Category: Europe

29Sep

Patrick McNally (3)

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7th year defenseman Patrick McNally(3) is coming off a career year for assists (24) and points (32) in the ECHL, but switches allegiances in a deal that sent him from Wheeling Nailers to Reading Royals for 2021/2022.

Originally drafted by Vancouver Canucks (4th round, 2010, #115 overall), he was traded to San Jose Sharks as he was getting his pro career started, after finishing up 4 years at Harvard University Crimson.

A decent scorer at school, he took it up to point-per-game numbers as a senior (6-15) in 21 ECAC games with a +16 rating.

He was left unqualified as his entry level deal was finishing up and signed with Worcester Railers, but that relationship lasted less than half a season before he decided to seek pro hockey elsewhere.

The Glen Head, NY native next left for 17 HockeyAllsvenskan games for Leksands IF.

He would leave there for a his most successful season for Eispiraten Crimmitschau, scoring 12 goals and 36 assists in 59 DEL2 games and followed it by almost equal success in Tipos Extraliga with a pair of different clubs.

The 29-year returned for 2020/2021 pandemic season and did what he normally does on the scoresheet, but we are a little surprised to see him return once again to continue his game in PA.

 

 

 

13Sep

Brock Trotter (9)

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There could be an argument to be made that 12th year center Brock Trotter(9) would like to play games in as many overseas leagues as possible.

Signing with ASC Corona Brasov Wolves brings that number up to 7.

He’s only returned to one league: the KHL.

The 5’10” 180 lbs. forward originally left to join the league after skating a pair of games for 1st contract club Montreal Canadiens, but was mostly an elite player for affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs.

Injuries completely sidelined him for the next pair of seasons, but he fought through to make a return and signed a tryout to return to Russia, but unfortunately did arrive with the same impact he had for Dinamo Riga earlier.

Undeterred, he would move along to sign with IF Bjorkloven and once again found that scoring touch, connecting for a modest 6 goals and 20 assists in 35 HockeyAllsvenskan games.

He would next jump for a short stint with a couple teams in Liiga and did decided well for Oulun Karpat, recording 4 goals and 8 assists in 9 games, but decided to return home.

Signing a tryout with Chicago Wolves, it ended after only 4 AHL games and then he seemingly was to head back to Sweden, but maybe never made it.

He firmly had his sites set on a couple of targets that would do well for his scoring abilities, first signing with Dornbirner EC, blowing up assists to 40 in 41 EBEL games.

The Brandon, MB native didn’t stay in Austria though, moving on to the tougher HKM Zvolen, but reloaded for 46 assists in 51 Tipos Extraliga games.

Almost oddly, he next would agree to terms with Rouen, and it looks like he was admiring the scenario some, although still did ok with 5 goals and 10 assists in 20 Ligue Magnus games.

The 34-year old is going to dominate Hungary/Romanian hockey and that could be the curtain call for the former 3-year University Of Denver Pioneers‘ rock star.

13Sep

Ben Street (9)

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12 year center Ben Street(9) leaves the nest for a first time, signing in 2021/2022 with EHC Munchen of DEL.

He has played a phenomenal 523 AHL games, scoring 173 goals and 266 assists for 439 points with an overall +32 rating.

The 6′ 194 lbs. forward has only skated 59 NHL games (3 goals, 6 assists), but has had 7 big league contracts with 5 different teams, maybe most notably Anaheim Ducks, who he scored 3 goals and a pair of assists with.

His first pair of contracts were minor league deals with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

The former two-time University Of Wisconsin Badgers‘ captain was also a good point-getter through 4 years of school.

At 34-years old, he may not have much time left to play, so probably decided it was a good time to go adventure.

11Sep

Marcus Power (57)

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Toronto Marlies‘ almost ironically signed 4th year center Marcus Power(57) to an AHL deal for 2021/2022.

The 6′ 185 lbs. forward skated 2 seasons for their ECHL affiliate Newfoundland Growlers and won the 2019 Kelly Cup.

He’s basically a point-per-game player through his two seasons in the league (47-60-107, 109 games).

The St. John’s, NL native left in 2020/2021 for EV Landshut and absolutely destroyed scoring for 29 goals and 40 assists in 47 DEL2 games.

He played three seasons with Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and flipped the lid off their scoring in his final campaign, potting 31 goals and 78 assists in 61 QMJHL games before heading off to University Of Prince Edward Island Panthers, where he called home for the next four years.

The 28-year old still has a lot of work to do to stay at this level, but could very well do it.

10Sep

Brendan O’Donnell (21)

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7th year center Brendan O’Donnell(21) once again trades out his overseas leagues and teams, agreeing to a 1-year deal with Dusseldorfer EG for 2021/2022.

It seems like he joins a new country’s team, detonates the score sheet and leaves to go elsewhere from the first time he arrived under contract to Kunlun Red Star.

He may have only had limited success in the KHL, but when reassigned down to KRS Heilongjang, scoring 3 goals and 10 assists in 13 VHL games.

Almost exactly like the previous season, he next went on to join KooKoo, but after only 3 Liiga games with no points maybe split from the tryout for Dornbirner EC Bulldogs and scored 33 goals and 20 assists in 43 EBEL games with a +7 rating.

The 6’2″ 197 lbs. former Tampa Bay Lightning 6th round pick in the 2010 draft (#156 overall) almost shockingly never signed.

His first contract was with Florida Everblades after 4 steady years at University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks.

Despite blowing up the scoring in Austria’s top league, he next went to Czech Extraliga and was decently solid, but following it up by heading to Slovakia’s Tipos Extraliga, skating for HC Slovan Bratislava once again elevated his game.

The now 29-year old will have to be on his best game going into DEL, but very well could be a great fit for his style.

08Sep

Kael Mouillierat (21)

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12th year center Kale Mouillierat(21) extends his time to a fourth season with Straubing Tigers, as he’s pretty much averaged 20 points per frame, even in 2020/2021’s shortened to 36 games, he still connected for 19.

A veteran of 297 AHL, 117 ECHL and 7 NHL games (1 goal, 1 assist), first with New York Islanders, then Pittsburgh Penguins originally left to skate in the SHL for Lulea HF.

The 6′ 181 lbs. pivot wasn’t so successful in Sweden, so turned his attention to Germany’s top hockey and signed to ERC Ingolstadt.

He would put up a best 18 assists and 31 points with a +15 rating for this club, but left after only one turn as he was likely being wooed with better money by DEL rivals.

It’s almost impossible to believe the former Minnesota State University-Mankato Mavericks‘ senior assistant captain is 33-years old.

We still remember him being a rookie star for Idaho Steelheads.

08Sep

Justin Addamo (22)

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Huge 6’6″ 249 lbs., France-import, right wing Justin Addamo(22) leaves Robert Morris University Colonials, as they decide to suspend their college hockey program for at least the current year, enters the transfer portal and will head to RPI Engineers for his senior year.

A decent scorer through some tough seasons at college, he should be more focused for 2021/2022 to increase those totals.

US junior hockey was maybe a little more giving to his game, as he ran up pretty good totals and won the 2017 NAHL Robertson Cup.

He came over after playing all of his youth hockey at home, then was elevated to play 5 games with Rouen II of France3, scoring an eye-popping 5 goals and 2 assists.

01Sep

Jan Kern (27)

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Jan Kern(27) came here for a hopeful successful college career after agreeing late upon finishing 3 years of junior hockey to American International College, but after a crazy COVID stop-and-go 2020/2021 has decided to return home, signing with HC Slavia Praha of Czech2.

The 5’11” 190 lbs. left wing scored well for 2nd USHL team, Omaha Lancers, getting 13 goals and 19 assists in 50 games.

He played all of his youth hockey with the team the now 22-year old has taken up pro ranks with, and is probably almost literally right next to his parent’s house.

01Sep

Blaine Byron (12)

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4th year center Blaine Byron(12) takes 153 AHL games of playing experience to a new adventure with Eisbaren Berlin of DEL for 2021/2022.

The former University Of Maine Black Bears‘ forward, who went on a scoring splurge in his senior year for 18 goals and 23 assists in 36 Hockey East games, signed three consecutive contracts with Springfield Thunderbirds, and definitely had a breakout frame in his 2nd campaign, grabbing 13 goals and 12 assists.

He would be traded in the middle of the next season to Ontario Reign and once again had 12 goals and this time 22 assists in 54 games.

The 6′ 172 lbs. light pivot stuck on a follow-up deal, and through the bizarre 2020/2021 scored 6 goals and 6 assists in 17 games, which probably put him fully on the radar for the Germany club to grab.

It would be little surprise to see the 25-year old excel in this very solid overseas league.

31Aug

Ryan Penny (9)

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4th year center Ryan Penny(9) finishes a most interesting move to playing hockey.

He swept through 5 seasons of QMJHL before agreeing to terms with Binghamton Senators, coming off a just over point-per-game session as captain for Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

The 6’2″ 198 lbs. forward played three years, mostly with Reading Royals, but ends up on loan to Binghamton Devils, when he decides next to head to college.

He came to terms with McGill University, where he spent the last couple years, but only played 2019/2020.

It’s very possible he’s completed his studies, because he’s back on the pro side of things, signing for 2021/2022 with Coventry Blaze.

He should adapt to EIHL play well and affect the score sheet with frequency is what we’re looking at.