Trois-Rivières Lions‘ rookie defenseman, Latvian-born defenseman Markuss Komuls(23) will take his pro game closer to home in 2024/2025, signing with HC Nove Zamky of the tough to play Slovak Extraliga.
The 6′ 190 lbs. blue liner came over early for junior hockey and played his way up from an EHL season to the NAHL for 3, earning a commit to University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks, where he skated 4 seasons.
We think the 26-year old does well there to continue to gain recognition.
Undrafted defenseman Zach Vinnell(6) will take his game to Bowling Green University Falcons for his senior year, leaving behind 3 seasons and a college career junior season at Merrimack College Warriors, scoring 4 goals and 12 assists in 35 NCAA Division 1 games.
The 6’1″ 185 lbs. blue liner from Cochrane, AB played 3 years of junior hockey in the close by AJHL.
We think the 24-year old scored himself a nice invite to Edmonton Oilers‘ development camp and will likely see some mature ice time in the CCHA.
Although he only scored 1 goal with his new college team, he did manage a best 19 assists.
He will take his recent fortunes to a 1st pro deal with Indy Fuel to finish out the season.
In 16 games to debut his pro game, he scores 1 goal and 9 assists with a 0 rating, then added 1 assist in 2 playoff matchups.
He’s taking his game elsewhere for 2023/2024, as he signs on to strengthen the blue line for 1-year with Glasgow Clan of the EIHL.
After 15 games, 1 goal 4 assists, he seemingly leaves and signs with Sheffield Steelers, who seem very happy to have him in their lineup.
He would do pretty well with 1 goal and 4 assists through 15 games with a +12 rating.
Something isn’t gelling on ice though and the 26-year old decides to retire and as soon as 2024/2025 will take up ranks as an assistant coach with rivals, Coventry Blaze.
10th year center Domenic Alberga(88) leaves his team of the last 5 seasons, HC Bolzano to sign with Dundee Stars of the EIHL for 2024/2025.
The 6’2″ 209 lbs. forward maybe didn’t have the year he was used to and wants to switch things up.
He played 4 ECHL sessions to start his pro career, 3 with Norfolk Admirals and was loaned up in his final frame that maybe had him looking for more and headed overseas.
From Maple, ON, he played 4 OHL junior campaigns before heading to Ryerson University Rams for 2.
The 31-year old keeps it going.
Elmira College Soaring Eagles‘ senior left wing Nicholas Domitrovic(8) signs for 2024/2o25 in France2 with Les Ours-de-Villard.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. forward scored a college best 18 goals and 20 assists in 28 games with a +25 rating last season.
From Ottawa, ON, he did 3 CCHL seasons before committing to college.
We do think the 24-year old will do well with the 2023/2024 league champs next season.
American International College Yellowjackets‘ Finnish-born freshman defenseman Tomi Leppanen(5) wins himself a 2022 USHL Clark Cup Championship in his 1st junior season with Sioux City Musketeers.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. blue liner doesn’t stick though, as he signs for 2024/2025 with IPK of the tier 2 Mestis.
He had 3 goals and 6 assists in 40 games with a +8 rating.
The 21-year old will no doubt be happier and should do well in this league back home.
Rookie center Todd Burgess(48) signs his first pro contract with Manitoba Moose for 2021/2022.
The big 6’2″ 195 lbs. power forward will likely step right into his game when he gets to the AHL.
He graduated from Minnesota State University (Mankato) Mavericks after doing 4 years at RPI Engineers, connecting for 27 goals and 35 assists in 127 NCAA Division 1 games.
That was nothing compared to what the 25-year old, Phoenix, AZ native did in his last season of juniors for Fairbanks Ice Dogs, wracking up 95 points (38-57) in 60 NAHL games with a +25 ratings, then added another 5 goals and 9 assists in 12 playoff contests.
This output got him on the radar of Ottawa Senators, who drafted him in the 4th round of 2016 (#103 overall) but failed to get him under contract.
We think this could just be the start.
He maybe rounded out last season with some games down with Newfoundland Growlers, where he was very close to being a point-per-game player, but did also nab 7 goals and 6 assists as a rookie.
The big man stays in the league, but moves to a divisional foe for 2022/2023, Milwaukee Admirals.
Mostly reassigned to play with the not so good ECHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals, he still busts out some numbers scoring.
He next looks at something a bit different to skate and signs in Slovak Extraliga with HK Spisska Nova Ves and ran up the scoresheet big with 19 goals and 18 assists in 45 games with a +13 rating.
Not sure why is not continuing, unless he eyes something better by heading to HockeyAllsvenskan for 2024/2025, agreeing to terms with Mora IK and we suspect he will do exceedingly well again.
4th year defenseman Cooper Zech(68) gets a little bit of a new lease on hockey life with a trade that sends him from a very decent season with Lehigh Valley Phantoms, scoring a goal and 10 assists with a +3 rating and their parent club Philadelphia Flyers in an early season dish to Chicago Blackhawks, where he’s expected to report to Rockford Icehogs.
The 5’9″ 161 lbs. blue liner only spent 1 year at Ferris State University Bulldogs before turning pro on a 2-year entry level deal with Boston Bruins.
He put up a huge amount of assists in his one BCHL junior campaign for Wenatchee Wild, amassing 58 assists in 58 games.
The 23-year old from South Lyon, MI, who had a successful little swing on loan to Slovakia with HK Nitra during the pandemic, will likely always have to prove himself.
At the trade deadline, he finds himself moved as a pawn in the deal that sends Patrick Kane to New York Rangers.
He may was a bit under-utilized in suburban Chicago, but should get more efforts with Hartford Wolf Pack, if not reassigned further done for a bit.
Reassigned down to Indy Fuel, he played only 1 game with the team.
For 2023/2024, he returns for a full session, signing a 1-year deal with HC Kosice of Slovak Extraliga.
He does well here, scoring 3 goals and 15 assists in 32 games with a +13 rating in a very tough league, but has maybe been wooed to join the EIHL and signs with Nottingham Panthers for 2024/2025.
Maine Mariners bring back last season’s leading scorer, 3rd year right wing Mathew Santos(16) after scoring a handy 26 goals and 33 assists with a +3 rating.
After 4 years in the OHL, the 6′ 183 lbs. forward played a single season for Toledo Walleye as a rookie, but then took a season off before departing for Ryerson University Rams, where he spent the next three years though only played his 1st two there and maybe got COVID knocked for his 3rd.
It will be zero surprise to see the 27-year old Etobicoke, ON native add to his ECHL totals.
For a 2nd straight season he blows the lid off scoring with 16 goals and 28 assists in 38 games, while getting loaned up to Milwaukee Admirals for 17 AHL games.
He will try to take his game up a notch, signing for 2023/2024 in Slovak Extraliga with HC Dukla Michalovce.
An amazing season, scoring 22 goals and 14 assists through 46 games, then adds another 8 points in 6 playoff matchups with a +7, but he oddly signs in DEL2 for 2024/2025 with Ravensburg Towerstars.
Union College Dutchmen senior right wing Tyler Watkins(13) is heading to Erste Liga for his rookie season, signing with Dunaujvarosi Acelbikak.
The 5’9″ 176 lbs. forward played his NAHL junior hockey close to home, Hermantown, MN with Minnesota Wilderness.
He was a big USHS-MN scorer.
The 24-year old is bound to do well in this Hungarian/Romanian pro league.
Undrafted defenseman Greg Moro(3) takes a pair of seasons under AHL contract with Stockton Heat, but spending the majority of his time, 44 ECHL games with affiliate Kansas City Mavericks to a new adventure overseas, signing with SaiPa of Liiga for 2022/2023.
The 6’4″ 205 lbs. blue liner did get a goal in each of his years up with the contract club and even connected with 6 assists in 13 games last frame to likely get him the look in Finland’s top league.
He spent a very productive and highly accountable four seasons at Clarkson University Golden Knights, leaving a +28 rating.
The 26-year old from Edmonton, AB will definitely need to continue to elevate his game in this tough hockey, but could easily blend in nicely as well.
He actually spends the better part of two seasons in Finland’s highest hockey before switching to Czech Extraliga late last season with HC Kometa Brno.
For 2024/2025, he spots probably the best decision for him moving forward and signs with Steinbach Black Wings Linz of IceHL.
