Category: Europe

Salem State University Vikings‘ Australian-born, graduate defenseman Dash Quartarolo(25) signs for his rookie season 2024/2025 with JHT Kalajoki of Suomi-sarja.

The big 6’5″ 229 lbs. blue liner didn’t play many college games, but went home 2 summers to play in the AIHL and would do ok.

He came over early for high school and skated 3 years junior hockey before heading to 2 years at Becker College Hawks, then the college went bust after COVID and he left for New England College Pilgrims.

We think the 24-year old does pretty well and maybe even plays himself up.

12th year defenseman Matt Donovan(46) will for a 3rd time take his game overseas, but this time signs for 2022/2023 with Adler Mannheim of DEL.

He twice played for SHL teams, Frölunda HC and HV71.

The former 2-year University Of Denver Pioneers‘ d-man was a New York Islanders‘ 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#96 overall) and was in that system to start his pro career for 4 seasons.

At 6’1″ 205 lbs., he has skated 69 NHL games.

The 32-year old from of all places, Edmond, OK is likely happy to be still playing at a good level.

He actually does fairly well in German’s top league, scoring 8 goals and 15 assists with a +7 rating in 47 games, then added another 8 helpers in 12 playoff matchups.

For 2023/2024, he decides to come on and sign an AHL deal with Chicago Wolves, which makes a lot of sense.

He records 39 assists in 69 games and that will do it: 69 games in the big league, 524 in the lower league with 232 assists to his credit, 13 years of pro hockey and very quickly Nashville Predators sign him up to be an assistant coach with a team he spent 3 years with, affiliate Milwaukee Admirals.

Smart move.

3rd year left wing Lincoln Griffin(44) has skated most of his first two years in the SPHL, but on a pair of loans he scored 3 goals and 2 assists in 13 ECHL games as a rookie.

For 2021/2022 he agrees to terms on a new deal with Indy Fuel.

The former Northeastern University Huskies‘ forward was a decent scorer at college, taking his totals up to new highs as a senior (7-14-21) with a +20 rating.

He was a big scorer through 4 years at Thayer Academy.

The 24-year old from Walpole, MA should be able to elevate his game in the higher league.

He would actually end up playing the entire 2021/2022 frame with Cincinnati Cyclones, scoring an almost bananas, best by a mile 21 goals and 25 assists in 57 games.

There’s little doubt he would be invited back to try to win the whole league thing.

He is taking a very good 2nd frame with the team from Ohio to a new adventure, signing a 1-year deal with HK Nitra to play his next games in Slovak Extraliga 2023/2024.

Only managing to get into 12 games over there, scoring 1 goal and 1 assist, he decides to return home to the team he knows and obviously likes a lot, having spent more than 100 games with in the Cyclones for 2023/2024.

Another solid season of getting points and he is back for a 3rd swing through Cincinnati and may be searching for a home.

Kansas City Mavericks‘ rookie defenseman Noah Delmas(24) is having a season that maybe exists a little below the radar as he’s on a team that’s still in the hunt but currently at the bottom of their division and he has only tallied a goal and 3 assists through 26 ECHL games.

The 6′ 195 lbs. blue liner was named team captain for Niagara University Purple Eagles, but failed to connect as he did as a sophomore and junior, when he scored 25 assists in both frames and even potted 15 goals in his third year.

He was a 2018 invite to Toronto Maple Leafs‘ development camp.

Playing most of his junior hockey with close to home club Aurora Tigers of the OJHL, the Newmarket, ON native did come down for 17 USHL games with Bloomington Thunder after committing to college, it didn’t last and he headed back for a bit of a playoff push with his former team.

It’s likely the 25-year old will continue in the league he accepted but also wouldn’t be out of the question for him to get a few nods at AHL life.

He signed on for another tour with his 1st pro club and in 32 games, had new best marks of 2 goals and 7 assists with a +2 rating, but he decided to head off to the EIHL, signing for the remainder of 2021/2022 with Manchester Storm.

In 18 games over in England, he grabbed 2 goals and 2 assists, but was a bit of a lowly -8 rating.

He is welcome “home” though, signing a 1-year deal with Worcester Railers for 2022/2023 that will likely see him achieve his best results.

After a decent enough 3rd frame in central MA, scoring 2 goals and 16 assists, but with a horrible plus/minus signs for 2023/2024 with GKS Katowice of Polska Hokej Liga.

In 40 games, he scores 3 goals and 10 assists and will next take that to the EIHL and signs with Fife Flyers for 2024/2025.

Merrimack College Warriors‘ graduate center Jake Durflinger(14) signs a 1st pro deal with 2022 Champs‘ Florida Everblades for 2022/2023.

The small-ish 5’9″ 174 lbs. forward only reached 10 points twice in college sessions and only had 10+ goals and  15+ assists through 3 USHL years with a couple different clubs.

He skated 4 years at University Of Denver Pioneers before arriving east.

The 24-year old from Walnut Creek, CA may find some room to score in the ECHL.

Not exactly sure what transpired yet, but he just signed with the new Iowa Heartlanders instead.

After a rookie season of 10 goals and 10 assists, he re-signs in Iowa to show everyone he can do more.

He ups his scoring in his 2nd frame to 18 assists and 27 points and will take that over to the EIHL for 2024/2025, signing with Manchester Storm.

2nd year defenseman Jeff Solow(12) decides to switch things up, kind of dramatically after 16 ECHL games for Worcester Railers, scoring 5 assists with a -3 rating to a new ride, signing to Glasgow Clan for the remainder of 2023.

The 6′ 194 lbs., who left a last season of juniors for Amarillo Bulls, where he ran up 7 goals and 20 assists in 33 NAHL games with a +9 rating to finishing up that frame with Merrimack College Warriors.

He would eventually leave that school and finish up his college career at SUNY-Oswego State Lakers.

The Naples, FL native will likely find some light in the EIHL and potentially move on to higher levels of hockey overseas as he goes.

He almost oddly only got 2 assists in 18 games, but then grab a 1st league goal in 2 playoff matchups.

In a not so surprising summer move, he leaves for Skycity Stampede and completely blows the lid off NZIHL scoring with 10 goals and 19 assists with a +28 rating in just 16 games, then added another 5 points (1-4) in 2 playoff battles en route to the 2023 Birgel Cup victory.

He catches the eye of Wheeling Nailers, who sign him to a 2-way contract for 2023/2024.

Ultimately, he would start the season with Birmingham Bulls and be loaned up to Jacksonville Icemen, who signed him.

After a 7 game spell, getting 1 assist with a +3 rating, he is waived and claimed by Maine Mariners, where we feel he will see more success.

He gets only 1 goal in 14 games with his new team and for the summer takes off to the AIHL and signs with Melbourne Ice to regain the fun in his game.

In 23 games, he scores 5 goals and 24 assists to hopefully turn a corner and agrees to terms with Tahoe Knight Monsters for 2024/2025.

Undrafted 4th year center Chase Berger(8) leaves HC Banska Bystrica with a solid one-year impression, scoring a career high 21 goals and 39 points in 46 Tipos Extraliga games.

The 6′ 194 lbs. forward signs with Bietigheim Steelers of DEL for 2022/2023.

He was always a good scorer through 4 years at Penn State University Nittany Lions with 10+ goals and 10+ assists in each session.

The St. Louis, MO native started his pro career with a pair of seasons for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but seemed a little stilted on the scoresheet in the AHL.

At 27-years old, he may be starting to climb overseas a little on the late side.

He takes a fairly solid frame for his German team, getting 8 goals and 25 assists in 51 games to another new experience, agreeing with HC Kosice of Slovak Extraliga for 2023/2024.

In 37 games, he scores 10 goals and 17 assists with a +11 rating, but will add another league to his belt, signing in the IceHL with Fehervar AV19 for 2024/2025.

Michigan State University Spartans‘ senior captain defenseman Nash Nienhuis(4) scored a college career best 9 goals and tied his 15 assists set as a junior.

The undrafted 5’10” 181 lbs. blue liner will take his game overseas for his rookie frame, as he signs with EC Salzburg of IceHL.

From Sarnia, ON, he did 1 season GOJHL before transferring to the USHL, where he skated mostly with Muskegon Lumberjacks before heading to school.

We look for the 24-year old to do well in Austria’s top league.

Vancouver Canucks have picked up unrestricted free agent Brady Keeper(25) as his one-year extension to stay in Florida Panthers‘ system was up.

And even though the undrafted, 6’2″ 196 lbs. blue liner has only ever skated 2 NHL games, he is given a 2-year one-way deal to come play zone in the big league.

He originally came from three seasons of juniors in the MJHL for OCN Blizzard, serving as captain in his final session, before committing to University Of Maine Black Bears.

The Cross Lake, MB native played one full AHL campaign for affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds, earning 6 goals and 18 assists in 61 games.

He was loaned last season to Syracuse Crunch, where he figured into 11 games, scoring a goal and 2 assists.

They must see something in the 25-year old that looks ready to step it up full-time and it just may work.

He wouldn’t actually figure into any games for 2021/2022 after breaking 2 major bones in his leg, but returned for the next frame, contributing 1 goal and 5 assists in 35 games.

For 2023/2024, he has options and signs with Montreal Canadiens, but really is on a high-priced minor league deal with affiliate  Laval Rocket.

He only figures into 22 games last season, but his accountability is good.

For 2024/2025, he signs with HK Poprad of Slovak Extraliga, which should provide the challenge the 28-year old needs.

Undrafted defenseman Quinn Wichers(5) signs a first pro contract for his rookie campaign 2021/2022 with Rapid City Rush.

The 6’4″ 217 lbs. blue liner has never been exactly the biggest point scorer through 4 years at Mercyhurst University Lakers, but did connect for a junior hockey high 19 assists and tying 24 points in 45 CCHL games in his 4th frame before heading to school with Kemptville 73s.

From Metcalfe, ON, the 24-year old should be able to elevate his game in the ECHL.

He will return to South Dakota for 2022/2023 after scoring 2 goals and 8 assists in 43 games with a +3 rating, then adding 4 assists through 11 playoff contests.

Multiple loans up to Tuscon Roadrunners, where he skated 16 games with no points, but was decently enough steady.

We expect everything to go just that much better in his 2nd year.

Through 50 games, he basically mirrors his rookie point production with the same club, but for 2023/2024, he gets himself traded to Wheeling Nailers and we shall see if that changes anything.

We think it might.

After 3 games with no points, he gets himself dished to a perfect location for the big forward, Utah Grizzlies.

In 52 games, his scoring pops some with 2 goals and a new best 14 assists, but he is looking for something new, different, so signs with Nottingham Panthers of the EIHL for 2024/2025.