Category: Europe

14Nov

Ryan Lowney (55)

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5th year, undrafted defenseman Ryan Lowney(55) leaves for a 2nd time in as many seasons, this time going to Metal Ligaen, putting ink to paper with Rodovre Mighty Bulls for 2021/2022.

He played games in Slovakia, then England’s EIHL a couple of years ago, pre-pandemic.

The small 5’8″ 166 lbs. blue liner likely decided to stay close to last season, originally signing to Toledo Walleye, they didn’t play, so ended up with Utah Grizzlies.

He’s done well in the ECHL averaging 7 goals and 25+ assists in his three season, mostly with Fort Wayne Komets.

We think the 27-year old, former Ferris State University Bulldogs‘ 10+ assist d-man will likely take scoring up to what he accomplished in his 2nd year of USHL juniors for Youngstown Phantoms and 2nd frame in Indiana for his new club in Denmark.

Well, he didn’t exactly ignite the Danish with scoring and decided to return home, signing with Toledo Walleye, where he took his game all the way to the ECHL Finals before bowing out.

He re-signed with last season, but waits a bit before committing to CSM Corona Brasov of Erste Liga for 2023/2024.

01Nov

Steve McParland (10)

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Undrafted 7th year center Steve McParland(10) switches up 3 seasons in AlpsHL, 2 with Asiago and most recently for HC Fassa Falcons, running up a pair of campaigns worth 60+ points for a new environment in the EIHL with Glasgow Clan.

He twice fired in 57 points with the exact same goals and assists, reversed a 2nd time (31-26) for Idaho Steelheads.

The 5’11” 203 lbs. forward helped his college team, Providence College Friars win the 2015 NCAA Championship, but wasn’t much of a scorer in school, hitting 13 points as a junior and senior.

A native of Schreiber, ON, he did light it up in 4 seasons of junior hockey, 2 in the GOJHL and 2 OJHL sessions.

The 31-year old will likely ignite mostly England’s top hockey league.

He does just that with 19 goals and 27 assists through 54 games, but has made the choice to move onto DEL3 for his next contract with Saale Bulls Halle for 2023/2024.

After just 8 games and 1 goal in Germany, he decides he’d rather play in the EIHL this season and signs with Guildford Flames, which should give them some happily welcome scoring pop.

31Oct

Carter Allen (4)

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3rd year defenseman Carter Allen(4) takes his game over to the EIHL for 2023/2024 and signs a 1-year deal with Coventry Blaze, which should be a pretty good deal for him.

The 6′ 205 lbs. blue liner started his pro career with a single SPHL appearance for Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs before being loaned up to South Carolina Stingrays for 63 ECHL games scoring 10 assists.

He was invited to return last season, but appeared in only 19 games, gets waived and picked up by Cincinnati Cyclones, where he appeared in 8 games to close our the frame.

The Lambton Shores, ON native played 3 years at SUNY-Oswego Lakers.

He should be able to settle into his game with his new team.

30Oct

Adam Johnson (47)

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5th year center Adam Johnson(47) gets a new start with Lehigh Valley Phantoms, as he is dished from a 2nd stint for Ontario Reign after a slow start.

He signed with the team last season upon returning from Malmo Redhawks, where he scored 7 goals and 5 assists in 21 SHL games before getting released.

In 14 AHL games in 2020/2021, the 6′ 175 lbs. forward  had 6 goals and 5 assists, so can produce.

Undrafted, he agreed on a 2-year entry level deal with Pittsburgh Penguins, spending most of his time scoring very productively for affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but in his appearances over a pair of campaigns managed 2 assists in his first 6  games, then grabbed a 1st NHL goal and an assist in his next 7.

The 27-year old, former 2-year University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs‘ sophomore scoring sensation from Hibbing, MN can still produce, but definitely needs to re-energize those jets.

He will take an alright season at the 2nd highest level to a new deal across the pond for 2022/2023 with Augsburger Panther and will likely do pretty well in Germany highest hockey, DEL.

7 goals and 15 assists in 45 games isn’t too shabby, but a -20 rating needs to be addressed, so he heads off to sign a new 1-year deal with Nottingham Panthers for 2023/2024 that should see him do quite well in the EIHL.

Our hearts are literally on our sleeves and sticks outside for a tribute to the hardest skater there is. Rest well. we are crying.

28Oct

Tanner Jago (34)

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4th year defenseman Tanner Jago(34) switches up a good season with UTE, scoring 3 goals and 25 assists in 37 Erste Liga games to a new deal for 2022/2023 with Amiens Les Gothiques of Ligue Magnus.

He was coming off a bit of a strange COVID-struck campaign, where he only played 6 ECHL games for Utah Grizzlies and 7 in Slovak Extraliga with HC Banska Bystrica.

In the prior season, his rookie run, he signed with Texas Stars, but was mostly reassigned to affiliate Idaho Steelheads, where he played 49 games before the session pandemic stopped in its’ pre-playoff tracks.

The former Bentley University Falcons senior captain will likely do very well in France’s top hockey.

After 2 decent overseas seasons, first in Austria, then France, he put together some ok numbers, but decides to take a bit of a step back for 2023/2024 and signed up to play in the SEMHL, close to home for the Brandon, MB native.

20Oct

Colt Conrad (79)

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5th year center Colt Conrad(79) takes a pair of decent AHL frames for Henderson Silver Knights to a deal with Fischtown Pinguins for 2023/2024.

The 5’10” 183 lbs. forward should do well in Germany’s highest league, DEL.

He was a big 32 assist guy in his 2nd season, reassigned to Newfoundland Growlers.

The Brandon, MD native also did big assists 27 and twice had 15+ at Western Michigan University Broncos.

At 26-years old he played no junior hockey, heading from his senior year to college hockey.

18Oct

Max Kaufman (92)

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Undrafted left wing Max Kaufman(92) takes a graduate year of eligibility, his 2nd at Boston University Terriers into a 1st pro contract with Laval Rocket, but is reassigned to start his career with affiliate Trois Rivieres Lions.

The small 5’8″ 165 lbs. forward has already skated 14 ECHL games, getting a 1st goal and 2 assists with a +3 rating.

He committed to University Of Vermont Catamounts after a successful USHS-Prep junior year at Kent School and spent three seasons there.

The Pittsford, NY native would take an interesting move and head north for a pair of campaigns for Langley Rivermen, where 51 goals and 56 assists in 105 BCHL games before heading to school.

At 25-years old, he may already be ready to join a squad and make a difference.

After a decent enough early showing season, he signs for his rookie run 2022/2023 with 1st year team, Savannah Ghost Pirates.

He produces 9 goals and 11 assists in 57 games last season, which isn’t bad for a 1st year player until he finds himself involved in a trade that sends him to Tulsa Oilers for 2023/2024, but will need a contract.

In a little bit of a switch, he maybe can’t come to terms with his new club and agrees to a 1-year deal with Meudon Cometes of France2.

09Oct

Mark Louis (4)

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12th year defenseman Mark Louis(4) elects to return on a 1-year ECHL deal with Greenville Swamp Rabbits for 2023/2024.

The very big 6’4″ 224 lbs. blue liner has spent most of the last 6 years with Cardiff Devils of the EIHL, spare one he went to Slovak Extraliga.

He played 5 years of WHL before heading to St. Francis Xavier University Aigles Bleus, but left midway through his 4th year to sign with Portland Pirates of the AHL.

The Ponoka, AB native signed a 1-year NHL deal to join the parent club Arizona Coyotes after skating with them during that season’s playoff run.

At 36-years old, you have to wonder what he is thinking for his next move, but we do think could easily slide back across the pond and become an assistant coach with his long time club.

09Oct

Mitchell Balmas (92)

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2nd year left wing Mitchell Balmas(92) grabs a 1-year, 2-way deal from Iowa Wild for 2022/2023.

The 5’11” 168 lbs. forward split time last season between Springfield Thunderbirds, where he pocketed 4 goals and 1 assist in 10 AHL games with a +4 rating and Worcester Railers, knocking in 5 goals and 7 assists in 17 ECHL matchups.

He played 5 seasons in the QMJHL, always elevating his scoring before heading off to 3 years at St. Mary’s University Huskies.

The 24 years old from Sydney, NS could see expanded time in the higher league, if he can continue to produce good numbers.

He plays 34 games last season, scoring 2 goals and 1 assist with a 0 rating, then got 1 tally in 2 playoff matchups.

For 2023/2024, he is heading off on a new adventure, signing a 1-year deal with Sheffield Steelers to play his hockey in the EIHL.

08Oct

Matt Lorito (18)

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7th year right wing Matt Lorito(18) decides it’s time to venture off for some new kind of hockey, signing with Djurgardens IF for 2021/2022.

An unrestricted free agent coming off his 2-year deal with New York Islanders, he agreed to terms with San Diego Gulls to play last season.

He arrived after four super strong (47-59 in 118 ECAC games) years, including as senior captain, from Brown University Bears to Albany Devils and immediately picked up 3 goals and 9 assists in 11 AHL games on an ato.

The 5’9″ 171 lbs. forward was immediately signed to a one-year minor league deal and put up a session (18-36-54 with a +16 in 71) that caught the attention of Detroit Red Wings to award him a first NHL contract.

We’re a little unsure how he did it, but the 31-year old former 2017 Calder Cup Champion signed 2 very good major league contracts that will definitely help him enjoy his time in Sweden’s top hockey, SHL.

After getting a couple of goals and 4 assists in 14 games, he gets a new offer from the KHL to join Dinamo Riga and jumps.

In his time playing Russian style hockey he was able to connect for 3 goals and 4 assists in 17 games, but was a little unpolished -9 rating, so was released and the former R.I. heads up the road to Connecticut, signing with Hartford Wolf Pack for the remainder of the season.

His prowess to put up points in the minors is documented and he comes away with 8 goals and 10 assists in 30 games, but looks overseas again to sign a 1-year with Grizzlys Wolfsburg of DEL, where he signs late and appears in only 18 games with 2 goals and 3 assists, but gets 2 goals and 1 assist in 10 playoff games, so holds his own.

8 years is good for the now 33-year old from Oakville, ON to call it a career on.

He’s pocketed a good education and has been hired to be a pro scout for Pittsburgh Penguins starting 2023/2024.