After spending the last 6 of his 7 NHL days in an Anaheim Ducks‘ uniform, 13th year right wing Derek Grant(27) will take his game overseas for a 1st time, signing a 1-year deal with ZSC Lions of NL, which should be a lot of fun for the 33-year old.
The 6’3″ 209 lbs. forward tower has 3 times had 10+ goals and twice 10+ assists in a frame.
From Abbotsford, BC, he played 2 BCHL seasons before committing to Michigan State University Spartans, where he stayed for 2 years before turning pro.
Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 4th round pick in 2008 (#119 overall), he spent the 1st 4 years of his career in their system.
He takes 427 games in the big league and 320 in the AHL over to his new venture, which should keep him smiling out there.
The 35-year old is scoring very well and signs on for a 4th season to continue a Lions for 2026/2027.
4th year Latvian-born defenseman Janis Jaks(72) signs on for a 2nd season to stay with HC Litvinov of Czechia Extraliga for 2023/2024.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. blue liner played a lot of his youth hockey and beginnings of juniors before coming over to the NAHL with Minnesota Wilderness, where he was twice a +10 player fully grounded in his own zone and helped his team with the 2015 Robertson Cup.
After spending 4 fairly strong sessions at American International College Yellowjackets, he signed with Dinamo Riga, but after 17 KHL games, the relationship soured and he agreed next to Bakersfield Condors and things were looking decent with 2 goals and 4 assists in 20 AHL games with a +3 rating.
He would return to Russia to skate for HK Sochi, but the results didn’t yield much, so he turned his attention to where he is now with much better results, 8 goals, 17 assists in 47 games with a +3 rating to move forward.
The 27-year old has to have at least a little smile on his face to how things are going, especially after winning Bronze at the recent IIHF Worlds.
After 2 strong seasons with the same team, he was in a pretty good spot for himself, but decides to sign with rivals, HC Energie Karlovy Vary.
He apparently has found a good spot in Vary and re-signs for his 3rd upcoming season, 2026/2027.
Ogden Mustangs‘ right wing, captain Dimitri Voyatzis(29) takes a 1st year USPHL/NCDC 17 goals and 37 assists in 49 games, then adds another 7 points (3-4) in 10 playoff matchups that ends in the finals.
The 6’1″ 194 lbs. forward played 2 seasons of Premier with the team, blowing up scoring in his 2nd session.
He commits to Nichols College Bison for 2024/2025, which should be a fantastic choice for the 20-year Fountain Valley, CA native.
In 23 games, he scores 2 goals and 8 assists, but enters the transfer portal to attend Suffolk University Rams for his sophomore frame and is a choice well made as he scores a new college best 5 goals and 14 assists with a +5 rating.
RIT Tigers‘ graduate, assistant captain defenseman Spencer Berry(3) seems to pull a bit of a fast one for a 1st pro deal and will that initially had him heading over to Germany to join DEL2, agreeing EC Kassel Huskies , but has flipped that to now agree with SC Bietigheim Steelers for 2023/2024.
He scored a 1st college career goal and added a new high 6 assists in 37 games with a +4 rating last season.
The 6’1″ 181 lbs. White Rock, BC native played 2 campaigns of BCHL for Langley Rivermen, getting 3 goals and 20 assists in his 2nd frame.
He likely ready to get going and the 24-year old looks good to do well in Germany’s tier 2 league.
Through 50 games, he records 3 goals and 7 assists, but is a terrible -16 rating, so decides to move to the lower league, Germany3 and signs with Hammer Eisbaren that is worth 14 assists and a +13 rating.
For 2025/2026, he agrees with Heilbronner Falken.
In 51 games he has 12 assists with a +11 rating and is elevated to join EHC Freiburg for the balance of the frame.
Endicott College Gulls‘ senior right wing Andrew Kurapov(12) is looking to best his 13 goals and 18 assists he set as a junior with 5 goals and 9 assists in 12 games with a +5 rating to start this campaign.
The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward blew out scoring his 2nd frame of USPHL/NCDC for Twin City Thunder, amassing 22 goals and 39 assists after a year earlier had 1 goal and 2 assists in 35 games.
From Corvallis, OR, the 24-year old.
He does a graduate frame and comes away with a new college best 14 goals in the process.
Upon finishing up tournament play, he signs an ato with Reading Royals and has gotten into 1 ECHL before playoffs.
He signs for his rookie season with Knoxville Ice Bears, but scores pretty well through 27 SPHL games to earn a loan back up to Reading, where he connects for 1 goal and 2 assists with a +3 rating, but when he is returned immediately gets traded to Pensacola Ice Flyers before deadline.
SUNY Canton Roos‘ senior center Nic Herringer(18) has a new college career best 10 goals and his 9 assists are just 3 off the 12 mark he set at school last season.
The 6’1″ 185 lbs. forward came over from 3 years of reduced usage, as he wasn’t scoring at University Of Wisconsin-River Falls Falcons.
From Calgary, AB, the 25-year old is a pivotal player for his new club.
He had good showing through various junior leagues before school.
Basically has pro hockey written on his sleeve and signs a pro with Evansville Thunderbolts to get started in the SPHL.
He plays a couple games with no points and decides to head off to Germany4 for a couple seasons before returning to sign with Quad City Storm for the remainder of 2025/2026.
Rivier University Raiders‘ senior defenseman Carter Poulin(3) takes a college high 25 games played to a 1st pro deal, a pto with Evansville Thunderbolts for the remnants of 2025/2026.
In 2 SPHL games, the 6’3″ 190 lbs. blue liner has no points with a +1 rating.
From close by school, Berlin, NH, the 24-year old scored best as a junior with 6 goals and 7 assissts.
Matt Wiesner(25) comes off a 3rd D3 season of 10+ goal scoring for Babson College Beavers to sign a 1st pro contract for 2022/2023 with Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
At just 5’9″ 165 lbs. he will definitely have to move around some to find scoring space in the ECHL, but definitely could do so.
He was a 20 goal, 20 assist scorer in his 2nd NAHL season for Northeast Generals.
The Newport Beach, CA native looks to potentially be able to be loaned to Birmingham Bulls of the SPHL, but he’s likely trying to just look forward.
He has been good for 10+ goals and assists 3 years in the league and is off to a good start 2025/2026 with 1 goal and 5 assists in 14 games, but finds himself traded to Fayettesville Marksmen, which should prove to be a good landing spot.
Scoring well, he is traded for a 2nd time in a frame, heading to Peoria Rivermen for the balance of the frame.
13th year center Andy Miele(51) finishes up another decently successful run through the SHL, this time as assistant captain for HV-71.
For 2023/2024, he decides to head off on a new adventure, signing a 1-year deal with Grizzlys Wolfsburg and he will skate his 1st season in Germany’s top league, DEL.
The small 5’9″ 170 lbs. forward started overseas in Sweden after 15 NHL games (2 assists, +2 rating) and 478 AHL and won himself a 2018 Championship with Vaxjo Lakers.
His biggest success was likely the 3 seasons he spent in the KHL with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod.
The 35-year old, former Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks is likely to continue to do well.
Scoring 44 assists 3 straight seasons in the league below the show indicates he can score and as he’s getting older he shows little signs of slowing, grabbing 14 goals and 32 assists in 52 games to earn the now 36-year old another look in Germany with the Grizzlys.
He grabs 16 goals and 16 assists in 52 games as a now 37-year old and continues to want to skate and signs with rivals, Fischtown Pinguins for 2025/2026.
With another productive season, 7 goals and 20 assists, he is asked to return to be a Pinguins for 2026/2027.
Simon Fraser University Red Leafs‘ sophomore defenseman Jack Franklin(7) transferred from a freshman year at Salve Regina University Seahawks.
The 6’2″ 201 lbs. blue liner has 2 assists in 17 games this season.
He had 2 goals and 1 assist in 21 games last season.
From San Jose, CA, he did 2 years in the AJHL, scoring assists before school.
The 22-year old will have to look for a new school 2026/2027, as this school is suspending their program unfortunately.
