Category: Europe

02Feb

Nolan Vesey (11)

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3rd year center Nolan Vesey(11) is off to his best start with a pair of goals and an assist in 5 ECHL games with new contract club, Worcester Railers.

The North Reading, MA native sort came home to a degree, signing with the close to home team for 2021/2022.

A one-time Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 6th round pick in the 2014 draft (#158 overall), he was chosen after an exceptional one year of junior hockey for South Shore Kings USPHL Premiere team, and then went on to attend University Of Maine Black Bears for 4 seasons, but never signed.

He was three times a 10+ goals and 10+ assists player in Hockey East.

The 6′ 185 lbs., 26-year old forward seems to be a bit of an underachiever, considering his brother Jimmy is a full-time NHL skater.

After throwing in a career high by a long shot 12 goals and 28 assists with a +13 rating in 62 games as assistant captain last season and a 3-game loan up to Springfield Thunderbirds, he decides to stick around in central MA for a 2nd run.

He posts a career best 13 goals last season in the lower league, but his eyes are open for opportunities leading in his next stage and he maybe a tiny bit oddly late signs with DVTK Jegesmedvek of Erste Liga for the remainder of the frame.

31Jan

Tyler Hinam (20)

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2nd year right wing Tyler Hinam(20) re-signs to stay with Maine Mariners for 2022/2023 after a decent successful rookie season, scoring 8 goals and 13 assists in 31 ECHL games with a +7 rating.

The Cole Harbour, NS native played 4 successful season with Rouyn-Noranda Huskies winning both the 2019 QMJHL and Memorial Cup Championships.

At 6’1″ 194 lbs., he’s a bit of a power forward.

For the next two seasons, while COVID loomed, he decided to attend Arcadia University Axemen, but only managed to skate 3 USports‘ games.

The 23-year old should see some loans up to the AHL in his future if he can continue scoring.

He did get loaned up to Belleville Senators for 4 games, scoring 1 assist.

For 2023/2024, he branches out and signs with Manchester Storm of the EIHL, where he should see his game reach new heights.

He has wracked up 12 goals and 13 assists in 29 games with a +3 and is a fan favorite to earn him a new deal to stay in Manch through 2025/2026.

26Jan

Hugo Reinhardt (13)

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Rookie center Hugo Reinhardt(13) heads home to Sweden signing for 2020/2021 with Timra IK of Allsvenskan after 4 years at American International College, which follow a single USHL campaign for Fargo Force after undergoing most of his earlier hockey with Frolunda HC.

The 5’11” 201 lbs. forward had 5 goals and 3 assists with a +3 rating in 51 games as a rookie, heading into the qualifiers.

We think it would be almost bizarre if the 24-year didn’t build his game and play himself into a contract in the upper SHL before too long.

For 2022/2023, he leaves Sweden for the EIHL and signs with Dundee Stars.

We think his game will find more success in this league.

He scores a bit of a disappointing 5 goals and 9 assists with a -23 on a team that struggled for wins and will next take his game to Ligue Magnus, agreeing to 2023/2024 with Anglet Hormadi.

After 24 games with only 3 goals and 3 assists and a dreadful -17 rating, he ups and leaves for the new BeNe Liga, joining Liege Bulldogs for the remainder of 2024 on the schedule.

23Jan

Jake Witkowski (83)

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Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ transfer portal, graduate right wing Jake Witkowski(83) has made a good decision trading 4 seasons at Hockey East, Boston University Terriers for Atlantic Hockey.

in 6 games, he almost unbelievably has outpaced anything he did previously, as those became his first college tallies.

The 5’10” 180 lbs. forward played 4 years at Malden Catholic High, which was near to where he was born in Melrose, MA,

He would leave for a year at Avon Old Farms School, lighting it up for 13 goals and 27 assists in 27 games, then head off to the BCHL.

Signed for his only junior campaign with Alberni Valley Bulldogs, he continued to gain notice with 23 goals and 17 assists and agreed to head to his first school.

It will be interesting to see what the 25-year old ends up with and where he looks to take his hockey next.

He scores a college career best 5 goals and 6 assists in 32 games with a +6 rating and signs a rookie contract with Pensacola Ice Flyers just as the season starts.

In 2 SPHL games, he has an assist.

He will likely find room in this league to put the puck in the back of the net.

After 9 games last season, scoring 2 goals and 1 assist, he leaves for the 2nd tier league NIHL, signing with Leeds Knights and putting up a bundle of points, 46 (16-30) in 26 games.

He waits a tiny bit, but re-signs to head back to the small English town team for 2023/2024.

21Jan

Alex Wideman (10)

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7th year pro, right wing Alex Wideman(10) takes a solid season for Denmark’s Rungsted Seier Capital, getting 13 goals and 28 assists in 47 games en route to a 2021 Metal Ligaen Championship to a new opportunity in Ligue Magnus with Bordeaux.

It’s the small 5’8″ 168 lbs. forward third year overseas, producing as he did through 244 ECHL games, potting 76 goals and 128 assists.

The St. Louis, MO native played his college hockey for Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks, and as a 29-year old should continue to be able to take his game higher for at least the next few years.

After a solid frame in France, scoring a career 2nd best 36 assists in 43 games, he decides to return home in 2022/2023 to the team he’s played over 120 games with, Indy Fuel.

He scores a career high 50 assists last season and waits out signing for the new frame a little, before deciding to return to Cincinnati Cyclones to try to get up past 100 games played with that team.

19Jan

Aaron Miller (17)

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3rd year right wing Aaron Miller(17) returned home after 2 years away, first in Finland’s tier 2 Mestis, then in Ligue Magnus, connecting very decently in both spots on the scoresheet.

The 5’9″ 172 lbs. forward initially signed with Wichita Thunder to come back, but was eventually dealt for the last 5 ECHL games to Norfolk Admirals, where he has 1 goal.

He played 4 years at Bemidji State University Beavers, where he twice was a 10+ goal scorer and assists.

The 28-year old from Superior, WI did 2 years of prolific scoring in the NAHL with Minnesota Wilderness.

05Jan

Taylor Brierley (2)

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Defenseman Taylor Brierley(2) decided to enter the transfer portal and leave 4 years at Union College Dutchmen, where he didn’t get to play in 2020/2021 for Wilkes University Colonels.

From a scoring perspective it worked wonders as he struck for 3 goals and 22 assists in 24 D3 games.

The 5’10” 175 lbs. blue liner had 10+ assists through 2 years of USHL juniors, most recently with Dubuque Fighting Saints.

He will take his new scoring prowess to a deal with Chambery of France2.

The 25-year old from East Grand Forks, MN seems to be starting a little low on the pro hockey chain, but look for him to move up quickly.

In 12 games, he scores 3 assists, but decides to head back, closer to home, signing again with Birmingham Bulls, scoring 1 goal and 6 assists in 17 SPHL games with a +19 rating, which gets noticed and loaned up to Fort Wayne Komets, quite a nicely ECHL landing spot.

21Dec

Chris Brown (11)

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11th year center Chris Brown(11) takes 4 seasons with Nurnberg Tigers and trades it in to return to Iserlohn Roosters, the team he started with overseas, for 2022/2023.

The 6’3″ 214 lbs. forward was originally a Phoenix Coyotes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#36 overall) and was in their system for only about a year and a half before being traded to Washington Capitals. , where he arguably had his best success, but still only played 23 NHL games with 2 goals, 1 assist and a +1 rating.

He’s a 3-time 10+ goal scorer and 20+ assist guy in DEL.

The 31-year old former 3-year University Of Michigan Wolverines from Flower Mound, TX keeps on ticking very nicely.

For 2023/2024, he will start a new adventure at now 32-years old and head to Slovak Extraliga to suit up for HC Slovan Bratislava.

He scores kind of big in Austria with 14 goals in 24 games and decides to head back to Germany and signs with Schwenninger Wild Wings.

21Dec

Jake Fuss (13)

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Rookie right wing Jake Fuss(13) will take 4 SPHL games for Huntsville Havoc, scoring a 1st pro goal off to a new adventure, signing for the remainder of 2023/2024 in BeNeLiga with EG Diez-Limburg Rockets.

The 6′ 170 lbs., former University Of New England Nor’easters‘ twice 10+ goals and high 20+ assists scorer will likely do very well in this Belgium/Netherland-based league.

From Fairfield, CT he blew up scoring in the EHL before getting drafted into the NAHL, where he did also 1 successful 20+ goal and assist year before heading to school.

The 25-year old likely just wants a good spot to play some pro hockey.

30Nov

Andy Welinski (45)

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Calgary Flames‘ 6th year defenseman Andy Welinski(45) has been spending time in 2021/2022 with affiliate Stockton Heat, putting up 2 goals with 12 assists and a +11 rating, helping a very good team win.

The 6’1″ 205 lbs. blue liner could easily score himself an NHL recall.

He played 14 games last season for a 2nd time for original entry level contract club Anaheim Ducks and maybe didn’t get any points, but was a nice +4 rating.

The former University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs averaged 6 goals and 10+ assists a season.

He also won the 2012 USHL Clark Cup Championship with Green Bay Gamblers before heading to school, so has that in his hockey pedigree.

At 28-years old, he only taking small bites off the apple for contracts and that just could be the way it plays out for him.

For 2022/2023, he signs a new 1-year, lucrative 2-way deal with New York Rangers, but will likely spend the majority of his time working with the youngsters for affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack.

He was a very solid plus player through regular season and playoffs.

Although he never appeared with the main club, he becomes a piece of trade bait at the deadline and is shipped to Chicago Blackhawks, where he could actually play in a game or two.

After 8 games with Utica Comets, he is waived and not long after, for a first time signs overseas with Lowen Frankfort of DEL to continue.