Category: Europe

07Jan

Gustavs Davis Grigals (31)

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UMass-Lowell Riverhawks‘ Latvian-born, graduate goaltender Gustavs Davis Grigals(31) signs a 1st pro deal with Milwaukee Admirals for 2023/2024, but has joined the club for the Calder Cup playoff push, although not likely to see action.

The 6’2″ 196 lbs. net minder had a 12-9-2 record with a 2.05 GAA and .924 SV%, including 2 shutouts.

He was better than any previous season he played at University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks, but did have 1 outstanding run through the NAHL juniors with Shreveport Mudbugs.

The 24-year old should be a standout performer as a rookie.

Parent club, Nashville Predators step in as the season is wrapping up and sign him for the current frame to an NHL contract, in a move we can only feel has implications for next season moving forward.

He is mostly sent to play in the ECHL for his rookie season and he decides to move back closer to home, signing with HK Dukla Trencin of Slovak Extraliga, where we think he re-finds his game.

After 5 games, he will switch things up and move on to Finland’s top hockey, Liiga signing with SaiPa for 2024/2025.

We do think it gels for him here.

In 15 games, he has a 8-6-1 record with a 2.96 GAA and .899 SV%, which is good enough for him to earn an invite for another season, 2026/2027 to stay at SaiPa.

05Jan

Brady Keeper (25)

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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.

Instead of reporting to his new, overseas team, he elected to sit last year out and returns in 2025/2026 to sign with Glasgow Clan of the EIHL.

Injuries continue to nag him, as he tries to move towards a comeback, but it turns out to be too much and he needs to hang up the skates, having 2 goals in 4 NHL games.

Something is nagging him and he signs for 2025/2026 with South Carolina Stingrays.

He actually heads to the semi-pro SaskEHL, but with 7 goals and 2 assists in 5 games, maybe thinks he should really play, gets a trade to and signs with Rapid City Rush.

05Jan

Louis Boudon (40)

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Lake Superior State University Lakers‘ French-born junior center Louis Boudon(40) finds himself tied for the lead in NCAA Division 1 scoring with a handy 20 points in 14 games.

He looks to easily eclipse marks he set as a sophomore and a freshman, although he had 21 assists in his first year.

The 5’11” 181 lbs. forward skated two seasons for Northeast Generals, notching better than point per game numbers after a run lighting it up for Metro Jets in the NA3HL, got a NAHL tryout that produced a couple of goals and a deal.

He played all of his youth hockey back home and it will definitely be interesting to see who scoops on the future NHL unrestricted free agent.

Upon completing 4 years at college, he signs a 1st pro contract, leaving a 2nd season as team captain, an ato with Laval Rocket.

There’s not much time left to impress, but you can bet he’ll be constantly looking to connect as soon as he arrives in the AHL.

He doesn’t stick in Canada and signs with Iowa Wild, but splits time with Iowa Heartlanders and gets 1 goal and 2 assists in 3 ECHL games with a +7 rating.

In the next season, he is re-signed, but spends most of his time down, scoring 18 goals and 28 assists in 56 games on a non-playoff team.

The listed as Gernoble, FRA-born skater decides to head off for another pro hockey look, agreeing to terms with Nybro Vikings IF of HockeyAllsvenskan.

After a decent 47 game session in Sweden’s 2nd tier league, he returns to sign with Atlanta Gladiators and has popped scoring to the tune of 12 goals and 18 assists in 25 ECHL games and maybe gets a little antsy for a bit more and signs in Liiga with Jukurit, where he will be duly challenged for the rest of 2025/2026.

He will also skate the Olympics on the French national team.

03Jan

Patrick Del Vecchio (68)

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Alvernia University Wolves‘ senior center Patrick Del Vecchio(68) was sent to sign with an SPHL club after skating 4 games with Evansville Thunderbolts, recording 1 assist, he decides to head off for something new to start his pro hockey career and signs in Central European Hockey League with Smoke Eaters Geleen II for 2025/2026.

The 6′ 170 lbs. forward, who started college with 3 years at Norwich University Cadets has exploded scoring in this league to the tune of 28 goals and 10 assists in 14 games.

From Mississauga, ON, you got to think the 25-year is looking out for other higher opportunities.

27Dec

Kohei Sato (25)

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Bentley University Falcons‘ graduate portal transfer from 4 years at University Of New Hampshire Wildcats, left wing Kohei Sato(25) is off to a nice start with his new club, connecting for a goal and 4 assists in 9 games.

He only ever really did decently as a junior with 7 goals and 10 assists in 32 games with a +4 rating.

The Nishitokyo, JPN native took a pretty hard road up through earning his space, initially spending one year with North Iowa Bulls, blowing up scoring with 22 goals and 20 assists with a stellar +38 rating, then 17 more points in 9 games en route to the 2016 NA3HL Championship.

That and an incredibly hot start to the next session with his title team earned him a look up and a contract with Northeast Generals, where he secured his college choice.

The 25-year old will be fascinating to see if he decides to turn pro.

Finishing up a solid graduate season, he decides to leave to try Finland’s tier 2 Mestis, signing a 1-year deal with JoKP for 2022/2023.

He would end up splitting last season with KeuPa HT, but for his new adventure will head to the EIHL powerhouse Belfast Giants.

In 47 games, he comes away with 11 goals and 12 assists with a +2 rating, but has decided he wants to return to the states and signs for 2024/2025 with Orlando Solar Bears.

He scores 1 goal and 1 assist in 10 games and is traded to Bloomington Bison, who look to get him more involved with scoring.

After the deal, he starts to connect with his new club to the tune of 2 goals and 8 assists in 22 ECHL games with a +2 rating on a non-playoff team and is wanted to return for 2025/2026 in a Bison jersey.

In 8 games, he has 1 goal and 1 assist, but maybe gets a little bored, so jumps for Ligue Magnus and signs with Diables Rogues de Briancon for the rest of the 2025/2026 season.

26Dec

Anthony Nellis (19)

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Undrafted 3rd year left wing Anthony Nellis(19) is having a career year scoring a Trois Rivieres Lions‘ best 19 goals and 38 assists.

Last season he skated for Fort Wayne Komets and was a point-per-game player in the playoffs en route to the ECHL 2021 Kelly Cup Championship.

The former top scorer at Lake Superior State University Lakers had a 1 AHL game loan up to Manitoba Moose this session.

I think it depends if the Levis, QC native wants to stick around or goes for a better deal overseas on strong numbers.

He decides to leave for Slovakia after finishing last season with 22 goals and 39 assists and adding another 7 points in 7 playoff games.

The still young 27-year old signs with HK Spisska Nova Ves for 2022/2023.

He comes away with 12 goals and 10 assists in 37 games to earn himself a 1-year extension to stay at least through 2023/2024.

Leaving on a high note, getting 25 goals and 17 assists in 50 games with a +11 rating, he heads off to Tipsport Extraliga and agrees to term with HK Vitkovice Ridera.

Well, in 43 games, he has a tidy 20 goals and 15 assists to earn himself a 1-year contract extension to stay.

He’s almost a point-per-game player in the current frame and is offered a 2-year deal to continue on with Ridera through 2026/2027.

24Dec

Joe Leahy (4)

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Big 6’4″ 195 lbs. defenseman Joe Leahy(4) concludes 2 years at University Of Vermont Catamounts after transferring from 3 with Cornell University Big Red and signs a 1st pro deal with Greenville Swamp Rabbits.

Other than maybe his junior year with 2 goals and 8 assists, he isn’t much of a point-getter, but does leave college hockey with a +12 rating.

We think the Waterloo, ON native makes a great stay-at-home style d-man.

He also won a 2017 BCHL Championship with Penctiton Vees in his 1st session of juniors.

The 25-year old should do quite well in the ECHL, but we don’t really expect him to stay around too long.

He gets 4 assists in 10 games for his new team and is impressive enough to want to have him return in a Swamp Rabbits‘ uniform for his rookie season.

For his rookie season, he skates 69 games, scoring 9 goals and 18 assists with a +18 rating to get him an easy invite to return and be a Swamp Rabbits for 2024/2025.

He actually leaves the team late season to try his hand at Czech Extraliga and signs with HC Vitkovice Ridera.

In 13 games, he scores no points, but adds 2 assists in 5 playoff matchups to earn an invite to return for 2025/2026.

With 3 goals, 7 assists in 28 games and a +3 rating, he is invited to stay with Ridera through 2026/2027.

24Dec

Quinn Ryan (53)

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Worcester Railers‘ 3rd year right wing Quinn Ryan(53) returns  for 2023/2024 after a successful 2nd year run, grabbing 15 goals and 25 assists in 49 ECHL games with a +4 rating.

He spent most of his rookie season with Utah Grizzlies, scoring 12 goals and 12 assists.

The 5’10” 170 lbs. spent 5 years at Liberty University Flames putting up 30+ assists twice, 43 as a senior and twice 20+ goals.

From Branchville, NJ, the 27-year old has to thinking about moving up overseas, if he continues to burst this league scoring .

Things are not quite zooming on the scoresheet the way they were in his first campaign with 2 goals and 3 assists in 14 games, so he decides to move on, signing with Rungsted Seier Capital for the remainder of the frame in Metal Ligaen.

His totals in Denmark are really good at 5 goals and 3 assists in 6 games with a +10 rating and he will maybe a bit oddly take those totals to Germany3, signing with Tilburg Trappers for 2024/2025.

Looks like he decided not to play in this session, but returns for 2025/2026 with a contract to Norfolk Admirals.

In 4 games, he scores a 1st goal, but is a -4 and is scratched from some appearances, so decides to head back overseas and signs with Dundee Stars, where we think his game elevates in the EIHL.

23Dec

Michael Kapla (3)

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7th year defenseman Michael Kapla(3) signs on for a 2nd season with Rogle BK and is off to a nice start with 2 goals and 9 assists in 12 SHL games.

He scored 7 goals and 21 assists with a +12 rating in 44 games last season.

After his junior and senior year as captain of UMass-Lowell Riverhawks, he signed as an unrestricted free agent with New Jersey Devils.

He played 5 NHL games upon signing.

The 6′ 201 lbs. blue liner from Eau Claire, WI is 29-years old and has to be pretty happy about his hockey career has worked out.

After 3 seasons in Sweden, he switches things up to head to Switzerland next, signing with HC Fribourg-Gotteron of the NL.

In 35 games, he has 9 goals and 14 assists with a +5 rating, which gets him re-upped to stay another 2 season in Friboug-Gotteron.

22Dec

Matt Stief (27)

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Macon Mayem rookie defenseman Matt Stief(27) has maybe slightly conservative numbers with a goal and 6 assists with a +6 rating in 34 SPHL games for the number one team in the league.

He took a top scoring senior year, as assistant captain at Canisius College, grabbing new bests 3 goals, 23 assists and 26 points to his new gig.

The 5’10” 180 lbs. blue liner took an interesting route from his oddball hometown of Boca Raton, FL to a pair of campaigns up north in the BCHL before committing to college.

Originally signed to play for Idaho Steelheads in 2020/2021, until they decided they couldn’t go in a pandemic, the 25-year old still may have a good chance to play there next season.

It didn’t take too long for the Steelheads to step back in and re-up to have him enter into the fold for his rookie season.

In his 1st year, he gets no goals but 18 assists in 54 games to score an invite to return for a 2nd ECHL season.

He signs with Adirondack Thunder for 2022/2023 and does even better with 4 goals and 22 assists in 66 games.

Makes sense to have him back to see if he can add some to those numbers.

He was going to take his new best 31 assists and 35 points to a new deal for 2024/2025 with Orlando Solar Bears., but has maybe come away with a better deal to head over to the EIHL and sign with Glasgow Clan.

Coming back for 16 games on a deal with Worcester Railers, he maybe gets a big edgy to return overseas and signs with CSM Corona Brasov of Erste Liga, where we think he does really well for himself.