Category: Europe

01Oct

Adam Rockwood (61)

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5th year center Adam Rockwood(61) takes a career year with 33 assists and 39 points for AIK of HockeyAllsvenskan to a new challenge, joining HC Innsbruck to skate IceHL for 2023/2024.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. had 40 assists as a junior transfer to Northern Michigan University Wildcats, then 28 as a senior.

He won a 2014 BCHL Championship with hometown junior team Coquitlam Express as a 2nd year player before heading to his 1st school, University Of Wisconsin Badgers.

The 27-year old from Coquitlam, BC may continue to play himself up through leagues overseas or could come back and light the ECHL again.

He comes away from his 1st year in Austria, with a career high 33 assists and +25 rating and decides to stay, but signs with rivals, Asiago for 2024/2025.

Slovak Extraliga is calling his name and he is heading there to skate for HC Ducla Michalovce.

29Sep

Chris Wideman (6)

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11th year defenseman Chris Wideman(6) re-ups with Montreal Canadiens for another two years after recording a career high 23 assists in 2020/2021 for a last place club.

He signed a one-year deal upon his other new high point mark, 9 goals and 32 assists for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in his sole year away in the KHL, where he was named tops in his position.

The 5’10” 185 lbs. blue liner definitely knows how to run up the totals on helpers, as he did in 2nd and 3rd years under contract to draft team Ottawa Senators (4th round 2009 #100 overall) with affiliate Binghamton Senators, hitting 42.

He also reached 20 twice as a junior and senior at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks.

This should be the 32-year old’s 6th full season playing in the NHL and he’s worked hard for every second.

After not playing any games last season, the now 34-year old decides to retire and has yet to announce where he will land next, but is assuredly going some place good to help out a team.

He hangs up those skates after 291 games in the big league and 280 in the AHL, 59 in Russia during the COVID swing and 143 NCAA Division 1.

No word in hockey where he may land next, but until then will help his wife with the beauty salons they opened together, which will keep him plenty busy.

29Sep

Jake Flynn (16)

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University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ graduate, captain defenseman Jake Flynn(18) is one of 2 players, who did 5 years at the school.

The 6′ 181 lbs. blue liner played his 4th 30+ game set, and probably would have in 2020/2021, if his team played that many games.

From Weymouth, MA, the 22-year old played no junior hockey before committing.

He becomes a very interesting hockey watch when Hockey East playoffs are done.

We knew this entry wouldn’t wait long before an update: 2 weeks.

He signs a 1st deal with Greenville Swamp Rabbits that proves to be a good landing spot, as he has a 1st ECHL goal and 1 assist with a +3 rating in 6 games to start.

For 2024/2025, he was going to leave to play overseas, but re-signs for his rookie frame to stay a Swamp Rabbits.

28Sep

Charlie Risk (44)

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Augustus Magnus College Falcons‘ senior defenseman Charlie Risk(44) will take his game to France2 and signs with Mont Blanc for 2023/2024.

He had a college hockey best 5 goals last season, but had his best totals as a junior with 19 assists and 23 points.

The 5’9″ 165 lbs. blue liner from Medicine Hat, AB did a couple of junior seasons up north with some decent results.

At 24-years old, he may be ready for the next pro adventure and should do ok where he is heading.

He scores 1 goal and 10 assists in 23 games and decides to return to hockey a little closer to home, signing with Huntsville Havoc for 2024/2025.

23Sep

Chad Nehring (16)

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11th year center Chad Nehring(16) decided to head off for something new to start 2022/2023, signing with Grenoble of Ligue Magnus, but after popping 4 goals and 5 assists in just 6 games with a +8, heads back for his 5th DEL season, instead with fourth club Loewen Franfort.

A solid scorer, performer in the AHL, as a +10 player, he earned himself his only NHL contract with Ottawa Senators after scoring a career high 22 goals and 26 assists in the previous frame.

The 5’11” 201 lbs. former 4-year Lake Superior State University Lakers‘ forward left after that season.

At 35-years old, he’s still playing some excellent hockey and may not be eyeing an exit quite yet.

He grabs 12 goals and 10 assists back in Germany, which is good enough by their standards to keep him around and re-up him for another run.

You may think he should just transition straight into coaching where he is, but he has decided to wrap it up at age 37-years old, leaving behind 232 DEL games, 179 AHL, 130 ECHL and 147 NCAA, a really nice total and for his next role becomes a pro scout for Pittsburgh Penguins, starting 2024/2025.  Smooth move.

23Sep

Griffin Mendel (2)

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Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ graduate defenseman Griffin Mendel(2) 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.

22Sep

Cole Donhauser (23)

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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.

20Sep

Kasimir Kaskisuo (31)

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Kasimir-Kaskisuo

Toronto Maple Leafs‘ undrafted Finnish-born goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo(31) signs on for two more years in the prospect system despite being loaned to Chicago Wolves for most of last season due to a logjam in affiliate Toronto Marlies‘ crease.

In 28 AHL games he posted a 13-13 record with 2 shutouts, a 2.38 GAA and .914 SV%.

The big 6’3″ 195 lbs. net minder played only 7 games in the league as a rookie and was 5-1 with a 1.84 GAA and .935 SV% but spent most of the season in the ECHL backstopping for Orlando Solar Bears.

He played most of his junior hockey in his home country and decided to come across in 2013/2014 to join Minnesota Wilderness, where he earned the NAHL best GAA (1.48) and best SV% (.944) in 32 games, then was equal to the task in the playoffs.

His next move took him to University Of Minnesota-Duluth and his numbers continued to be outstanding.

The 24-year old may have to continue to wait for his chance at a shot to tend the cage in the NHL but it would seem like he should get his opportunity sooner than later.

He started 13 games last season with Laval Rocket, posting a 7-4 record with 2.09 GAA and .909 SV% to earn the 8th year net minder a look for Boston Bruins‘ crease, as he earns a tryout in training camp.

17Sep

Steven Kampfer (44)

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12th year NHL defenseman Steven Kampfer(44) will try something new for 2021/2022, signing a 1-year deal with Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL.

The former University Of Michigan Wolverines blue liner was originally an Anaheim Ducks‘ 4th round 2007 draft pick (#93 overall) but traded to Boston Bruins and agreed to terms upon completing his fourth year at college.

He left the Black & Gold within his entry level deal, traded to Minnesota Wild, where he stayed for two seasons before being dealt to New York Rangers but was again quickly on the move to Florida Panthers, where he stayed for another pair of campaigns.

The 5’11” 198 lbs. d-man started his next frame in the zone for the ‘Cats but after a single game was changing addresses heading back to the Blueshirts.

It seems like this is a player who favors 2 year terms with teams, as he did another here before rejoining his original club in Boston for another two year contract and a solid role as a fill-in guy.

The 32-year old may find continued life in Russia’s top hockey but we would be surprised to see him jump around a bit before deciding to pull the curtain on it.

After putting up a career high 11 goals, 19 assists and 30 points and being named assistant captain of Team USA Olympic squad, the now 33-year old will return home on a 1-year 2-way deal with close to home, Jackson, MI, Detroit Red Wings worth at least $325K in the minors and the league minimum $750 if he stays up.

He would be traded for future considerations to Arizona Coyotes, where he would actually do alright on a non-playoff team with 3 goals and 19 assists that actually gave him a career high 6 goals and 23 assists.

Reassigned to minor league affiliate, he is named team captain for 2023/2024 of Tuscon Roadrunners.

With no quit in site, he will return to Russia for 2024/2025 and signs with Traktor Chelyabinsk.