Category: Europe

Undrafted, Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ graduate center Lee Lapid(28) agrees to a 1st pro deal with Cincinnati Cyclones for 2022/2023.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. power forward scored a college career tying 11 goals and new best 12 assists and 23 points in 33 NCAA Division 1 games with a +6 rating as a senior.

A Thornhill, ON native, he played 3 seasons in the OJHL, really lighting things up as a 3rd year player.

The 24-year old is going to be a great ECHL rookie.

He scored 13 goals and 29 assists in 59 games with a +33 rating and for his 2nd frame with the club is very much in line with 8 goals, 19 assists in 34 with a +18 and he eyes some better hockey to play, signing with SaiPa of the Finnish elite league Liiga going forward.

in 14 games, he grabs 2 assists and they want him to return for 2024/2025, back in a Sputniks‘ uniform.

He actually reconsiders and elects to sign with a bit closer to home Abbotsford Canucks for the upcoming frame.

Sent to Kalamazoo Wings, he skated 47 games, scoring 10 goals and 17 assists with a +3 rating.

A free agent, heading into 2025/2026, he signs a 1-year deal with Indy Fuel.

In 62 games, he scores a new best 15 goals with a +6 rating, but for 2026/2027, he elects to sign with Idaho Steelheads and could definitely show another scoring increase.

Colgate University Raiders‘ senior left wing Levi Glasman(20) signs in the newly named CEHL for 2024/2025, agreeing with Golden Sharks Mechelen.

He was never a big scorer through college, his junior year scoring 3 goals and 6 assists was his best.

The 6’2″ 174 lbs. forward will likely score better in this league, as he did and was a 20+ goal and assist scorer in 3 years of the BCHL.

From Minnedosa, MB, the 25-year old is out seeing what kind of pro game he’s got.

He would score big and move on fairly quickly to France2 with Valenciennes and continue to points and sign on for a full campaign.

For 2026/2027, he heads off to Italy2 and agrees with Varese for 2026/2027.

Yale University Bulldogs‘ senior left wing Cole Donhauser(23) takes a new, modest college best scoring 6 goals and 7 assists in 27 games with a +1 rating on a terrible team to a 1st pro contract with Coventry Blaze for 2023/2024.

The 6′ 195 lbs. forward should find room in the EIHL to score more than he has in school.

From Kenmore, NY, he played only 1 BCHL season for Chilliwack Chiefs.

The 23-year old is likely ready to get started.

Through 7 games, he nets 2 assists, but may be yearning for hockey a little closer to home, so signs for the remainder of 2024 with Idaho Steelheads.

He lasts just 2 games there and is traded to Greenville Swamp Rabbits.

After a not so amazing 2023/2024, he signs on for what he hopes is his rookie season with Worcester Railers, 2024/2025.

He does come to play with his new club, scoring 10 goals and 19 assists in 71 games and is easily invited to return a Railers for 2025/2026.

Another 9 goals and 18 assists in 68 games and he is staying in a Railers jersey for 2026/2027.

2nd year left wing Colton Sipperly(26) returns from a successful rookie season swing through France3, scoring almost point-per-game numbers, he takes to a new contract for 2026/2027 with Fayetteville Marksmen.

The 5’10” 174 lbs. forward played 4 years at SUNY Canton Roos, leaving as a senior with a college hockey best 10 assists and 13 points.

From Tampa, FL, the 25-year old did 2 years of juniors before school and we think could strike well in the SPHL.

Castleton University Spartans‘ Hungarian-born senior left wing Balint Mesterhazy(71) scored best as a freshman with 2 goals and 6 assists in 25 games, but heads home and signs in Erste Liga with Dunaujvarosi Acelbikak for 2026/2027.

The 5’10” 181 lbs. forward did youth hockey back home, but came over for 2 years of junior hockey and even did almost a full 30 game rookie season in the league he is going to before heading to school.

We will see if the 24-year old has better luck on the scoring sheet as a pro.

Undrafted 6th year, left wing J.C. Campagna(93) comes off a season, where he skated only 4 ECHL games for Florida Everblades and Wichita Thunder, but mostly took 2020/2021 off.

He has played 171 games in the league, scoring 65 goals and 58 assists.

The 6’4″ 205 lbs. power forward played in three junior leagues (OJHL, OHL and QMJHL) before turning his sights on St. Thomas University Tommies for two years, then University Of Prince Edward Island Panthers for one before turning pro with Adirondack Thunder, potting 6 goals and 4 assists in 16 games.

Nothing strange about that, except the former Ohio Blue Jackets 16U AAA is a Dallas, TX native.

The 28-year old signs with Toledo Walleye for 2021/2022 and we think that could be a super-charged good choice to pocket some career point totals.

He actually switched out his signing to Allen Americans more than midway through the frame, scoring 10 goals and 5 assists in 21 games to agreeing to a new contract for 2022/2023 with Tulsa Oilers, which should be an awesome resting space for him.

Not exactly sure what happened in Oklahoma, but it wasn’t necessarily bad stats, yet he decides to switch things up big and leaves for HC Presov of Slovak Extraliga and already has 4 goals and 1 assist in 4 games, so must be liking it alright.

He actually scores 6 goals and 6 assists in 17 games, but maybe his -10 wasn’t all that great, so left for DEL2, signing with EHC Freiburg, maybe taking it up a little in the playoffs.

For 2023/2024 though, he decides to return and signs with Utah Grizzlies.

He played in only 12 games, getting 1 goal and 4 assists.

It’s taken maybe a little bit to decide where to head next and will once again head across the pond and signs in Slovakia2 with MHK Humenne.

He was limited to only 4 games, but hammered home 2 goals.

For 2025/2026, he returns to shores and signs with Worcester Railers, who will welcome his size into their lineup.

After being let go before skating for his new team, Grizzlies steps back in to give him a contract.

He appeared in only 3 games, recording 1 assist last year and for 2026/2027 circles back to Worcester, where he will look to roll into their regular lineup.

4th year center Nolan Yaremko(57) has success scoring EIHL for Cardiff Devils in limited usage, then picks up 4 points in 4 playoff games to seal the deal of his 2026/2027 return.

The 6’1″ 205 lbs. forward, former Tri-City Americans turned pro for a bit, even scoring a 1st AHL goal, but decided to head to Mount Royal University Cougars for a degree and managed to blow up scoring in the process.

When he did turn pro, it looked to be a bit of a wonder as to why he was being reassigned, but when he was with Trois Riviere Lions was a point-per-game skater.

He split for DEL2 from there and did well, but headed for England after 1 season and is looking good.

Curry College Colonels‘ center Timmy Kent(28) is currently tied for tops in NCAA Division 3 hockey scoring with 10 goals and 16 assists in 11 games, which has already surpassed his previous helpers’ high, but he still has a ways to go to reach the 21 strikes he had as a junior.

Injury forced him to the sidelines for his entire last frame at school, but he got healthy to sign a 1st pro deal with Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs that saw him score pretty effectively SPHL to get a loan up to Iowa Heartlanders with a 3 goal and 4 assists showing in 22 ECHL games.

For 2025/2026, he was set to return, but a trade sends him to rivals Fayettesville Marksmen, where we look for him to score well again and move up.

Well, he again scores well in the league, worth 3 goals and 8 assists in 14 games with a +7 rating, but once again is on the move and goes to Birmingham Bulls, who can use him.

He is scoring decently with his new club, but maybe wants something a little more, different and signs with EHC Konigsbrunn of Germany4.

Returning after only 6 games away, he signs with Knoxville Ice Bears and scores 5 goals and 8 assists in 18 SPHL games, then another 5 points in the playoffs and he is an easy invite to be back for 2026/2027.

In 2 games, he got an assist.

We did a Twitter interview with him that speaks for the rest:

Question 1: You’re from Parkland, FL, yet somehow decided to attend Lawrence Academy up here in Groton for high school. How did that happen and why?

TK: I decided to look at Prep Schools because the exposure playing in Florida wasn’t great at the time and for Florida players the options to continue playing competitively and be seen by colleges were either AAA or prep schools in New England. I decided education wise and for hockey that would be a good path to take. I decided on Lawrence because of the culture and reputation their program had at the time. I loved my time at Lawrence, we had some great teams and I made a lot of lifetime friends there.

Question 2: You stuck around MA to next play USPHL/NCDC junior hockey for Junior Bruins, but were maybe traded to Syracuse after the first month or so and played a little while with them before…heading to University Of New England Nor’easters. What was up with that? How did that come about? And talk about your experience with that team.

TK: At that time I felt ready to go to school and UNE had a good program and I had some friends there that liked the school and were really enjoying their time there and they kind of swayed me in that direction. My experience there was a good one and I met a lot of great people I still keep in touch with.

Question 3: You would decide to return to junior hockey for another session and signed maybe a slight level up in the NAHL with at least New England-based Maine Nordiques and shot assists out of a cannon for the team. Why did you leave school and what made you head to play in the NAHL. Did they somehow draft you, as you said you wanted to be eligible?

TK: I went back to Juniors because I felt like it was the right move get my confidence back. I enjoyed my time at UNE and met unbelievable people I’m still close with. But hockey wise it didn’t seem like I would get the opportunity there and I still had a year left of junior eligibility. I ended up in Maine because of Matt Pinchevsky who was the assistant Coach for the Nordiques at the time, now he’s the Head Coach. We had a close relationship that stemmed from our Florida roots and I told him the situation I was in and he opened up a spot for me, which I’ll be forever grateful for.

Question 4: After another 3rd frame in juniors, you were ready to head back to school? Why Curry?

TK: I chose Curry because they are a Boston based school who is in the CCC conference which is one of the better leagues in the country at the D3 level. I knew they always had really good teams here and the team culture and cohesiveness was outstanding when I came to visit. Coach Pinchevsky who I spoke about was a Curry graduate and we thought that it was the best fit.

Question 5: You’re currently tied for the scoring lead in D3 hockey. Congratulations on the hard work done paying off. You have a new career high in assists with 15, but do you think you’ll match those 21 goals set last season where you’re at now? I’m thinking it’s possible.

TK: I’m not sure if I’ll match that total but my production is a testament to my line mates and how there good they’ve been this year. My main focus is just helping Curry win however I can. We have a great team this year and a real shot at winning a CCC championship and more so we’re all excited about that challenge and looking for the second half.

Question 6 and our final one: You’re listed as 4 years in college, yet are only considered a sophomore. Can you explain that?

TK: Haha I think I’m listed as a junior, but because I was at UNE for a half a semester credit wise I’m still a Junior. I think eligibility wise I am as well.

Thank you to Timmy Kent for answering our questions. We hope you enjoyed reading our feature.

Florida Everblades‘ 6th year center Joe Widmar(72) was just obtained from Allen Americans, where he seemed to struggle with only 3 assists in 14 games after starting the season decently for the lowly Norfolk Admirals, scoring 5 goals and 4 assists in 13 contests.

The big 6’1″ 210 lbs. forward has struggled to stay with one team for an entire frame, except for his one complete season overseas, where he skated 26 Polish Hockey League games for Cracovia Krakow.

A former 2-year UMass Minutemen wasn’t a big scorer in college before turning pro.

The 27-year old from Northbrook, IL still can be an elite player in the ECHL, but needs to not get traded.

He has definitely struggled in the higher league some, as he started the 2024/2025 frame with Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs and scored 3 goals and 6 assists in 2 SPHL games to earn a quick loan up, but there he has been perplexed hitting the scoresheet.

With only 1 assist in 20 games, he moves for a 3rd time, claimed from waivers by Fort Wayne Komets, where he hopes to find luck.

He signs with Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs for 2026/2027 and scores 28 goals and 49 assists in 58 SPHL games with a +8 rating, then adds another 5 points in the playoffs.

It’s all impressive enough for Reading Royals to sign him for 2026/2027.