10th year center Travis Oleksuk(13) didn’t last long in the EIHL with Sheffield Steelers (5 games, 2 assists) and has decided to return to IceHL, where he has basically spent the last 5 seasons since coming over from a 1-year AHL deal with Hartford Wolf Pack, signing with rivals Villacher SV.
He spent 2 years with HC Bolzano Foxes and 3 to Graz99ers and won the 2018 EBEL Championship with his initial club.
The 6′ 200 lbs. forward signed an entry level deal with San Jose Sharks to start his pro career after 4 years at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, including a breakout campaign as a senior assistant captain with 21 goals and 32 assists with a +24 rating.
It would not be outlandish to just see the 32-year old retire and then coach in the Austria pro league.
Well, apparently he’s not done yet, after putting up 8 goals and 11 assists in 30 games, he decides to head to Germany3 and signs with Starbulls Rosenheim for 2022/2023.
After scoring quite well, almost to the tune of point-per-game numbers, he waits and finally signs with rivals, Hannover Scorpions and will likely continue to do well.
Worcester Railers‘ 2nd year left wing Nick Fea(22) re-signs to return for a full 2023/2024 season after being loaned up from Birmingham Bulls following point-per-game SPHL numbers, then getting 8 goals and 8 assists in 29 ECHL games on loan.
The 5’11” 190 lbs. forward was a scoring machine at Wilkes University Colonels, striking for 121 points in 86 D3 games, 3 times 20+ goals.
From Oak Ridge, NJ, the 26-year old has consistently put up good statistics.
He was to return, where he played last season, but that’s how quickly things change in this league sometimes, as he is officially on the roster of Wichita Thunder going forward.
Allen Americans‘ rookie goaltender Justin Kapelmaster(1) got off to the best start of any recent college graduate turned pro (up for argument, no doubt).
The 6’1″ 205 lbs. backstop posted a 3-0 record out of the gate with a 1.93 GAA and .938 SV% but has since come back to earth going 7-6-1 with a 2.79 and .912.
He finished with a solid season at Robert Morris University after three years, including a disastrous junior affair, with Ferris State University.
The Coral Springs, FL 25-year old had an interesting run through a few different junior hockey leagues including one up in Canada but finally arriving at the NAHL with Wichita Falls Wildcats that surely got him his college ride.
He had a bit of a lopsided 2021/2022, tending net for a few different teams, but did show some flashes of what makes him a solid bet for any team’s cage.
For 2022/2023, he signs with Reading Royals, who could use a standout starter to help them stay solid for another run at the Cup.
He stays nowhere for very long last season, playing a total of 5 games for 3 different teams, but our bet and Jacksonville Icemen welcomes his return is the 28-year old still has plenty left in the tank.
He just needs a good opportunity.
5 days later, before even barely practicing with his new team, he gets traded to Florida Everblades, where he may just find the best home for himself for the state native.
5th year, undrafted defenseman Ryan Lowney(55) leaves for a 2nd time in as many seasons, this time going to Metal Ligaen, putting ink to paper with Rodovre Mighty Bulls for 2021/2022.
He played games in Slovakia, then England’s EIHL a couple of years ago, pre-pandemic.
The small 5’8″ 166 lbs. blue liner likely decided to stay close to last season, originally signing to Toledo Walleye, they didn’t play, so ended up with Utah Grizzlies.
He’s done well in the ECHL averaging 7 goals and 25+ assists in his three season, mostly with Fort Wayne Komets.
We think the 27-year old, former Ferris State University Bulldogs‘ 10+ assist d-man will likely take scoring up to what he accomplished in his 2nd year of USHL juniors for Youngstown Phantoms and 2nd frame in Indiana for his new club in Denmark.
Well, he didn’t exactly ignite the Danish with scoring and decided to return home, signing with Toledo Walleye, where he took his game all the way to the ECHL Finals before bowing out.
He re-signed with last season, but waits a bit before committing to CSM Corona Brasov of Erste Liga for 2023/2024.
Undrafted, left wing Aidan Spellacy(8) was originally at his junior year of Roger Morris University Pioneers, but when the program went belly-up, entered the transfer portal and was next heading to St. Cloud State University Huskies for his senior and a graduate session.
The 5’11” 174 lbs. has 4 times scored 10+ points in college, but really hasn’t been too effective a scorer.
Upon graduation, he signed an ato with Kalamazoo Wings and in 6 ECHL games pocketed 2 goals.
He was set to return for his official rookie season, but has ultimately decided to sign in the EIHL for 2023/2024 and joins a pretty famous hockey club in Coventry Blaze.
Iowa Heartlanders land University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish graduate defenseman Ben Brinkman(4) for 2023/2024.
The fairly big 6’1″ 220 lbs. blue liner 1st did 4 years at University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers keeping offenders on the perimeters.
He did no junior hockey, instead heading straight from USHS-MN to college.
The 23-year old will likely be looking for a loan up from the ECHL.
11 year right wing Andrew Cherniwchan(28) concludes 456 ECHL games with a +36 rating and just as many seasons in a South Carolina Stingrays‘ uniform, since joining the team straight off 4 years at Northern Michigan University Wildcats.
He was team captain the last 3.
The 5’11” 181 lbs. forward only spent 1 entire AHL campaign away, when playing for Providence Bruins.
We are a little surprised the 34-year old from Hinton, AB has yet to net himself a post skating job, but this jersey # is headed for the rafters.
Undrafted 7th year center Steve McParland(10) switches up 3 seasons in AlpsHL, 2 with Asiago and most recently for HC Fassa Falcons, running up a pair of campaigns worth 60+ points for a new environment in the EIHL with Glasgow Clan.
He twice fired in 57 points with the exact same goals and assists, reversed a 2nd time (31-26) for Idaho Steelheads.
The 5’11” 203 lbs. forward helped his college team, Providence College Friars win the 2015 NCAA Championship, but wasn’t much of a scorer in school, hitting 13 points as a junior and senior.
A native of Schreiber, ON, he did light it up in 4 seasons of junior hockey, 2 in the GOJHL and 2 OJHL sessions.
The 31-year old will likely ignite mostly England’s top hockey league.
He does just that with 19 goals and 27 assists through 54 games, but has made the choice to move onto DEL3 for his next contract with Saale Bulls Halle for 2023/2024.
After just 8 games and 1 goal in Germany, he decides he’d rather play in the EIHL this season and signs with Guildford Flames, which should give them some happily welcome scoring pop.
3rd year defenseman Carter Allen(4) takes his game over to the EIHL for 2023/2024 and signs a 1-year deal with Coventry Blaze, which should be a pretty good deal for him.
The 6′ 205 lbs. blue liner started his pro career with a single SPHL appearance for Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs before being loaned up to South Carolina Stingrays for 63 ECHL games scoring 10 assists.
He was invited to return last season, but appeared in only 19 games, gets waived and picked up by Cincinnati Cyclones, where he appeared in 8 games to close our the frame.
The Lambton Shores, ON native played 3 years at SUNY-Oswego Lakers.
He should be able to settle into his game with his new team.
5th year center Adam Johnson(47) gets a new start with Lehigh Valley Phantoms, as he is dished from a 2nd stint for Ontario Reign after a slow start.
He signed with the team last season upon returning from Malmo Redhawks, where he scored 7 goals and 5 assists in 21 SHL games before getting released.
In 14 AHL games in 2020/2021, the 6′ 175 lbs. forward had 6 goals and 5 assists, so can produce.
Undrafted, he agreed on a 2-year entry level deal with Pittsburgh Penguins, spending most of his time scoring very productively for affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but in his appearances over a pair of campaigns managed 2 assists in his first 6 games, then grabbed a 1st NHL goal and an assist in his next 7.
The 27-year old, former 2-year University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs‘ sophomore scoring sensation from Hibbing, MN can still produce, but definitely needs to re-energize those jets.
He will take an alright season at the 2nd highest level to a new deal across the pond for 2022/2023 with Augsburger Panther and will likely do pretty well in Germany highest hockey, DEL.
7 goals and 15 assists in 45 games isn’t too shabby, but a -20 rating needs to be addressed, so he heads off to sign a new 1-year deal with Nottingham Panthers for 2023/2024 that should see him do quite well in the EIHL.
Our hearts are literally on our sleeves and sticks outside for a tribute to the hardest skater there is. Rest well. we are crying.
