Category: Europe

23May

Davis Vandane (55)

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9th year defenseman Davis Vandane(55) will head back to IceHL, where he was for most of 2021/2022, before leaving at the end to help Lowen Frankfort win the DEL2 Championship, scoring 3 goals and 7 assists in 12 games.

The big 6’4″ 207 lbs. blue liner was rewarded with a 1-year move up to DEL with the same club, where he would score 7 goals and 20 assists with a +11 rating in 56 games.

He decides not to stay and return to Austrian hockey for 2023/2024, signing with HC Bolzano Foxes.

From Yorkton, SK, the 31-year old played 3 WHL seasons for Spokane Chiefs and Prince Albert Raiders before heading to 2 sessions at University Of Calgary Dinos.

He’s got to be pretty happy with the way things have turned out.

It looks like he’s in a habit of jumping back-and-forth in between Germany and Austria and heads back to the former for 2024/2025 with Krefeld Pinguine.

23May

Joel Messner (49)

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Former University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks‘ senior captain, defenseman Joel Messner(49) decides to leave the ship for other waters for his 4th season.

He will skate in Austria’s IceHL for a seemingly favored by Americans’ club, HC Innsbruck.

The solid 6’2″ 200 lbs. d-man was mostly under deals with Providence Bruins, originally scouted by Boston Bruins and in their system for 48 AHL games, but was in a uniform mostly with affiliate Atlanta Gladiators.

In 86 ECHL games, he did alright with 14 goals and 41 assists.

He played 4 more games in the league for Jacksonville Icemen to start 2020/2021 and got a goal and 2 assists.

We think the 27-year old Winnipeg native will like it in his new hockey home but if he does really well will move up.

He played for HKM Zvolen of Slovak Extraliga last season, putting up 4 goals and 9 assists in 50 games with a +7 rating, then added another 6 points in 17 playoff matchups.

For 2023/2024, he will head back to Austria, where he had very good luck and agrees to terms with Pustertal/Val Pusteria.

He grabs some decent points, but the -18 is a problem, then performs really well in 13 playoff games to get a want from rivals, Fehervar AV19 for 2024/2025.

22May

Austin Albrecht (11)

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Rookie left wing Austin Albrecht(11) 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.

22May

Cody Kunyk (37)

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9th year center Cody Kunyk(37) returns to Karpat after a year away in the KHL that actually grabbed hold scoring come playoff time for Barys Nur-Sultan.

The undrafted 5’11” 194 lbs. forward has skated 5 seasons in Liiga, Finland’s top hockey and tossed off a league best 39 assists in 2019/2020.

He signed a 1-year entry level deal as an unrestricted free agent with Tampa Bay Lightning upon graduating University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks with 20+ goals and assists as a senior and even played 1 NHL game fresh out of school.

The Sherwood Park, AB native skated the AHL his rookie season for affiliate Syracuse Crunch, but left for Denmark’s Metal Ligaen in the next session, running up decent points for Gentofte Stars.

At 32-years old, he still seems to be connecting and is wanted for what he brings, so there’s little reason to put down the skates.

He would move along after a 5th strong year playing Finnish hockey to Germany and signed with Lowen Frankfort in 2023/2024, where he would come away with a pro best 17 goals and some decent point totals, but signs with rivals Augsburger Panther for 2024/2025 and should have continued success.

22May

Samuli Niinisaari (7)

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Brown University‘s 2nd year Finnish-born defenseman Samuli Niinisaari(7) leaves college for hockey season to head back home and play in tier 3 league Suomi-sarja for Kotkan Titaanit and already has a nice 3 goals and 10 assists in 17 regular season games and has added another pair of helpers in the playoffs.

The 6’1″ 194 lbs. blue liner took spent most of his early game in his home country but did stretch out for one campaign of juniors in Saskatoon and then agreed to a year with Lincoln Stars of the USHL before making the college commitment.

It would be surprising to not see the 22-year old return to school as soon as the coast is clear.

He does return for the 2021/2022, recording a new best 11 assists and 12 points, then appeared in 30 games last season with 8 helpers to his credit.

For his senior year, he has decided to go for some new frozen waters, enters the transfer portal and comes out a member of the 2023/2024 UMass Minutemen.

He ups his challenge to take on Hockey East.

Through 27 games, he takes up his scoring to 3 goals and 9 assists with a +2 rating for possibly his best college frame.

He takes it back home to sign a 1+ year deal with Saipa and will skate his games in Liiga for 2024/2025.

21May

Scott Pooley (12)

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5th year center Scott Pooley(12) trades in a 1st good season overseas for Lukko, scoring 18 goals and 16 assists in 55 Liiga games for a new experience with HockeyAllsvenskan, signing for 2022/2023 to IF Bjorkloven.

The 6’2″ 201 lbs. forward has signed 3 times with Toronto Marlies and played 63 AHL games, while being reassigned down to the ECHL Newfoundland Growlers, where he was a point-per-game player and helped them win the 2019 Kellly Cup.

He had 34 points in 36 NCAA Division 1 games as a senior at Holy Cross College Crusaders and 20+ points each previous frame.

The 28-year old from Granger, IN was never much of a point getter in 2 years of junior, one north in the AJHL, but definitely figured out how to connect at the higher levels.

He would spend 2 years scoring for his tier 2 Swedish hockey team and decides to trade it in for a contract with rivals AIK for 2024/2025.

20May

Mike Connolly (22)

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12th year left wing Mike Connolly(22) will spend an 8th season in a Straubing Tigers‘ uniform.

The 5’9″ 181 lbs. forward had his best year scoring 19 goals and 53 points in 2021/2022.

He has 5 times put up 30+ assists for this team.

The top scorer in his 3 campaigns at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, hitting 54 points in 42 NCAA Division 1 games as a senior.

He only played 2 sessions in the AHL and did appear in 2 NHL games with Colorado Avalanche after a rookie trade sent him away from San Jose Sharks‘ system.

At 33-years old, the Calgary, AB native has to be pretty happy about how his pro hockey life is still going.

He scores 16 goals and 22 assists in 50 DEL games last season and yup, will return for a 9th season in a Tigers‘ jersey.

2024/2025 will be his 10th season in a Straubing uniform, coming after a 34 assist, 45 point season.

19May

Max Balinson (8)

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2nd year defenseman Max Balinson(8) up and leaves for DEL2 to skate for Eispiraten Crimmitschau in 2023/2024 after bouncing around with 3 ECHL teams as a rookie, but ultimately landing at least decently successfully with Orlando Solar Bears, scoring 4 goals and 11 assists in 24 games.

The 6’1″ 198 lbs. blue liner from Ancaster, ON played 3 seasons of GOJHL junior hockey with hometown team, Ancaster Avalanche before committing to 1st school, Arizona State University Sun Devils.

He transferred after not playing during his junior campaign to Long Island University Sharks and served as assistant captain during his graduate session.

We think the 26-year old of split Canadian/German descent will do well in Germany tier 2 league.

He must have felt right at home, as he connected for 21 goals and 23 assists through 51 games with a +15 rating, then added another 3 points in the playoffs.

For his efforts, he has been elevated to DEL and signs with Dusseldorfer EG for 2024/2025.

18May

Patrik Demel (3)

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Czech-born defenseman Patrik Demel(3) heads home to join HC Litvinov of the Czech League after 4 seasons with AIC Yellowjackets, including a best 19 assists and 21 points as a senior, which could have been even better if it wasn’t derailed by COVID.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner skated most of his youth and junior hockey with a couple of programs close to home and even played a couple games with a couple of goals in Czech3 as a 19-year old before heading over for a season of juniors in the NAHL with Bismarck Bobcats.

He scored a pretty phenomenal 2 goals and 30 assists with a +9 rating before heading to his college commitment.

We’re pretty sure the 25-year old will be happy where he is and may just try to grow that into something for himself.

His solid play with 4 goals and 14 assists in 55 games earns him a 3rd contract to stay and continue to grow.

After 4 seasons, 208 games with the same club, he signs for 2024/2025 with rivals HC Vitkovice Ridera.

15May

Mark Zengerle (89)

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9th year center Mark Zengerle(89) wins a pair of DEL Championships with Eisbaren Berlin and leaves for a new opportunity with rival Straubing Tigers.

It will be his 5th season in the league.

The University Of Wisconsin Badgers‘ forward scored 34 assists and 44 points in 37 NCAA Division 1 games as a senior.

He has never had an NHL contract and played 4 AHL seasons with one short stop in Sweden’s SHL before leaving for his half birth nation to continue his game.

The 33-year old from Rochester, NY must have a nice smile on his face playing in Germany.

He’s been with the same club for 2 years and by his previous marks, he needs to sign with a 4th team on that soil and takes a new country best 15 goals and will skate with Augsburger Panther 2024/2025.