Europe | CollegeHockeyPlayers

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.

15Nov

Carter Camper (11)

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13th year center Carter Camper(11) is heading to a new league, Finland’s Liiga for 2023/2024 after 8 games in the Swiss NL and almost 3 SHL seasons with Leksands IF.

He will next skate for Tappara.

The 5’9″ 176 lbs. forward 3 times had 10+ goals and twice 30+ assists in Sweden’s top league.

He was mostly a more than point-per-game scorer through 4 years at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks before signing as an undrafted, unrestricted free agent with Boston Bruins.

The Rocky River, OH native played 3 NHL games as a rookie and score a 1st goal.

He is a veteran of 558 AHL games.

At 35-years old, it’s hard to believe it’s been that long.

He scores nicely with 17 goals and 31 assists in 60 games with a +19 rating, then adds 7 points on his way to a 2024 Liiga Championship.

For 2024/2025, he eyes another opportunity in HockeyAllsvenskan, signing for 1-year with IK Oskarshamn.

After a solid season in tier 2 Sweden hockey, at 37-years old he has decided to retire with 558 AHL games, 3 NHL appearances with 1 goal and 137 in the SHL to his credit.

11Nov

Connor LaCouvee (1)

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8th year net minder Connor LaCouvee(1) is off to a hot start in his 2nd Tipsport Extraliga season for Vici Zilina, 2025/2026.

The 6’1″ 201 lbs. goalie is 9-3 in 12 games with a 2.03 GAA and .932 SV%.

From Qualicum Beach, BC, he did his senior year at Minnesota State University Mavericks and 3 at Boston University Terriers, going 23-6 in his final year with a 1.80 GAA through 31 games.

The 31-year old has spent the better part of 5 years in the league.

11Nov

Joel Maata (21)

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University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ senior, Finnish-born captain, center Joel Maata(21) took a college best 9 goals and 18 assists in 37 games with a +5 rating to a 1st pro contract back home in Liiga with TPS.

He has become their assistant captain.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward did 2 years of USHL before college.

In 19 games with his new team, he has 5 goals and 4 assists.

He was an Edmonton Oilers‘ 7th round pick in the 2022 draft (#222 overall), but was left unsigned.

08Nov

Will Riedell (24)

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Ohio State University Buckeyes‘ graduate, captain defenseman Will Riedell(24) played a couple of AHL games with Lehigh Valley Phantoms after graduating, but signs for his rookie season 2022/2023 with the brand new Savannah Ghost Pirates.

He didn’t put up many points last season, but was always good for at least getting on the scoring sheet every other game or so, as a junior and senior with Lake Superior State University Lakers.

At 6’2″ 194 lbs., the blue liner plays a shut down style and left college as a +22 player.

The 26-year old from Greensboro, NC should find plenty of room to play his game and contribute points in the ECHL.

After 15 games, recording 4 assists with a +4 rating, the fairly sizable d-man gets loaned up to San Jose Barracuda and in 20 games only grabs 1 tally, but the team likes what they see and recently sign up for the remainder of the frame.

He moved onto Calgary Wranglers in the next frame and split time with Rapid City Rush.

In his 3rd season, he would re-sign with the Ghost Pirates, but leave late, signing with EHC Munchen.

Despite recording no points, he is wanted for the upcoming season, 2025/2026 with Fischtown Pinguins.

He actually decides to play his hockey closer to home and signs with Savannah Ghost Pirates.

05Nov

Max Willman (10)

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Undrafted 3rd year center Max Willman(10) has quite the unlikely, surprise hockey story to tell.

Upon finishing up his one year in a graduate program at Boston University Terriers after a transfer from Brown University Bears, he signed an ECHL contract to join Reading Royals.

The 6′ 183 lbs. forward was loaned up to Lehigh Valley Phantoms a couple of months into his rookie run and earned an spc, mostly staying in the AHL, earning 3 goals and 6 assists in 24 games before the season exploded with no playoffs.

He re-signed to stay and in a weirdo season with like 3 constant opponents, he ascended to a career high 9 goals, 7 assists and 16 points with a +7 in just 30 games.

His efforts have earned him an NHL 2-year, 2-way deal with Philadelphia Flyers that starts in the upcoming frame.

The 26-year old is likely all smiles heading into 2021/2022.

And the story continues to take the strangest turns, as the Barnstable, MA native has made the opening night roster of the Broad Street Bullies and skated 13 shifts for 9:30 of total ice with one shot on net, one hit, 2 minutes in the sin bin and left the 5-4 shootout loss a -1 rating.

An unrestricted free agent, he signs a 1-year 2-way deal with New Jersey Devils for 2023/2024.

In 18 games with the big club, he scores 3 goals and 1 assist with a +1 rating and he scores himself another year, another look in a Devils‘ jersey.

After 69 games on reassignment with Utica Comets, scoring 10 goals and 20 assist, he is off for his next venture, signing with Barys Astana of the KHL for 2025/2026.

31Oct

Troy Josephs (16)

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5th year center Troy Josephs(16) signs on for a 2nd season with HC Lugano, continuing his climb up Swiss Hockey leagues.

He skated for EHC Visp of the tier 2 SL, when arriving from North America.

The 6′ 194 lbs. was originally a Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 7th round pick in the 2013 draft (#209 overall), but only signed an AHL deal with affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

He was two years in the system, but mostly reassigned down to Wheeling Nailers, where he exploded on the scoresheet as a more than point-per-game player and eventually just signed an ECHL contract.

There’s little doubt the 27-year, former 4-year Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ old found his footing immediately overseas and will continue to do so, as he climbs.

He would end up a 2nd full session with the NL club, putting up 5 goals and 15 assists that he will take to a new, bold opportunity, signing a 1-year deal with Lada Togliatti of the KHL.

Doing best in his first run at Russian hockey, he scores 20 goals, but is fairly consistent as he travels between a couple of teams and for 2025/2026 will head to a 3rd, signing with HK Sochi.

After 10 games with 2 assists, not sure what has occurred, but he becomes available to Shanghai Dragons to sign for the term.

26Oct

Josh Jooris (36)

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Undrafted 7th year center Josh Jooris(36) leaves North American pro hockey for a first time to sign with Lausanne HC of NLA for 2019/2020.

He departs having played 213 NHL (23-32-55) games for 5 different teams but was exclusively in the minors with Toronto Marlies last season, although signed by the parent club Toronto Maple Leafs.

The former high scoring 6’1″ 198 lbs. Union College forward has less AHL games to his credit at 160 (20-26) but suited up for an equal amount of teams as he did at the higher level.

He is now 34-years old and that hasn’t deter how well he does in Switzerland’s top hockey.

Staying with his new Swiss team for 2 seasons, he switches it up to sign with Geneve-Servette HC, where he agrees for a 4th frame and is scoring pretty well out of the gate.

Consistently producing 20+ points, he is back for a 5th season with Geneve-Servette and is scoring very well with 3 goals and 5 assists in 17 games.