Category: Europe

Curry College Colonels‘ Finnish-born, sophomore left wing Eelis Laaksonen(19) had a pair of tallies and an assist to help his team to a 5-1 semi-finals win to advance to the NCAA Division 3 CCC Finals.

The 6′ 185 lbs. forward has a college career tying 9 goals and best 15 assists for 24 points in 25 games this season.

At 22-years old, he should just continue to excel where he is playing hockey.

He finished up his senior year with a college best 14 goals and +19 rating, which he takes to possibly a slightly conservative deal with Evansville Thunderbirds, where he should score well in the SPHL to move up.

In 47 games, he scores 4 goals and 6 assists, that he takes to a new contract for 2026/2027 with rivals, Quad City Storm.

Undrafted right wing Chase Gresock(13) will play his year of eligibility at Bowling Green University Falcons for a graduate season after 1-year at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks and 3, 2 as captain for Merrimack College Warriors.

The 6’1″ 205 lbs. forward is almost a deceptively good scorer.

A Powell, OH native he spent his youth hockey with the Ohio Blue Jackets 14U – 18U AAA before joining close by Youngstown Phantoms for 2 successful USHL frames.

The 24-year old should have a good campaign, but find play in the CCHA tough.

He would finish up an extra year with tying his twice best 11 goals and adding a new high 20 assists and 31 points before signing an ato with San Jose Barracuda to finish out the session.

For his official rookie season, he agrees to terms with “home team” Toledo Walleye, which should be a pretty great 1st stopping spot.

In his 1st year, he strikes for 16 goals and 19 assists with a +7 rating in 69 ECHL games, but he looks around a signs for 2024/2025 with Coventry Blaze, so switches up a letter and will be playing his pro hockey int he EIHL.

Ok, so this is a bit of a surprise maybe, he scores 32 goals and 30 assists in 54 games with a +7 rating, but decides to head over to Ligue Magnus for 2025/2026 and signs with Dragons de Rouen.

Once again, he scores huge numbers, but he is heading back to the EIHL and signs with Guildford Flames for 2026/2027.

Providence College Friars‘ graduate center Logan Will(20) scored a college best 8 goals and 16 assists in his extra frame.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. twice captain forward at Colorado College Tigers was a consistent scorer there.

He did 3 years USHL juniors before school.

From Ames, IA, the 25-year old signs a 1st pro contract with Florida Everblades and has 2 goals and 3 assists with a +4 rating in 14 ECHL games.

After 30 games, scoring 4 goals and 6 assists with a +8 rating, he decides to leave for a little better hockey in Slovak Extraliga, signing with HK Spisska Nova Ves.

In 3 games, he has 3 assists with a +2 rating.

He would finish up with 11 games, scoring 2 goals and 5 assists, but is ready to move on and signs with Eispiraten Crimmitschau for 2026/2027.

2nd year left wing Mike O’Leary(10) re-signs to stay with Hartford Wolf Pack for a third overall AHL contract with the team.

He played in roughly 3/4 of the games last season as a rookie, getting a goal and 2 assists in 16 appearances.

The 6’1″ 200 lbs. forward finished 4 years at University Of Notre Dame Fightining Irish with a college high 9 goals and 23 points in 37 games.

Heading into his first season that should seemingly be pulled off unencumbered may see him settle into some scoring.

In 53 games, he was able to notch 6 goals and 5 assists, and will take that to a next opportunity, a 1-year minor league deal with Iowa Wild for 2022/2023.

He takes his scoring up to a new level with 12 goals and 15 assists in 66 games, but in the current frame only has 3 assists in 40 contests.

Likely feeling pretty agitated, he moves on for a completely new experience, signing with Ilves of Liiga in hopes of finding that scoring touch once again, in Finland.

He actually didn’t connect so well in Swiss hockey and returned to sign with Tahoe Knight Monsters for 2024/2025.

In 65 ECHL games, he collected 33 points.

For 2026/2027, he goes for a new start with Greenville Swamp Rabbits.

Salve Regina University Seahawks‘ senior center Cade DeStefani(9) scored a college hockey best 14 goals and 18 assists in 25 games with a +19 rating last season.

The 6’2 185 lbs. forward transferred from 2 seasons at Lindenwood University Lions.

From Bedford, NH, the 25-year old cycled through 3 junior leagues before heading to school.

For his rookie season, he heads to France2 and signs with Drakkers de Caen.

Maine Mariners‘ 2nd year, assistant captain center Jacob Hudson(29) takes some new ECHL best scoring with 23 goals and 26 assists in 63 games, including a +6 rating, then added another 16 points in 14 games in the playoffs.  f

The 5’8″ 179 lbs. forward did 4 years QMJHL before heading to 3 of college at St. Francis Xavier University X-Men, where he was always a point-per-game scorer.

From Antigonish, NS, the 25-year old is heading to the IceHL for 2026/2027, signing with EC-KAC.

14th year center Jeremy Welsh(15) stays put for 2025/2026, after scoring virtually point-per-game numbers in Erste Liga last season after signing with CSM Corona Brasov.

The 6’3″ 207 lbs. forward has played 27 NHL with 3 clubs, scoring 1 goal and 1 assist.

He did 4 years in DEL, 2 in the EIHL before coming here.

The 37-year old, former 3-year Union College Dutchmen goal scoring machine still grooves right along.

He continues to raise his scoring and signs on for a 3rd frame with Brasov.

Undrafted defenseman Quinn Wichers(5) signs a first pro contract for his rookie campaign 2021/2022 with Rapid City Rush.

The 6’4″ 217 lbs. blue liner has never been exactly the biggest point scorer through 4 years at Mercyhurst University Lakers, but did connect for a junior hockey high 19 assists and tying 24 points in 45 CCHL games in his 4th frame before heading to school with Kemptville 73s.

From Metcalfe, ON, the 24-year old should be able to elevate his game in the ECHL.

He will return to South Dakota for 2022/2023 after scoring 2 goals and 8 assists in 43 games with a +3 rating, then adding 4 assists through 11 playoff contests.

Multiple loans up to Tuscon Roadrunners, where he skated 16 games with no points, but was decently enough steady.

We expect everything to go just that much better in his 2nd year.

Through 50 games, he basically mirrors his rookie point production with the same club, but for 2023/2024, he gets himself traded to Wheeling Nailers and we shall see if that changes anything.

We think it might.

After 3 games with no points, he gets himself dished to a perfect location for the big forward, Utah Grizzlies.

In 52 games, his scoring pops some with 2 goals and a new best 14 assists, but he is looking for something new, different, so signs with Nottingham Panthers of the EIHL for 2024/2025.

After 38 games in England, he is next heading for Asia League and signs with Tohuko Free Blades for 2025/2026.

In 35 games, he grabs 11 assists with a +1 rating and HC Innsbruck Sharks is watching and signs him to a tryout for the IceHL in 2026/2027.

Niagara University Purple Eagles‘ Latvian-born senior center Glebs Prohorenkovs(4) scored 12 goals as a freshman and got 22 assist in his junior season.

The 6’3″ 203 lbs. forward did his youth hockey and some juniors back home before coming over for 1 NAHL season.

He did some junior hockey in Russia and even played 7 KHL games with Dinamo Riga.

For 2026/2027, he signs a 1st pro contract in the ECHL with Bloomington Bison.