Category: Europe

Undrafted 5th year defenseman Matt Petgrave(22) takes 200 ECHL games of experience to a new venture for 2021/2022 with HK Spisska Nova Ves of Tipos Extraliga.

The solid 6’1″ 201 lbs. blue liner posted 32 and 26 assists for Brampton Beast, and has definitely shown he can be a big assist guy, like he was dishing 40 helpers in his overage OHL year for Oshawa Generals.

Without a pro team holding his playing rights, he next decided to head to school at University Of New Brunswick Reds, where he won back-to-back CIS, then USports Championships.

The 29-year old will likely take to pro hockey in Slovakia well and could put up new career high stats.

He would put up 9 goals and 20 assists in 34 games with a +11, but decided to leave near the end of the season for the Czech League, signing with HC Dynamo Pardubice.

For 2022/2023, he heads to the EIHL, where he is sure to become a hugely popular player and run the scoresheet with Sheffield Steelers.

9 goals and 39 assists in 54 games with a +41 rating, means he will don the Steelers‘ jersey for a 2nd straight season.

He would only manage 7 games due to injury and then decided to sit 2024/2025 out, but is back for 2025/2026 and signs a 1-year deal with Indy Fuel that should work well.

Bentley University Falcons‘ graduate defenseman Nick Bochen(5) scored a college best 9 goals and 21 assists in 40 games with a +15 rating.

The 5’9″ 170 lbs. blue liner from North Vancouver, BC signs a 1st pro contract in tier 2 Hockeyallsvenskan with Vimmerby HC for his rookie year, 2025/2026.

He did 2 successful BCHL junior seasons before 1st heading to Quinnipiac University Bobcats for 2 seasons.

We look for the 24-year old to be successful in this league.

American International College Yellowjackets‘ Russian-born junior left wing Timofei Khokhlachev(22) heads home, signing with Lada Togliatti, but starts in the lower VHL with CSK VVS Samara for 2025/2026.

The 6’4″ 216 lbs. forward scored a college best 8 goals and 10 assists in 32 games with a +5 rating last season.

He came over fairly quickly for some school and 3 years of juniors before college..

The 23-year old should compete to move up to play with his older brother Alexander.

Thunder Hockey Club 1st year right wing Evan Luxford(38) scored 13 goals and 17 assists in 52 USPHL/NCDC games last season, while also putting up nearly 100 penalty minutes.

The 5’11” 179 lbs. forward heads home for college hockey, committing to University Of Wisconsin-Stout Blue Devils for 2025/2026.

He came up from 1 year in USPHL Premier, where he blew up scoring.

From Sun Prairie, WI, the 20-year old may catch hold close to his house.

12th year right wing Brandon Yip(18) re-ups with Kunlun Red Star after taking a single COVID volatile season away, skating for Jukurit of Liiga.

It will be his 4th season with the team he served as team captain for the last couple years.

The 6’1″ 198 lbs. forward has played 174 NHL games, 103 in the AHL, 163 so far in the KHL, and a 2015 DEL Championship with Adler Mannheim, when he first arrived overseas.

He’s always been a decent scorer in these leagues but as a junior in the BCHL, he twice equaled more than point-per-game  totals in the 2 years with Coquitlam Express.

The Maple Ridge, BC native would take his game to Boston University Terriers next and strike for 22 assists as a rookie and put up 43 points (20-23) in 47 Hockey East games as a senior and help the team win the 2009 NCAA Championship.

You have to wonder if the 36-year old has it anywhere in his mind to retire soon.

He just can’t stop and returns for a 5th overall season with the China-based, Russia-league club.

Staying on as 2nd year captain, he only appears in 8 games for 2 assists.

After 347 KHL games and 7 years in the league for the newly named Shanghai Dragons, he at age 40 says it’s time to find something else for his ice time.

Bowling Green University Falcons‘ 2nd year German-born defenseman Tommy Pasanen(18) heads home for his 1st pro contract, signing with Lowen Frankfort for 2025/2026.

The big 6’4″ 218 lbs. blue liner came over for 2 USHL seasons of juniors with Sioux City Musketeers after doing youth hockey back home and Czechia.

He started college hockey with 2 fairly successful frames with Clarkson University Golden Knights.

UMASS-Lowell Riverhawks‘ Swedish-born senior defenseman Isac Jonsson(32) takes with him 138 games played, 10 goals and 41 assists with a +6 rating to a 1st deal with Kansas City Mavericks after tournament play concluded, scoring 1 goal and 1 assist in 3 ECHL games with a +1 rating.

The 5’10” 183 lbs. blue liner did 1 USHL junior season after coming across from 6 SHL games and 3 Hockeyettan.

He will return on a 1-year deal with IK Oskarshamn of HockeyAllsvenskan for 2025/2026, as a rookie.

11th year center Louie Caporusso(23) signed for a 2nd season with Cincinnati Cyclones after lighting it up for 22 goals and 44 assists in 67 ECHL games last season.

The 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward has 7 times had 10+ goals, 3 times 20+ assists and once had 30 assists in his 3rd DEL campaign.

He also had three 20+ goals and twice 20+ assists at University Of Michigan Wolverines.

Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 3rd round pick in 2007 (#90 overall), he was in their system for a couple of sessions, but left unqualified and signed the next year with Reading Royals.

He would last only 24 games before leaving for his 1st of 6 frames in Germany’s top hockey.

At 33-years old, the Toronto, ON native is likely just still having fun.

After 3 seasons of point-per-game scoring with Cincinnati Cyclones, he decides looking back on some 265 ECHL games and 216 in DEL Germany is quite enough and will at now 36-years old ease into a special team coaching role with his former, still current team.