the season, he managed to connect for 14 goals and 14 assists in 56 games.

He’ll take that ECHL experience to the EIHL next, signing for 2023/2024 with Cardiff Devils.

After 2 seasons, scoring decently, he will switch things up to sign with rivals, Guilford Flames for 2025/2026 and hopes to increase his play.