Category: Europe

Schwenninger Wild Wings‘ 3rd year defenseman Will Weber(78) will hang around for a 4th frame, as he signs a 1-year extension through 2024/2025.

The big 6’4″ 227 lbs. blue liner doesn’t necessarily put up a lot of points, but is a fairly accountable, very large presence out there.

Originally a Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 2nd round pick in the 2007 draft (#57 overall), he only twice had 10+ assists.

The first time was his sophomore season at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks and the 2nd was his 1st session of DEL for Fischtown Pinguins.

At 35-years old, he has to be glad he’s still pulling down good contracts to play pro hockey.

Add another season, as he will skate for a 6th frame in a Wild Wings‘ jersey that he is looking mighty comfortable in lately.

And yup, he may not be playing as many games as a 37-year old, 23, but will return for more Wild Wings in 2026/2027.

American International College Yellowjackets‘ Finnish-born graduate defenseman Lauri Sertti(5) signs a contract to return home for his rookie season, Liiga with HPK 2025/2026.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. blue liner scored 1 goal and 6 assists in 37 games with a +1 rating last season.

His best scoring in college came as a junior at RPI Engineers, where he had 4 goals and 11 assists in 40 games.

He did most of his youth hockey and juniors at home until coming over for a single NAHL frame before school.

We look for the 25-year old to do pretty well in his home league.

Through 35 games, he has 1 goal and 5 assists with a -2 rating, but maybe wants to reach out to see what else there is in the pro field of hockey for him and signs in the tricky Tipsport Extraliga with HK Dukla Michalovce for the 2nd half of 2025/2026.

New York Islanders‘ 1st round pick in the 2016 draft (#19 overall), left wing Kieffer Bellows(81) signs a 1-year deal as a restricted free agent to stay.

The 6’1″ 195 lbs. forward play the entire 2020/2021 session up with the big club, but only skated 14 games, scoring 3 goals, so was either a healthy scratch or reassigned to the taxi squad.

As a 2nd year player, he would score an AHL best 22 goals and 9 assists for 31 points for affiliate Bridgeport Islanders (Sound Tigers).

The former Edina High School, MN native was selected to head to Boston University Terriers and went onto 2 very successful USHL seasons before heading to college, but only lasted there for one year before deciding to split for Portland Winterhawks.

In 56 WHL games, he scored 41 goals and 33 assists with a +40 rating.

The 23-year old is son of former NHL player of 1188 games, Brian Bellows.

He would end up playing his 1st full frame in the big league, skating a healthy 45 games, scoring a not so bad 6 goals and 13 assists that would lead to his new 1-year, 1-way deal worth a tidy $1.2M AAV.

For 2022/2023, he would start on the roster, but it was decided to waive with the intention of reporting to the minors, but Philadelphia Flyers didn’t let him sit long and pulled him in.

He’s played 3 games with his new team, and although all loses, he’s kept it simple in his 10+ minutes of play and is only a -1.

We think the now 24-year old finds his footing, sticks and starts to make an impression.

He actually doesn’t really find his footing with 3 goals through 27 games.

For 2023/2024, he signed a pto with Toronto Marlies, is scoring big, not looking back and gets a deal for the current season.

Nashville Predators see something for their weighted 2024/2025 lineup that may start with affiliate Milwaukee Admirals, but could get a call up for the 1st time in a couple of frames.

He takes some solid regular season play and point-per-game playoff looks to something new on his pro hockey playing career, a deal overseas with Brynas IF of the SHL, which should heed good results for him.

In 43 games, he has 7 goals and 7 assists with a +3 rating to earn himself an invite to be with Brynas again for 2027/2028.

4th year center Kevin Conley(20) has played most of his time in the AHL under contract to teams in the league and this year signed with Manitoba Moose for a 2nd season, but after 2 goals in 5 games has been mostly reassigned to affiliate Norfolk Admirals.

The 6’1″ 205 lbs. has 9 goals and 8 assists in 28 games in the ECHL and maybe got a little bored, so is off to find some better hockey and signs with Graz99ers of the IceHL for what’s remaining of 2025/2026.

From Wassua, WI, he did 1 year with University Of Denver Pioneers, but was maybe a little unhappy as to how it turned out despite scoring ok and returned to the USHL for a year before signing up with University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks for 4 seasons.

The 28-year old, twice captain of his college team should find some good hockey over there.

Undrafted, 2nd year left wing Blake Christensen(27) takes a weirdo COVID run rookie season with Bakersfield Condors, but only appearing in a limited 10 AHL games, getting a pair of tallies, including a game-winner.

The small 5’9″ 174 lbs. forward signs a new deal to play in the exact rink he spent his college days at, the Mass Mutual Center, inking for 2021/2022 with Springfield Thunderbirds.

He had four solid years, graduating with 48 goals, 71 assists, 119 points, while skating for an outstanding America International College Yellowjackets team in 142 Atlantic Hockey games.

The Coral Springs, FL native spent two seemingly uninspired campaigns in the USHL before leaving to the BCHL to finish up before school and produced pretty well with Wenatchee Wild.

He was also given a nice chance to play a little hockey in Fjordkraftligaen for Manglerud, connecting for a nice 4 goals and 5 assists.

We think the 25-year old is still getting his wheels on the cart.

After scoring 18 goals and 10 assists on loan to Worcester Railers, he signs a 1-year ECHL deal for 2022/2023 to stick around and pot more tallies.

He records a career best 15 assists in his 2nd frame through 35 games, but gets an offer to join HC Thurgau for their SL playoff run and jumps at the opportunity.

In 4 contests, he has a goal and 2 assists with a +2 rating, but could have suffered an injury.

For 2023/2024, he decides to return to the Railers and hopes to build on what he established with them early.

He maybe doesn’t quite score as much as he did in his rookie campaign, but has a new high assists with 15.

New league club Tahoe Knight Monsters see the upside in his game and sign him for 2024/2025.

He is actually traded to Kalamazoo Wings, where he continues scoring, but in his 2nd run with the team isn’t going quite as well and he is waived only to be picked up quick by Rapid City Rush to see if they can find those points in his game again.

Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ graduate defenseman Griffin Mendel(77) had his best college scoring season with his new school, almost equaling 4 years of totals he had at his initial one, University Of Denver Pioneers.

He takes his game to the pro level upon finishing up a 5th year of school and signs with Chicago Wolves for the rest of the AHL 2021/2022.

The towering 6’6″ 220 lbs. blue liner played a couple years of junior hockey, sort of close to home in Kelowna, BC for Penticton Vees and skated an equal 52 games, en route to a 2017 BCHL Championship in his 2nd session.

We think it’s his NCAA Division 1 +53 rating that gets the 23-year old the most notice.

In 10 games, he gets 2 assists with a +5 rating and then gets into 1 playoff contest, but leaves a +2.

The Kelowna, BC native is staying put for what will be his rookie season, 2022/2023

With 9 goals and 10 assists in his 1st frame, the big d-man earns himself a handsome 1-year NHL entry level deal from parent club Carolina Hurricanes.

He wasn’t really scoring, until he was reassigned down to Norfolk Admirals, where he finally struck for 3 goals and 3 assists in 8 games with a +3 rating

For 2024/2025, he takes his game to Czech Extraliga and signs with Rytiri Kladno.

In 52 games, he gets 1 goal and 5 assists with a -1 rating to get himself a new deal for 2025/2026.

He continues to do well and is offered a 1-year extension to continue with Kladno.

8th year right wing Riley Barber(11) signs a 1-year deal with Dallas Stars for 2022/2023, as an unrestricted free agent, coming out of 2 years of contracts with Detroit Red Wings.

The 6′ 194 lbs. forward is off to another quick start this season, scoring 3 goals and 2 assists in 6 AHL games for affiliate Texas Stars.

He once had north of 30 goals and 4 times passed the 20+ tally mark and on 3 occasions had 20+ assists.

Originally a Washington Capitals‘ 6th round pick in the 2012 draft (#167 overall), he stayed in their system for 4 years after burning a hole through the college score sheet with Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks.

The 28-year old has somehow skated in 16 NHL games but not registered a point.

You have to think he’ll get another opportunity where he is this season.

He manages a very good, career high 32 goals and 32 assists in 69 games for the Cedar Park team and will next take his scoring abilities to the KHL, signing a 1-year deal with Barys Astana for 2023/2024.

While scoring 10 goals and 13 assists in 28 games, he still finds himself on the move and will head to AK Bars Kazan for the rest of the season.

He does ok, but signs with his 3rd team, Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, where he scores well with 16 goals and 14 assists, but lacks a little with a -13 on ice accountability.

For 2025/2026, he decides to move to Germany and ERC Ingolstadt step right in to ink him to a DEL deal.

He absolutely blows up scoring to the tune of 27 goals and 29 assists in 46 games with a +24 rating to conservatively only signing for another year in 2026/2027, Ingolstadt.

Maine Mariners welcome back 3rd year right wing Lewis Zerter-Gossage(37) for 2021/2022.

He would have likely returned last season, if the team had not elected to take the COVID busted 2020/2021 campaign off, but instead decided to play elsewhere, signing with Blue Devils Weiden of Germany3.

The 6’2″ 195 lbs. forward skated 13 ECHL games on reassignment by contract club Hartford Wolf Pack as an AHL rookie.

He also appeared in 8 games with Reading Royals after a trade sent his rights over.

The former Harvard University Crimson senior captain was a three-time 20+ point getter in college hockey and heading into a new year that’s hopefully completely straightforward will put up new career highs.

After 17 games, scoring 7 goals and 7 assists, he re-signs to stay in Maine for 2022/2023.

He also scored an 8 game loan up to Tuscon Roadrunners, where he picked up a couple of assists.

For 2022/2023, he heads to DEL and signs with Eisbaren Berlin, but late in the season is loaned down to Lausitzer Fuchse, where he does better in DEL2.

He would jump around in the league and back, but for 2025/2026 agreed to terms with Starbulls Rosenheim, where he looks to be scoring and settling to earn a 3-year extension through 2028/2029.

Undrafted 4th year defenseman Tariq Hammond(25) re-ups for a 3rd season with South Carolina Stingrays.

The former University Of Denver Pioneers‘ senior captain skated a season in the AHL with Binghamton Devils and signed with them on an ato upon graduation.

He may have only had limited scoring through college, but a solid +28 rating.

The 6’2″ 194 lbs. d-man already has a +38 through 101 games heading into 2021/2022.

He would come away from last season with a career best 15 assists and 18 points and was loaned up on a couple of occasions.

The 28-year old from Calgary, AB is going exploring and signs for 2022/2023 with HK Dukla Michalovce of Slovak Extraliga.

He has himself a very full and seemingly fairly decent run in Slovakia, scoring 2 goals and 9 assists in 50 games, then adding another 6 in 15 playoff matchups and will take it to DEL2 and suit up for Eisbären Regensburg. in 2023/2024.

After a best scoring season with new high 17 assists and a 2024 Championship, he signs with rivals Dresdner Eislowen and has another good frame and wins a 2nd straight 2025 Championship.

He takes this to a contract with the same team in the higher DEL, but leaves 44 games in to join Dusseldorfer EG for the rest of the 2025/2026 run.

3rd year left wing Lincoln Griffin(44) has skated most of his first two years in the SPHL, but on a pair of loans he scored 3 goals and 2 assists in 13 ECHL games as a rookie.

For 2021/2022 he agrees to terms on a new deal with Indy Fuel.

The former Northeastern University Huskies‘ forward was a decent scorer at college, taking his totals up to new highs as a senior (7-14-21) with a +20 rating.

He was a big scorer through 4 years at Thayer Academy.

The 24-year old from Walpole, MA should be able to elevate his game in the higher league.

He would actually end up playing the entire 2021/2022 frame with Cincinnati Cyclones, scoring an almost bananas, best by a mile 21 goals and 25 assists in 57 games.

There’s little doubt he would be invited back to try to win the whole league thing.

He is taking a very good 2nd frame with the team from Ohio to a new adventure, signing a 1-year deal with HK Nitra to play his next games in Slovak Extraliga 2023/2024.

Only managing to get into 12 games over there, scoring 1 goal and 1 assist, he decides to return home to the team he knows and obviously likes a lot, having spent more than 100 games with in the Cyclones for 2023/2024.

Another solid season of getting points and he is back for a 3rd swing through Cincinnati and may be searching for a home.

He goes on to score new bests in his 4th frame with 25 goals and 27 assists in 70 games with a +7 rating and he will be back for more as a Cyclones again.

In 39 games, he has 7 goals and 9 assists, but a miserable -19, so is traded to Jacksonville Icemen to hopefully improve his fortunes.