Category: Europe

14Jun

Connor Jean (12)

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2022/2023 was certainly a busy 1st season for Connor Jean(12) coming off 11 games for Holy Cross College Crusaders, his 2nd stint with the college club, but decided to turn, signing a contract with Fort Wayne Komets.

After 5 ECHL games, that relationship went south and he switched to Indy Fuel, where he lasted 14 games, grabbing a 1st goal an an assist.

The 5’10” 183 lbs. forward then shifted down to sign with Evansville Thunderbolts and connected for 3 goals, including 2 in his debut and 2 assists in 5 SPHL games, but seems to be on the move again.

This time he’s really going away to agree with Perth Thunder for the summer league, AIHL in Australia, where the seasons are opposite.

The 26-year old from Oakland, MI will likely find his scoring footing nicely in the land down under and hopefully parlay that into something good for himself in 2023/2024.

He takes some insane numbers from Australian, 17 goals and 25 assists in just 19 games to a new deal for 2023/2024 with Kalix HC of HockeyEttan.

Through 34 games, he nets 12 goals and 17 assists, then another 7 points in 7 playoff games.

In what we see as a bit of an oddball move, unless he was somehow wooed, he signs with Les Remparts des Tours of France2 for 2024/2025 and should absolutely blow up scoring there.

He scores point-per-game numbers and even better in the playoffs, so he is easily wanted to return to des Tours for 2025/2026.

13Jun

Tyler Welsh (44)

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In his year of eligibility, right wing graduate student Tyler Welsh(44) chose to attend Long Island University Lakers after completing four years at Yale University Bulldogs with a drop season due to COVID.

He made a good choice, because he came away tying his career high 23 points, while managing a career best 16 assists in only 25 NCAA games.

The 5’10” 174 lbs. forward was a point-per-game guy in his 2nd year of BCHL for Victoria Grizzlies, where he first committed to school.

It will be interesting to watch what the 25-year old, Whistler, BC native will do next.

Newfoundland Growlers sign him for the remainder of 2021/2022 and he’s already appeared in one absolute 9-4 ECHL drubbing, so hopefully has that kind of game worked out of his system for a bit.

He would end up with 1 goal and 2 assists in 9 games with a +4 rating, so obviously fortunes changed.

For his official rookie season, he decides to leave for Ligue Magnus, signing for 2022/2023 with Scorpions Mulhouse.

He takes essentially point-per-game numbers (36 points, 12-24 in 36 games) in France to a new adventure, agreeing to 1-year with Nottingham Panthers, which will likely see him to just as good in the EIHL.

After just one season in England, he’s heading back to France, but signs with rivals, Les Jokers de Cergy-Pontoise for 2024/2025.

He scores close to point-per-game totals, but once again next inks with rivals Spartiates de Marseilles for 2025/2026.

12Jun

Derek Barach (19)

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Former two-time Mercyhurst University Lakers‘ center captain Derek Barach(19) signs himself a nice tw0-year deal to head to Finland’s top hockey Liiga, joining Assat starting 2021/2022.

He skated 31 AHL games last season for Texas Stars, scoring 3 goals and 4 assists.

The small 5’8″ 165 lbs. forward has always been a good scorer and hard player on ice but probably no period was better than when he scored 38 points in 37 Atlantic Hockey games as a junior, then in his senior frame grabbed 37 points in 38 contests.

That’s just math.

The 26-year old native of Glenmont, NY will likely find enough open space to become a big scorer in the league.

In 2 seasons playing the highest hockey in the Finnish culture, he pots 33 goals and 27 assists in 114 games, then adding another 6 in 8 during the playoffs last frame.

He is rewarded for his efforts with a contract to play his game in the KHL with Vityaz Moscow Region for 2023/2024.

Through 68 games he scores 10 goals and 25 assists, yet is a horrible -21 rating, but is wanted back.

After a 2nd solid session of increased scoring even, he decides to switch ranks, joining up with rivals, Metallurg Magnitorgorsk for 2025/2026 and will likely just continue.

10Jun

Andrew Lucas (6)

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University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ graduate defenseman Andrew Lucas(6) turns pro and signs an ato with San Diego Gulls.

He scored a new college best 5 goals, but didn’t equal those 22 assists and 24 points he set as a senior.

The very solid 6′ 179 lbs. blue line played only 1 season of junior hockey, bouncing from the BCHL quite successfully to Brooks Bandits, where he won the 2019 AJHL Championship before committing.

He started with 3 seasons at University Of Vermont Catamounts and became team captain for 2 years as a sophomore.

The 25-year old from Alexandria, VA already looks like a pro has 3 assists in 6 AHL games, so just needs a permanent jersey.

It’s an absolute no brainer to have him return for his rookie season for the Gulls, 2024/2025.

He was mostly reassigned down to Tulsa Oilers, where he blew up scoring a bit with 6 goals and 23 assists in 39 ECHL games.

For 2025/2026, he will challenge himself further by signing in the Slovak Extraliga with HC Banska Bystrica.

05Jun

Girts Silkalns (16)

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UMass-Lowell Riverhawks‘ Latvian-born, sophomore right wing Girts Silkalns(16) figured into only 10 games last season and 18 as a freshman, so it’s little guess he enters the transfer portal and will next skate at Northern Michigan University Wildcats.

The 6’2″ 187 lbs. forward did his youth hockey at home and even played some games prior to doing 1 year USHL before college.

We will see if the strategy finds him more opportunities to play and score.

31May

Travis Treloar (97)

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Ohio State University Buckeyes‘ Swedish-born, junior center Travis Treloar(97) takes a college best scoring 8 goals and 13 assists to the transfer portal to arrive at 2023 NCAA Division 1 Champs, Quinnipiac University Bobcats for his senior campaign in 2023/2024.

The 5’11” 176 lbs. forward had 2 successful runs at USHL juniors, but really took it up in his 2nd round with Lincoln Stars, notching point-per-game numbers.

He at 22-years old will likely do pretty well in ECAC style game.

In his graduate frame at his new school, he scores a college best 16 goals and 20 assists with a +3 rating, which he will take back home to a deal in HockeyAllsvenskan with Mora IK.

31May

Landon Brownlee (18)

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Rochester Jr. Americans‘ 2nd year left wing Landon Brownlee(18) taks a junior best scoring 19 goals and a 2nd straight season of 17 assists and new high 36 points in 58 NAHL games with a +18 rating.

He added another 4 points in 12 playoff matchups with a +5 rating.

The 6’1″ 201 lbs. forward from Finch, ON did 2 CCHL sessions before coming down.

For 2025/2026, he commits to Middlebury College Panthers.

30May

Filip Fornaa Svensson (14)

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UMASS-Lowell Riverhawks‘ Swedish-born, graduate center Filip Fornaa Svensson(14) skated only 3 games with his 1st team, Fort Wayne Komets grabbing an assist, but is wanted for his 6’4″ 216 lbs. frame in Norfolk Admirals to continue.

He transferred to his new school as a senior, coming over from University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks, where he scored his college best as a junior with 9 goals and 16 assists.

All of his junior hockey was played back home before coming over strictly for school and now for his pro game.

He takes a solid scoring ECHL season with 25 goals and 13 assists in 48 games with a +16 rating to a new deal in his homeland HockeyAllsvenskan with Vimmerby HC for 2025/2026.

28May

Oscar Geschwind (17)

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American International College Yellowjackets‘ Swedish-born, senior left wing Oscar Geschwind(17) takes a 2nd season of 7 assists to a 1st pro contract back home in HockeyEttan with Tingsryds AIF for 2025/2026.

The 6′ 196 lbs. forward had his best college scoring season as a sophomore with 8 goals and 7 assists after he transferred from doing his freshman year at Northern Michigan University Wildcats.

He did all his youth hockey and juniors back home, even getting into a couple league games, where he will officially start as a rookie.

The 24-year old we think will do really well.

27May

Steven Kampfer (51)

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12th year NHL defenseman Steven Kampfer(51) will try something new for 2021/2022, signing a 1-year deal with Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL.

The former University Of Michigan Wolverines blue liner was originally an Anaheim Ducks‘ 4th round 2007 draft pick (#93 overall) but traded to Boston Bruins and agreed to terms upon completing his fourth year at college.

He left the Black & Gold within his entry level deal, traded to Minnesota Wild, where he stayed for two seasons before being dealt to New York Rangers but was again quickly on the move to Florida Panthers, where he stayed for another pair of campaigns.

The 5’11” 198 lbs. d-man started his next frame in the zone for the ‘Cats but after a single game was changing addresses heading back to the Blueshirts.

It seems like this is a player who favors 2 year terms with teams, as he did another here before rejoining his original club in Boston for another two year contract and a solid role as a fill-in guy.

The 32-year old may find continued life in Russia’s top hockey but we would be surprised to see him jump around a bit before deciding to pull the curtain on it.

After putting up a career high 11 goals, 19 assists and 30 points and being named assistant captain of Team USA Olympic squad, the now 33-year old will return home on a 1-year 2-way deal with close to home, Jackson, MI, Detroit Red Wings worth at least $325K in the minors and the league minimum $750 if he stays up.

He would be traded for future considerations to Arizona Coyotes, where he would actually do alright on a non-playoff team with 3 goals and 19 assists that actually gave him a career high 6 goals and 23 assists.

Reassigned to minor league affiliate, he is named team captain for 2023/2024 of Tuscon Roadrunners.

With no quit in site, he will return to Russia for 2024/2025 and signs with Traktor Chelyabinsk.

After an incredibly solid year, scoring 10 goals and a new best 22 assists and 32 points, then doing very well in the playoffs, he decides 16 pro careers will do it and retires.