Category: Europe

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.

Josh-Jooris

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.

American International College Yellowjackets‘ Swedish-born sophomore defenseman Theo Angesved(2) leaves to turn pro back home, as his college team takes a year off to transition to D3 play in 2026/2027.

The 5’11” 179 lbs. signed in tier 3 Hockeyettan with Tingsryds AIF and already has 4 assists in 5 games.

He played previous games in the league after junior hockey back home and even had 1 SHL appearance.

We look for the 23-year old to do well.

7th year left wing Joseph LaBate(16) signed a 1-year AHL deal with Milwaukee Admirals for 2021/2022 and is off to a nice 2 goal in 4 game start.

The very big 6’5″ 217 lbs. forward played 4 years at University Of Wisconsin Badgers, averaging 20 points per season before signing his 2-year entry deal with draft club, Vancouver Canucks (round 4, 2011, #101 overall).

He stayed with them for three campaigns and did play 13 NHL games (no points) before becoming a group 6 free agent and signing the first of three minor league contracts with Belleville Senators.

It was his 2nd run with the club, when he put up his best numbers, just a couple seasons ago, a tying 10 goals and best 16 assists and 26 points with a +19 rating.

The 28-year old, Eagan, MN native has to be looking overseas for his next play and could likely do incredibly well with that big frame.

He comes away with 5 goals and 7 assists in 56 games last season and decides to stick around, signing for 2022/2023 with Chicago Wolves.

In 53 games, he walks with a new best 11 goals and 11 assists with a +3 rating and will take that fortune to a new KHL cal with Barys Astana for 2023/2024, as he enters his 9th pro season.

For his 10th year playing pro hockey, he returns from 8 goals and 10 assists in 49 games to sign pto with Cleveland Monsters to make the team for 2024/2025.

He scores 1 goal and 3 assists in 5 games and he gets himself signed to a 1-year, 2-way contract by the parent club, Columbus Blue Jackets.

In 6 NHL games, he records an assist and is good for 8 goals and 13 assists in 51 games in the minors last season.

An unrestricted free agent, he heads back to his draft team and signs a 1-year deal with Vancouver Canucks for 2025/2026 and will likely join Calder Cup Champs Abbotsford Canucks for a little bit.

He is off to a hot start and maybe had a good training camp that sets him for a 1st NHL game with the team since 2017.

4th year defenseman Philip Beaulieu(25) signs with Asiago of IceHL for 2023/2024, which should turn out to be a lot of fun for him.

The 5’11” 194 lbs. blue liner had 2 good seasons for Allen Americans.

He got 8 goals and 30 assists in 1 frame.

The former Northern Michigan University Wildcats‘ captain as a senior was always a good assist man in school.

From Duluth, MN, the 28-year old may just stay over there in Austria.

He plays just 20 games, scoring 1 goal and 4 assists, so maybe that helps with his decision to return and play closer to home with Kalamazoo Wings for 2024/2025.

Pretty strong on assists, Maine Mariners take notice and trade for him in 2025/2026.

Undrafted left wing Logan Cockerill(9) spent the last 2 seasons of 5 as team captain at Boston University Terriers.

The 5’9″ 180 lbs. forward had his best year scoring as a freshman with 8 goals and 12 assists, but he’s a +8 skater through school.

He did two campaigns with the USNTDP with very decent results.

The Brighton, MI has decided to turn pro and signs with BIK Karlskoga and will play tier 2 Hockeyallsvenskan in Sweden for 2022/2023.

In 31 games, he gets 7 goals and 7 assists with a +4 rating, then adds another tally in 4 playoff match ups.

For 2023/2024, the former New York Islanders‘ 7th round pick in 2017 (#201 overall) is coming back home to sign a 1-year ECHL deal with Jacksonville Icemen, where he will play with brother Garret.

He nets 10 goals and 27 assists in 63 games with a +6 rating and is set to return in an Icemen jersey 2024/2025.

There’s little doubt he is producing, especially 3 goals and 1 assist in 4 playoff games last season and he an easy invite back to be an Icemen for 2025/2026.

Merrimack College Warriors‘ Swedish-born sophomore defenseman Max Wattvil(9) enters the transfer portal to next skate at Roger Morris University Pioneers, as a junior in 2025/2026.

Coming over, he only skated 1 season of juniors before college, but did skate a few pro games in Hockeyettan, scoring a couple goals before heading over.

The 6’2″ 192 lbs. blue liner will likely skate a bit better in Atlantic Hockey.