Category: Europe

03Aug

Miles Gendron (10)

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4th year defenseman Miles Gendron(10) exchanges 2 contracts with Colorado Eagles, including 2 goals and an assist in 15 AHL games and 116 ECHL appearances to a new adventure for 2022/2023, signing with Storhamar of Fjordkraft-ligaen.

Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 3rd round pick in the 2014 draft (#70 overall), he only skated parts of his rookie season in the system before moving on.

The 6’2″ 181 lbs. blue liner skated only one year of juniors, winning the 2015 BCHL Championship with Penticton Vees, amassing 12 assists in 22 playoff games before heading off to school.

He did 4 years, including serving as senior captain at University Of Connecticut Huskies.

The still young 25-year old should do very well in Norway’s top league.

After 19 games with 3 goals, 5 assists and a +9 rating, he decides to return and signs with Greenville Swamp Rabbits for 2023.

He takes an impressive little run into the playoffs with his new club, but will look to branch out again and head over to the EIHL for 2023/2024, signing with 2 time champs, Belfast Giants.

In just 19 games, he didn’t actually connect as he would have thought, so returns home on a deal with the Swamp Rabbits.

He plays 60 games and that season goes better for him to sign as 1st time captain with Reading Royals in 2025/2026.

In 45 games, he gets 2 goals and 12 assists with a +9 rating to get himself a new deal to stay a Royals in 2026/2o27.

03Aug

Matt Cairns (22)

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Undrafted rookie defenseman Matt Cairns(22) signs a one-year AHL contract with Rochester Americans for 2021/2022 after completing his senior year at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs.

The big 6’3″ 213 lbs. blue liner skated three seasons at Cornell University Big Red, but we think saw the writing on the wall of a suspended 2020/2021, so entered the transfer portal to continue playing college hockey.

He won an OJHL Championship in his 2nd year of juniors in the league with Georgetown Raiders, scoring all bests 9 goals and 24 assists for 33 points, then added another 3 goals and 16 assists in 21 playoff games to the title.

The Mississauga, ON native would next try his hand at American junior hockey, signing on with Fargo Force, but leaving after 17 USHL games to join Powell River Kings and would keep scoring 2 goals and 14 assists in 18 BCHL games.

We’re not sure how much the 23-year old will be able to connect with points in his new top notch pro league, but do think he’ll be able to shut down offense as necessary.

He was mostly reassigned down to Cincinnati Cyclones for his 1st season, scoring 2 goals and 14 assists with a +21 rating.

For 2022/2023, he re-signs to stay in Ohio and should have another good ECHL year.

1 goal and 5 assists in 45 games with a +17 rating, then 11 playoff match ups, and he is invited to return again for 2023/2024.

Splitting his time between affiliates, his league rights get traded to Maine Mariners, but things get confusing and before you can blink he is going to Indy Fuel for some future rights considerations, so was wanted in the midwest.

He actually sticks through 49 games, 3 goals and 13 assists with a +13 rating, so does pretty well for himself, but is heading to the IceHL, signing for 2024/2025 with Asiago.

We think he does really well in this top Austria league.

He scores pretty decently, but is off on the +/-, so figures he will do better in Sweden’s tier 2 HockeyAllsvenskan and signs with IF Bjorkloven.

After 27 games with only 1 goal, but a +14 rating, he decides to leave for HC Bolzano.

He picks up 5 assists there, but continues to move on and signs with Esbjerg Engergy of Metal Ligaen for 2026/2027.

02Aug

Tanner Kero (64)

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Dallas Stars re-signed 7th year center Tanner Kero(64) to a two-year two-way NHL contract through 2022/2023.

The former Michigan Tech captain put up some good numbers through his 4-year college career, but nothing like he did, when he was a senior captain and popped in 20 goals and 26 assists in 41 NCAA WCHA games.

He’s already a veteran of 111 total appearances with initial signing club Chicago Blackhawks and 39 games in 2020/2021 with current team, scoring 3 goals and 7 assists to earn his new deal.

The 28-year old has played 248 AHL games, and must be smiling but has worked hard to achieve all he has.

He spends the entire frame with affiliate, Texas Stars, but scores well through the playoffs.

Not re-signed to continue, he inks a minor league deal with Colorado Eagles.

For 2024/2025, he has likely made the best decision and agrees to terms with HV71 of the SHL, where we think he will find new life.

He throws up a decent frame in Sweden, but decides to head for Germany next and signs with Kolner Haie of DEL.

In 41 games, he scores 11 goals and 18 assists, but decides to sign with rivals Krefeld Pinguine for 2026/2027.

02Aug

Georgii Merkulov (10)

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Ohio State University Buckeyes‘ Russian-born, freshman left wing Georgii Merkulov(10) leads NCAA Division 1 players in goal scoring with 18.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward spent all of his youth hockey in his homeland and played junior hockey in the MHL for a couple seasons, including 6 VHL games for HK Tambov before leaving during the 2019/2020 session to start his American.

He joined Youngstown Phantoms and was a bit of an instant success with 6 goals and 27 assists in 36 USHL games.

The 21-year old played one more successful campaign of juniors before committing to school.

Undrafted, he will easily be a player to watch.

Boston Bruins waste no time and scoop him from one successful year at college hockey to a 3-year NHL entry level deal starting next season.

He scores a meager 24 goals and 31 assists with Providence Bruins and is back up in rookies training camp to begin the 2nd year of his entry level deal for 2023/2024 and by the looks of it is ready to compete for a spot on the big club.

After a 3rd season of 30+ assists, with a new high 39 last season, he gets a new 1-year deal to stay a Bruins and keep building.

He’s still our pick to make the big club on a more permanent basis.

After 4 years looking to break through the system, it’s time to move on and he signs a 1-year deal with Colorado Avalanche to see if a new environment can improve his chances.

02Aug

Matt Marcinew (8)

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5th year right wing Matt Marcinew(8) makes a decision he maybe should have made earlier in his career, heads off to Europe after a career year, scoring 23 goals and 25 assists in 57 ECHL games for Indy Fuel.

The 5’10” 190 lbs. forward signs with HPK of Liiga for 2021/2022.

While the former 4-year University Of Denver assistant captain as a senior consistently been a great scorer at the lower level (59-82-141 in 184 games with a +15 rating), but almost oddly has been given much opportunity in the AHL with only 1/2 season on the books.

Finland’s top hockey will be very competitive for the 27-year old that could excel his game and start a great career away from home in Calgary, AB.

He finds limited success in Finnish hockey, so decides to sign with Sodertalje SK, scoring 7 goals and 8 assists in 35 Allsvenskan games.

For 2022/2023, he returns to sign a 2-way deal with the brand new Calgary Wranglers.

After spending all of last season running up the scoresheet for Rapid City Rush to the tune of a career high 30 goals and 38 assists for 68 points in 64 ECHL games.

For 2023/2024, he signs with Allen Americans, where those scoring talents are once again very likely to flourish.

He scores 8 goals and 13 assists in 18 games to start the new session and might be looking for another step, so signs for the rest of the year with Krefeld Pinguine of DEL2.

In a full frame, he is essentially a point-per-game performer, but decides to look for another league to conquer and signs in the EIHL with Nottingham Panthers for 2025/2026.

Not surprising, he is a point-per-game player for his new club and decides to return to Germany, but signs with rivals EC Bad Nauheim for 2026/2027.

30Jul

Daniel Eruzione (21)

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Curry College Colonels‘ graduate transfer Daniel Eruzione(21) signs a 1st pro deal with Brixen/Bressanone Falcons of Italy2 for his rookie season 2022/2023.

The small-ish 5’9″ 165 lbs. forward is coming off a college career low goal and 9 assists in 22 NCAA Division3 games, but 3 times was a 20+ point scorer for his 1st school, Salve Regina University Seahawks.

He started his junior hockey with tier 3 Walpole Express after graduating Cushing Academy and lit up with 41 points in 40 EHL games, then was selected in the NAHL draft and played the next frame for New Jersey Junior Titans.

The 26-year old, Winthrop, MA native should light up where he is headed and may even get a promotion to a higher level club.

He has a very successful first run in Italy’s tier 2 league (12 goals, 19 assists in 20 games) and will return, but signs with rivals Feltre for 2023/2024.

25 assists ties a mark twice set in college play and 17 goals goes back to his 2nd junior season for that total, so he is scoring and will take that to a 3rd Italy2 team for 2024/2025, HC Eppan Pirates, maybe in hopes of winning a championship.

He blows up scoring with 20 goals and 35 assists in 32 games, then adds another 4 in 4 playoff matchups and will return for 2025/2026 in a Pirates‘ jersey.

After a 2nd 50+ points season, he is taking it up a notch an signs AlpsHL with Cortina for 2026/2027.

30Jul

Joey Musa (8)

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UMass Minutemen senior left wing Joey Musa(8) signs a 1st pro deal in France2 with Les Dogs de Cholet for his rookie season, 2025/2026.

The 5’9″ 160 lbs. forward has a pretty crazy 10 goals and 7 assists in 11 games with a +12 rating.

From Orange Park, FL, he did 3 years at Dartmouth University Big Green before transferring.

After a successful 20 goal, 29 game season with 14 points in the playoffs, he next takes off for Italy2 and signs with Varese for 2026/2027.

25Jul

Sean Malone (17)

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Buffalo Sabres‘ 6th year center Sean Malone(17) continues with Rochester Americans under a new 1-year deal from the team he’s skated 5 seasons for.

The former Harvard University Crimson senior scorer is coming off a career year, getting a new best 20 goals and 37 points.

He only has 2 NHL games to his credit, with an assist in his 2nd appearance with 1-year contract club, Nashville Predators.

A Buffalo, NY native, the 27-year old is definitely keeping his hockey close to home.

Following 6 years and 284 AHL games, the 28 year is heading off to Switzerland to skate in the NL with SCL Tigers in 2023/2024.

He has two good Swiss seasons and takes it to a new deal with Orebro HK of SHL for 2025/2026.

At the end of the session, he would get loaned back to the SCL Tigers of NL, but for 2026/2027 elects to sign with Augsburger Panther.

23Jul

Anthony Romano (29)

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Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ graduate right wing Anthony Romano(29) leaves scoring 9 goals for a 3rd time and has now a twice best 13 assists.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. Arizona Coyotes‘ 6th round pick in the 2019 draft (#176 overall) won the USHL Clark Cup Championship with Sioux Falls Stampede the year he was selected.

From Richmond Hill, ON, the 23-year old seems like an easy NHL entry level sign.

He actually signs with Texas Stars for his 1st pro contract, a pto, but could get reassigned as well.

Through 8 games, he scores no points, but is wanted to return for his rookie AHL year, 2024/2025 in a Stars‘ jersey.

In his 2nd season on reassignment to Florida Everblades he puts up some pretty amazing points, including 17 in the playoffs to win a 2026 Kelly Cup.

For 2026/2027, he sees a good opportunity to sign in DEL with Lowen Frankfurt.

23Jul

Reilly Walsh (8)

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Faced with the prospects of no senior year, it was a no brainer for Harvard University‘s defensive wunderkid Reilly Walsh(8) to sign his three-year entry level with New Jersey Devils, the team that drafted him 3rd round, 2017, #81 overall.

In his minor league debut with affiliate Binghamton Devils, he gets credited for the overtime 4-3 game-winner and his first pro AHL goal and currently has 2 goals and 5 assists in 12 games, which is impressing big at the struggling parent club.

The 6′ 185 lbs. 21-year old blue liner may have to spend some time honing his game at the stage lower than the show but look for him to get an opportunity.

And after scoring new career bests: 9 goals and a whopping 34 assists in 69 games with a +11 rating for affiliate Utica Comets, gets him the nod for his NHL debut.

In his 1st game, he skated 20 shifts for 14:23, got an assist, had 2 shots, 2 blocks and 1 giveaway in a 5-4 loss.

The Framingham, MA gets traded to his hometown Boston Bruins as free agency looms after 2 seasons of 30+ assists in the minors.

He strikes his 3rd straight season of 9 goals in the minors, but shows maybe a bit more focus in the playoffs with 2 assists in 4 games.

For 2024/2025, he signs a 1-year, 2-way deal with Los Angeles Kings.

He would get 26 assists with affiliate Ontario Reign, but spots something more for 2025/2026 and signs with Barys Astana.

In 68 games, he posts 30 assists and gets an invite to another big league contract from Montreal Canadiens.