Category: Europe

New York Rangers signed undrafted, unrestricted free agent center Justin Richards(14) to a two-year entry level deal after he completed his third season at University Of Minnesota-Duluth, where he helped the team win consecutive NCAA Championships in 2018 and 2019.

He scored a career high 14 goals in 24 games in 2020/2021.

The 5’10” 188 lbs. forward was originally reassigned to affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack.

In his AHL debut, he introduced himself to his new club with a pair of assists and went on to grab 4 goals and 7 assists in 24 appearances with a +3 rating before his recall.

He was little different in his first game up posting a 1st NHL point, an assist after winning a face-off, through 18 shifts for 10:11 total ice time in a 5-4 win to close out the season with no playoff push.

For his rookie season, he would spent it entirely in the minors.

Left without a qualifying offer, he next signs with Cleveland Monsters on a minor league deal that gets boosted by agreeing to terms with parent club, Columbus Blue Jackets.

He appears in a pair of games and grabs a 2nd assist.

Next up, he would head to Rochester Americans for 2023/2024.

For 2024/2025, he’s made probably one of his best decisions, moving forward, signing a 1-year deal with Dusseldorfer EG of DEL.

He’s maybe a little light on the scoresheet through 44 games, but has a terrible minus rating that has him looking elsewhere for his next pro hockey and he signs Fehervar AV19 of IceHL, which is a great landing spot.

Niagara University Purple Eagles‘ Norwegian-born senior left wing Lars Rodne(10) signed with Adirondack Thunder, scoring 1 goal and 1 assist in 4 games, but is released as they have no playoffs.

The 6′ 181 lbs. forward gets signed to an ato with Wheeling Nailers to help their playoff push.

He did most of his youth hockey and some juniors back home, but came across for 2 NAHL sessions, scoring well.

We look for the 24-year old to do decently.

In 2 regular season games, he records 1 assist, but has no points in 2 playoff matchups.

For his rookie season 2025/2026, he actually returns to Stavenger Oilers, a team he played 19 games for before coming over for juniors.

American International College Yellowjackets‘ Swedish-born, senior defenseman Evan Stella(7) signed with Bloomington Bison for 4 ECHL games, no points to end 2024/2025.

For his official rookie season he decides to head to Czech Extraliga, inking with HC Olomouc for 2025/2026.

He did his youth hockey back home and started junior before transferring to the USHL for 2 frames with Dubuque Fighting Saints.

We think the 24-year old does well in this tough to play in league.

Fitchburg State University Falcons‘ Czech-born, freshman defenseman Adam Nedelka(14) has 2 goals and 2 assists in 9 games to start 2023/2024.

The pretty big 6’3″ 216 lbs. blue liner switched up not really playing much in the NAHL to signing on with Boston Jr. Rangers, playing out the regular season, then 9 games with a goal in the playoffs to claim the 2023 EHL Championship.

At 21-years old, he is likely to settle nicely into his college career, and then might head back to play in the Czech Extraliga.

After just 1 college season, he is turning pro back home, just as we thought, signing with HC Dynamo Pardubice B of Czech2.

Looks like he will turn his attention to his 3rd league team, signing with HC Banik Sokolov for 2025/2026.

Niagara University Purple Eagles‘ senior defenseman Alex Murray(26) played a college best 36 games last season, scoring a new best 3 goals and 14 assists.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner transferred from little use in 2 years at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks.

He did 3 NAHL seasons before college.

From Glenview, IL, the 25-year old signs a 1st pro deal with Vimmerby HC of HockeyAllsvenskan for 2025/2026.

RPI Engineers‘ French-born, senior graduate transfer from Robert Morris University Colonials, right wing Justin Addamo(26) takes a college career high 14 assists and tied for best 19 points to a 1st year pro ECHL deal with Wheeling Nailers for 2022/2023.

An absolute tower of a player at 6’6″ 249 lbs., he will definitely find some space in front of nets in this league.

He did some of his earlier junior hockey back home with Rouen U18 and U22, but came over for a pair of NAHL seasons with Lone Star Brahmas and just so happened to win the 2017 Robertson Cup in his 1st year and was a +24 rated player with 21 assists in 52 games in his 2nd.

The 24-year old will be one to watch.

As a rookie he lights it up with 21 goals and 12 assists with loans up to the AHL, where he has 5 goals in 14 appearances.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins like what they are seeing an sign him up for next season 2023/2024.

He splits time with ECHL affiliate Wheeling Nailers and is a point-per-game guy for them and does decently enough through 21 games as a rookie with his contract club, but is looking to really challenge his game next and signs for 2024/2025 in Czech Extraliga with HC Ocelari Trinec.

Doing decently enough, in just 27 games with 4 goals and 5 assists, he will look for another adventure, heading to Finland, signing with Jukurit for Liiga in 2025/2026.

Undrafted 4th year center Brady Ferguson(12) re-ups for another two seasons with Rogle BK after putting up 2 goals and 9 assists in 24 SHL games with a +4 rating, as 2021/2022 rolls.

The 6′ 194 lbs. forward had a bit of an odd start and maybe a little bit of an odd contract experience with Toronto Marlies that saw him mostly reassigned to affiliate Newfoundland Growlers.

Following an awesome college career at Robert Morris University Colonials, scoring 66 goals and 101 assists with a mind-blowing +41 before signing an ato and grabbing 4 assists in 5 AHL games to start his pro career.

Oddly, although signed, he wasn’t able to stick at that higher level and was one of the more than point-per-game providers driving the ECHL team to a 2019 Kelly Cup Championship.

The 27-year old has definitely found a nice hockey home in Sweden and would be no surprise to see him stay.

He has shown point increases with each session, arriving at 25 last run in 52 games.

In 2023/2024, he already has 2 goals and 3 assists in 8 games, so we believe we are looking at Swedish career point bests in his 4th year there, and he was re-upped for 2024/2025 already.

He had a career best 10 goals last season, but has decided to look around and signs for 2025/2026 with EHC Red Bull Munchen.

2nd/3rd year center Tyler Boland(10) is heading over to skate in DEL next season, joining Iserlohn Roosters for 2023/2024.

The 6′ 194 lbs. forward played 44 AHL games with contract club, Manitoba Moose, good for 9 goals and 10 assists, and was only loaned down for 11 in the ECHL with Newfoundland Growlers, where he once again rung the bell a bit too loud for the lower league maybe.

He played 4 years of QMJHL for Rimouski Oceanic, blowing the lid off scoring in his final year with 48 goals and 55 assists in 68 games with a +5 rating.

Instead of turning pro immediately following that hockey experience, he decided to go to University Of New Brunswick Reds and won 3 of 4 USports Championships and would have maybe won a 4th, if they had playoffs in 2020 and they didn’t play 2020/2021.

The 26-year old from St. John’s, NL should light up Germany’s top league pretty nicely.

He is scoring nicely, but could improve his +/-, although he may be approaching fan favorite status, so he is wanted to return for a 3rd run in a Roosters‘ jersey.

Atlanta Gladiators‘ 8th year right wing Eric Neiley(59) looks set to eclipse his best ECHL goals marks in the current frame with already 14 in 23 games.

He’ll need to surpass 27 posted in his 2nd season with the team, but regardless will hit the 20+ goal mark for a fourth time.

The prolific former assistant captain as a senior at Dartmouth College Big Green, he struck for 10+ goals and assists in his last pair of sessions.

He also skated to EIHL frames, but almost oddly didn’t score as well as he does at home.

The 5’11” 185 lbs is originally from Warminster Township, Pa.

Already 30-years old, it seems like he’s still just getting started.

1 more season of running up the point totals, 25 goals, just shy of his best and 19 assists for 44 points with a +10 rating in 50 games and that’s gonna be plenty enough hockey for the now 31-year old.

For 2023/2024, he will take up as Assistant Coach with this same Gladiators‘ club.

And for 2024/2025, he comes back off the bench to sign a 1-year deal to play with the home team, Gladiators once again.

After another good season, helping his team score points with 13 goals and 21 assists in 45 games, he announced his retirement x2, but will likely find himself riding a Glads‘ bench is what we are thinking.