American goaltender Collin Delia, 31, has signed a one-year contract with Brynäs IF, the Gävle-based SHL club announced on Friday.

“My family and I are incredibly happy to have this opportunity to represent a prestigious club like Brynäs,” said Delia. “The team’s passionate fans combined with its proud history made our decision easy. I’m looking forward to the season and I want to contribute to us going all the way and winning Swedish championship.”

Winning a title wouldn’t be such a huge leap for Brynäs who, despite being promoted from the tier-two HockeyAllsvenskan last season, finished first in the SHL regular-season standings and went all the way to the league finals, losing to Lulea in six games.

Delia joins a Brynäs team that has several big-name players, including Jakob Silfverberg, Johan Larsson, Robert Hägg, Oskar Lindblom, Michal Kempný and Christian Djoos.

Delia is the only healthy goaltender under contract right now, as former Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Erik Källgren isn’t expected back until early 2026 after undergoing hip surgery.

“Collin is well-deserved and we have followed him for a long time,” said Brynäs sports director Johan Alcén. “He’s a goalie who always gives his best for the team and knows what is required at the highest level. He is very well-educated and incredibly good on his skates. It will be exciting to work with him and see what he can achieve in our environment.”

Ex-NHL D-Man Moves From Czechia To Sweden Czech defenseman Michal Kempný, 34, has signed a one-year contract with Brynäs IF, the Gävle-based SHL club announced on Friday.

Born in Rancho Cucamonga, Cal., Delia played three years of NCAA hockey at Merrimack College and then signed as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017. Between 2017 and 2022, he played 32 NHL games with Chicago, spending the rest of the time with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs.

In 2022, Delia signed with the Vancouver Canucks, starting the season in the minors, third in the team’s goaltending depth chart, but played 20 NHL games that season after Thatcher Demko was injured and Spencer Martin faltered in the starting role.

Delia spent the last two seasons in the minor-league systems of the Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers.

In 52 NHL games, Delia has a goals-against average of 3.51, a save percentage of .897, a record of 19-18-7 and no shutouts. This is his first contract to play in Europe.

Photo © Bob Frid-Imagn Images.

Goalie Spencer Martin Signs In KHL Canadian goaltender Spencer Martin, 30, has signed a two-year contract with CSKA Moscow, the KHL club announced on Wednesday.

Canadian defenseman Noel Hoefenmayer, 26, has signed a one-year contract with KHL club HK Sochi, according to Russian sports website Championat.com.

Originally from the Toronto suburb of North York, Hoefenmayer played junior hockey for the Ottawa 67’s and was chosen in the fourth round, 107th overall, by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. In 2019-20, he led OHL defensemen with 82 points and was named the top d-man of both the OHL and CHL.

Never signed by Arizona, Hoefenmayer played in the minor-league systems of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens between 2020 and 2025, appearing in some NHL pre-season games but never in the regular season. In 189 career AHL regular-season and playoff games, he recorded 88 points and 243 penalty minutes.

This is Hoefenmayer’s first contract to play in Europe. He joins a Sochi team that is coached by former NHLer Vyacheslav Kozlov, but has not made the playoffs since the 2018-19 season.

Photo © Perry Nelson-Imagn Images: Noel Hoefenmayer (81) of the Edmonton Oilers carries the puck around Calgary Flames defensemen Joni Jurmo (57) during an NHL pre-season game in September 2024.

Sabres 2012 First-Rounder Mikhail Grigorenko Changes KHL Teams - Community Postundefined

Russian forward Mikhail Grigorenko has signed a two-year contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk, the KHL club announced on Friday.

“He’s vastly experienced playing in the NHL, international tournaments with the Russian national team, as well as the Gagarin Cup, of which he is a three-time winner,” Traktor GM Alexei Volkov said about Grigorenko. “He is equally capable of playing in several positions, is creative and has a great shot. Add excellent human qualities here and we get a really great top-line player, capable of making the team even more competitive.”

Born in Khabarovsk, in the far east of Russia near the Pacific coast, Grigorenko moved to Moscow as a child and played for the famous CSKA club. At age 17, he went overseas to play junior hockey for the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts, and then a year later was drafted 12th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Grigorenko played parts of three seasons with Buffalo before he was part of a blockbuster trade at the 2015 Draft, going to the Colorado Avalanche in a deal that also included Nikita Zadorov, J.T. Compher, Ryan O’Reilly, Jamie McGinn and a first-round pick. Grigorenko’s two seasons in Colorado were his most productive in the NHL, recording 27 and 23 points, respectively.

After two seasons back in the KHL, Grigorenko had one more 32-game NHL stint with the Columbus Blue Jackets in the pandemic-shortened 2021 season, recording 12 points. In all, he had 76 points and 36 penalty minutes in 249 career NHL games.

Igor Larionov Jr. To Play For Father In KHL American-Russian center Igor Larionov Jr., 26, has signed a one-year contract with SKA St. Petersburg, the KHL club announced on social media on Wednesday.

In 481 career KHL regular-season and playoff games, Grigorenko has 371 points – mostly with CSKA, but he played last season for SKA St. Petersburg, where he had 48 points in 71 games.

Internationally, Grigorenko has represented Russia at one IIHF U-18 World Championship, three World Junior Championships and three senior-level World Championships. He’s also played in the Olympics twice, winning gold with the Olympic Athletes from Russia in 2018 and a silver with ROC in 2022.

Traktor Chelyabinsk finished first in the KHL’s Eastern Conference last year and advanced to the Gagarin Cup finals, where it was swept by Lokomotiv Yaroslav. In addition to Grigorenko, the team has under contract for 2025-26 goaltender Chris Driedger, former NHLers Vladimir Zahkarov and Jordan Gross, as well as prospects Arseni Koromyslov (St. Louis Blues), Semyon Der-Arguchintsev (Toronto Maple Leafs), Matvei Guskov (Minnesota Wild) and Alexander Rykov (Carolina Hurricanes).

© Tim Fuller-Imagn Images.

Former NHL Goalie Chris Driedger Signs In KHL Canadian goaltender Chris Driedger, 31, has signed a one-year contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk, the KHL club announced on Tuesday.

Canadian goaltender Dylan Ferguson, 26, has signed a one-year contract with HK Nitra, the Slovak Extraliga club announced on Thursday.

Ferguson spent last season in the Minnesota Wild organization, where he dressed as a backup but did not see any NHL action, spending the season with the AHL's Iowa Wild. He has been in several NHL organizations but has only three games to his credit.

Ferguson was born in Lantzville, BC on Vancouver Island, but played high-school hockey for the famed Notre Dame Hounds in Saskatchewan and then junior hockey for the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers.

Ferguson was drafted by the Dallas Stars in the seventh round, 194th overall, in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, and then traded two days later to the expansion Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for defenseman Marc Methot. In the following season, Ferguson made his first NHL appearance after the Knights had a run of injuries in goal – allowing one goal on two shots in 9:14 of action in relief against the Edmonton Oilers on Nov. 14, 2017.

Two Days After Signing In KHL, Sokolov Traded For NHL Free Agent Two days after signing with CSKA Moscow, Russian winger Egor Sokolov has been traded to Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, the CSKA club announced on Thursday.

Between 2019 and 2023, Ferguson played in the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators organizations, playing two more NHL games for Ottawa in March 2023.

Ferguson spent the 2023-24 season playing for Belarus-based KHL club Dinamo Minsk. He then returned to North America the following season, first attending the Vancouver Canucks training camp before signing with Minnesota.

Ferguson joins a Nitra club that won the Slovak title in 2023-24 and lost in the finals last season. Notable players on the team’s roster include 44-year-old defenseman Branislav Mezei and 20-year-old left winger Ondrej Molnár, who spent the past two seasons in the OHL.

Photo © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.

Branislav Mezei Re-Signs With Hometown Club For Pro Season No. 26 Slovak defenseman Branislav Mezei, 44, has signed a one-year contract extension with his hometown club, HK Nitra, to play what will be his 26th season of professional hockey, the Slovak Extraliga club announced on Saturday.

Canadian forward Cliff Pu, 27, has signed a one-year contract with the Sheffield Steelers, the EIHL club announced on Thursday.

“I’d never thought of the U.K. to play hockey,” Pu is quoted. “Then when the opportunity came up, I started doing some research and realized this was a great opportunity to play for a winning franchise as well as being able to my get education with the university.”

“Cliff is coming in with a extremely high skill set,” said Steelers coach Aaron Fox. “He skates at an elite level and has played in some top leagues. Cliff is a natural center that can play both wing positions as well. His game will translate here to being a really productive player that I think will be able to help our PP and play a top-six role.”

As a junior, Pu played in the OHL and was a member of the London Knights 2015-16 Memorial Cup championship team. He was spotlighted by The Hockey News that spring as a potential first-round draft pick and ended up going in the third round, 69th overall, to the Buffalo Sabres. He followed up his draft season with 86- and 84-point seasons – the latter split between London and the Kingston Frontenacs.

Pu spent the better part of three seasons in the AHL while in the organizations of the Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers and Columbus Blue Jackets before signing with Kunlun Red Star – a Chinese-based club in the KHL – in 2021.

While many Kunlun players quickly became naturalized Chinese citizens and played for the national team, Pu’s arrival was too soon before the 2022 Beijing Olympics for this to happen. He played two and a half seasons with the Chinese-based team before transferring to Russian-based Admiral Vladivostok midway through 2023-24. In three KHL seasons, Pu recorded 41 points in 109 games.

Former Sabres draft pick Cliff Pu leaves KHL for SlovakiaCliff Pu, a 26-year-old Canadian forward, has spent the past four seasons in the KHL. On Thursday, however, Slovak club Dukla Michalovce announced the signing of the Buffalo Sabres’ third-round pick from 2016.

Pu split the 2024-25 season between Dukla Michalovce of the Slovak Extraliga and HC La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland’s second-tier league.

Pu joins a Steelers team that is used to success – they have not finished worse than third in the past six seasons. The team includes British national team captain Robert Dowd, who is also the EIHL’s all-time scoring leader.

Describing himself, Pu said, “Firstly I love to win, I work hard and I’m fast, I try and use my speed, I’ve always focused on power skating, and that has helped me create offense for my self and teammates.”

Photo © Kim Klement-Imagn Images: Cliff Pu, playing a pre-season game for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2018, being checked by Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Robert Dowd Is British League’s All-Time Scoring LeaderOn Saturday night, the Sheffield Steelers defeated the visiting Glasgow Clan 6-3 in EIHL action. Captain Robert Dowd scored to break a 2-2 tie early in the third period and in doing so, recorded his 740^th career point – a new league record.

Finnish winger Jesse Puljujärvi, 27, has signed a two-year contract with Genève-Servette, the National League club announced on Tuesday.

“I’m really excited to be joining Genève-Servette!” Jesse Puljujärvi is quoted in the club’s press release. “I’ve heard nothing but good things about the organization and the league, and I’m looking forward to experiencing it all. We have a great group of players, and I’m going to give my all to help the team succeed. I’m also looking forward to visiting the city, which looks amazing, and meeting the fans.”

“We are very pleased with the arrival of Jesse, a player we have been following for some time now,” said club sports manager Marc Gautschi. “Thanks to his physique and speed, he can be absolutely dominant on the big Swiss ice rinks. We are convinced that with the help of our coaching staff, he will further develop his scoring skills and become an essential offensive leader for our team.”

News of Puljujärvi heading to Switzerland began two weeks ago while he was still playing in the Calder Cup finals for the Charlotte Checkers.

He joins a Genève-Servette team that won its first-ever national championship in Switzerland in 2023-24 and won the Champions Hockey League in 2024-25, but has missed the playoffs the last two National League seasons. 

In addition to Puljujärvi, Genève-Servette has under contract for 2025-26 former NHLers Markus Granlund, Josh Jooris, Marc-Antoine Pouliot, Taylor Beck and Tim Berni, whose NHL rights are still retained by the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

French Former Habs Prospect Swaps Bitter Rival Teams In Switzerland American-born French left winger Tim Bozon was rumored as far back as November to have already signed a four-year contract with Swiss National League club Genève-Servette. The problem was, the 30-year-old former Montreal Canadiens prospect currently plays for Lausanne HC – Geneva’s fiercest rival.

Born in Älvkarleby, Sweden, Puljujärvi grew up in Finland and is a product of the Kärpät club in northern Finland. It is with that Oulu-based club that he first turned pro at age 16 in 2014-15.

Puljujärvi was chosen fourth overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. He has 128 points in 387 career NHL regular-season games with the Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins and Florida Panthers. He also has six points in 27 playoff games with Edmonton and Carolina.

During his career, Puljujärvi returned to play for Kärpät in 2019-20 and part of 2020-21, as pandemic-related restrictions delayed the NHL’s start to that season.

In June 2023, he underwent double hip surgery and missed half of the following season.

Jesse Puljujärvi: “It’s been a long process, I’m really happy to be here”The last couple of seasons have been an ordeal for Jesse Puljujärvi. He split a rather unproductive 2022-23 campaign between the Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes, during which he played in constant pain. Then in June 2023, he underwent double hip surgery. He didn’t return to the ice until January and, after a half-season split between the AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the NHL, he’s now playing in his second IIHF World Championship for Finland, and first since 2017.

When Puljujärvi was waived by Pittsburgh in February of this year to terminate his contract “by mutual agreement” ahead of the international transfer deadline, it was widely expected that he’d end up in Europe. Switzerland was one of his rumored destinations at that time, as was Kärpät. However, he surprisingly signed with Florida instead.

This past season, Puljujärvi had 10 pointss in 31 NHL games, split between Pittsburgh and Florida, and 16 points in 26 AHL games, split between Wilkes/Barre-Scranton and Charlotte. He also had 11 points in 18 playoff games for Charlotte, which included an overtime goal in Game 5 of the finals against the Abbotsford Canucks, which kept the Checkers alive for one more game.

Photo © Bob Frid-Imagn Images

More on Jesse Puljujärvi:

Puljujärvi goes from double hip surgery to Finland's World Championship roster

Jesse Puljujärvi: “It’s been a long process, I’m really happy to be here”

Jesse Puljujarvi Waived By Penguins – Headed Back To Finland?

RUMOR: Jesse Puljujärvi Headed To Switzerland After AHL Finals

The following is a list of notable players who have signed as free agents with, or been loaned, traded, or otherwise transferred to European clubs during the 2025 off-season.

Where applicable, the club that holds the player’s NHL negotiating rights is also noted. 

If a player’s name is highlighted, it means that the news of his transfer of signing was featured or mentioned in a THN International article. Click on the link to read the story.

Noteworthy players who skated for European clubs last season and are still available on the free-agent market can be seen here. 

Players are separated by position and listed according to age.

Goaltenders:

Július Hudáček G 36 SVK Kölner Haie (GER) – Dresdner Eislöwen (GER)
Antti Raanta G 35 FIN Genève-Servette (SUI) – Lukko Rauma (FIN)
Sami Aittokallio G 32 FIN HK Nitra (SVK) – Glasgow Clan (GBR)
Chris Driedger G 31 CAN Winnipeg Jets (NHL) – Traktor Chelyabinsk (RUS)
Spencer Martin G 30 CAN Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) – CSKA Moscow (RUS)
Adam Húska G 28 SVK HC Lugano (SUI) – Admiral Vladivostok (RUS)
Aleš Stezka G 28 CZE Seattle Kraken (NHL) – Kometa Brno (CZE)
Evan Fitzpatrick G 27 CAN Red Bull Munich (GER) – Nuremburg Ice Tigers (GER)
Connor Hughes CAN Montreal Canadiens (NHL) – Lausanne HC (SUI)
Waltteri Ignatjew G 25 FIN Calgary Flames (NHL) – Linköping HC (SWE)
Jakub Škarek G 25 CZE New York Islanders (NHL) IFK Helsinki (FIN)

Antti Raanta Signs With Hometown Finnish Team Antti Raanta is finally going home. On Monday, Liiga club Lukko, located in Raanta’s hometown of Rauma, on Finland’s west coast, announced that the 36-year-old goaltender had signed a one-year contract.

Defensemen:

Jakub Kindl D 38 CZE  Joensuun Kiekko-Pojat (FIN) – Boxers de Bordeaux (FRA)
Michal Kempný D 34 CZE Sparta Prague (CZE) – Brynäs (SWE)
Miika Koivisto D 34 FIN Timrå IK (SWE) – Vaasan Sport (FIN)
Jesse Blacker D 34 KAZ Avtomobil Yekaterinburg (RUS) – Avangard Omsk (RUS)
Sami Vatanen D 33 FIN Genève-Servette (SUI) – JYP Jyväskylä (FIN)
Mark Pysyk D 33 CAN SaiPa Lappeenranta (FIN) – Sparta Prague (CZE)
Ryan Murphy D 32 CAN Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) – Red Bull Munich (GER)
Darren Dietz D 31 KAZ Avtomobil Yekaterinburg (RUS) – Dinamo Minsk (BLR)
Connor Carrick D 31 USA Edmonton Oilers (NHL) – HC Lugano (SUI)
Mikael Seppälä  D 31 FIN HV71 (SWE) – Sparta Prague (CZE)
Dillon Heatherington D 30 Anaheim Ducks (NHL) – Red Bull Munich (GER)
Theodor Lennström D 30 SWE Genève-Servette (SUI) – Linköping HC (SWE)
Jordan Gross D 30 USA Dinamo Minsk (BLR) – Traktor Chelyabinsk (RUS)
Madison Bowey D 30 CAN Cleveland Monsters (AHL) – Augsburger Panther (GER)
Lukáš Klok D 30 CZE SC Bern (SUI) – EHC Kloten (SUI)
Robert Hägg D 30 SWE Vegas Golden Knights (NHL) – Brynäs (SWE)
Brady Keeper D 29 CAN HK Poprad (SVK) – Glasgow Clan (GBR)
Andreas Borgman D 29 SWE Fribourg-Gottéron (SUI) – HV71 (SWE)
Keaton Thompson D 29 USA Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (RUS) – Grizzlys Wolfsburg (GER)
Mark Friedman D 29 CAN Nashville Predators (NHL) – Rögle BK (SWE)
Sami Niku D 28 FIN EHC Kloten (SUI) – Lausanne HC (SUI)
Gabriel Carlsson D 28 EV Zug (SUI) – Färjestad BK (SWE)
Nicolas Mattinen D 27 Toronto Maple Leafs (TOR) – Adler Mannheim (GER)
Tarmo Reunanen D 27 FIN Energie Karlovy Vary (CZE) – TPS Turku (FIN)
Filip Roos D 26 SWE Ottawa Senators (NHL) – Färjestad BK (SWE)
Gustav Lindström D 26 SWE Montreal Canadiens (NHL) – Djurgården (SWE)
 Luke Martin D 26 USA IFK Helsinki (FIN) – Örebro HK (SWE)
Thomas Grégoire D 26 CAN EHC Kloten (SUI) – Severstsal Cherepovets (RUS)
Mattias Norlinder D 24 SWE MoDo (SWE) – Brynäs (SWE)
Erik Brännström D 25 SWE Buffalo Sabres (NHL) – Lausanne HC (SUI)
Filip Král D 25 CZE Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL) – Kometa Brno (CZE)
Valtteri Pulli D 24 FIN HC Lugano (SUI) – Djurgården (SWE)
Topi Niemelä D 23 FIN Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) – Malmö Redhawks (SWE)
Roni Hirvonen D 23 FIN Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) – Kärpät Oulu (FIN)

Erik Brännström Signs Multi-Year Deal In Switzerland Swedish defenseman Erik Brännström, 25, has signed a three-year contract with Lausanne HC, the National League club announced on Monday.

Forwards:

David Booth W 40 USA Ferencvárosi TC (HUN) – Melbourne Ice (AUS)
Vladimír Sobotka F 37 CZE Sparta Prague (CZE) – Dynamo Pardubice (CZE)
Tomáš Zohorna F 37 CZE Motor České Budějovice (CZE) – Kometa Brno (CZE)
Michael Raffl W 36 AUT Lausanne HC (SUI) – Red Bull Salzburg (AUT)
Zach Boychuk F 35 CAN Eisbären Berlin (GER) – Olimpija Ljubljana (SLO)
Teemu Hartikainen 35 FIN Genève-Servette (SUI) – KalPa Kuopio (FIN)
André Petersson RW 34 SWE HV71 (SWE) – SCL Tigers (SUI)
Tomáš Tatar 34 SVK New Jersey Devils (NHL) – EV Zug (SUI)
Taylor Beck F 34 CAN Sibir Novosibirsk (RUS) – Genève-Servette (SUI)
Lukáš Radil W 34 CZE Dynamo Pardubice (CZE) – Mountfield HK (CZE)
Scott Wilson LW 33 CAN Salavat Yulaev Ufa (RUS) – Sibir Novosibirsk (RUS)
Linden Vey C 33 CAN Fribourg-Gottéron (SUI) – Vienna Capitals (AUT)
Mike Sgarbossa C 32 CAN Washington Capitals (NHL) – HC Lugano (SUI)
Patrick Russell W 31 DEN Linköping HC (SWE) – Kölner Haie (GER)
Tim Bozon LW 31 FRA Lausanne HC (SUI) – Genève-Servette (SUI)
Reid Boucher RW 31 USA Avangard Omsk (RUS) – Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg (RUS)
Alexander Khokhlachyov F 31 RUS HK Sochi (RUS) – Lada Togliatti (RUS)
Riley Barber W 31 Neftekhimik Nizkhnekamsk (RUS) – ERC Ingolstadt (GER)
Jack Rodewald F 31 CAN Admiral Vladivostok (RUS) – Salavat Yulaev Ufa (RUS)
Chris Tierney C 31 CAN Dinamo Minsk (BLR) – HC Ambrì-Piotta (SUI)
Justin Kloos F 31 USA Leksands IF (SWE) – HV71 (SWE)
Henrik Haapala W 31 FIN Malmö Redhawks (SWE) – Tappara Tampere (FIN)
Drake Caggiula F 30 CAN Edmonton Oilers (NHL) – Lausanne HC (SUI)
Nic Petan F 30 CAN Ak Bars Kazan (RUS) – HC Ambrì-Piotta (SUI)
Balázs Sebők F 30 HUN Fehérvár AV19 (HUN) – Ässät Pori (FIN)
Sean Malone C 29 USA SCL Tigers (SUI) – Örebro HK (SWE)
Jayce Hawryluk RW 29 CAN EHC Kloten (SUI) – HKM Zvolen (SVK)
Axel Holmström C 29 SWE Vaasan Sport (FIN) – HC Litvínov (CZE)
Ryan MacInnis C 29 USA Adler Mannheim (GER) – Kölner Haie (GER)

List Of Available Free Agents In EuropeThe following is a list of notable players who finished the 2024-25 season with a European club and have no contract to play anywhere in 2025-26, and are therefore free agents. Only players whose seasons have finished are listed. 

Karson Kuhlman RW 29 USA Lukko Rauma (FIN) – Rögle BK (SWE)
Fredrik Olofsson F 29 SWE EV Zug (SUI) – Rögle BK (SWE)
Dominik Kubalík W 29 CZE HC Ambri-Piotta (SUI) – EV Zug (SUI)
Daniel Audette C 29 CAN EHC Kloten (SUI) – Rytíři Kladno (CZE)
Radim Zohorna F 28 CZE HC Lugano (SUI) – Färjestad BK (SWE)
Evgeny Svechnikov W 28 RUS Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (RUS) – Amur Khabarovsk (RUS)
Mārtiņš Dzierkals W 28 LAT Skellefteå AIK (SWE) – Sparta Prague (CZE)
Chase Pearson F 27 CAN Villacher EV (AUT) – Nottingham Panthers (GBR)
Henrik Borgström F 27 SWE HV71 (SWE) – Fribourg-Gottéron (SUI)
Rasmus Asplund F 27 SWE Florida Panthers (NHL) – HC Davos (SUI)
Jere Innala LW 27 FIN Colorado Avalanche (NHL) – Frölunda HC (SWE)
Lukáš Jašek F 27 CZE MoDo (SWE) – Ilves Tampere (FIN)
Joachim Blichfeld W 26 DEN Rögle BK (SWE) – Tappara Tampere (FIN)
Lukáš Rousek F 26 CZE Buffalo Sabres (NHL) – HV71 (SWE)
Oscar Flynn LW 26 CZE Bílí Tygři Liberec (CZE) – Oceláři Třinec (CZE)
Rasmus Kupari F 25 FIN Winnipeg Jets (NHL) – HC Lugano (SUI)
Jesse Ylönen W 25 FIN Nashville Predators (NHL) – Djurgården (SWE)
Egor Sokolov W 25 RUS Utah Mammoth (NHL) – CSKA Moscow (RUS)
Egor Sokolov W 25 RUS CSKA Moscow (RUS) – Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (RUS)
Dominik Bokk W 25 GER Löwen Frankfurt (GER) – Kölner Haie (GER)
Justin Schütz LW 24 GER Kölner Haie (GER) – Adler Mannheim (GER)
Ruslan Iskhakov F 24 RUS CSKA Moscow (RUS) – Metallurg Magnitogorsk (RUS) New York Islanders
Michal Teplý W 24 CZE Oceláři Třinec (CZE) – HC Plzeň (CZE)
Aku Räty W 23 FIN Chicago Blackhawks (NHL) – Kärpät Oulu (FIN)
Jakub Konečný C 22 CZE Kometa Brno (CZE) – Rytíři Kladno (CZE)
Victor Stjernborg F 22 SWE Växjö Lakers (SWE) – Skellefteå AIK (SWE)  Chicago Blackhawks
Adam Bareš F 21 CZE Lahti Pelicans (FIN) – Rytíři Kladno (CZE)
Alex Čiernik W 20 SVK Leigh Valley Phantoms (AHL) – Lahti Pelicans (FIN) Philadelphia Flyers
Lucas Pettersson C 19 SWE MoDo (SWE) – Brynäs (SWE) Anaheim Ducks

Photo © Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images: Rasmus Kupari playing for the Winnipeg Jets in the 2024-25 NHL season. 

Tomáš Tatar Signs Multi-Year Deal In Switzerland Slovak forward Tomáš Tatar, 34, has signed a two-year contract in Switzerland with EV Zug, the National League club announced on Tuesday.

Pavol Regenda recently signed a contract extension with the San Jose Sharks, but apparently he could have signed a more lucrative deal elsewhere. The 25-year-old Slovak right winger signed a two-way deal worth $775,000 US if he plays in the NHL or $350,000 in the AHL, with a guarantee of $400,000, as per PuckPedia.

Shortly before signing, he appeared on a Slovak podcast(P)opičí Biznis, where he spoke about why he chose not to play in Russia. He also spoke about the trade that moved him from the beach in San Diego to San Jose, living on an AHL salary in a major U.S. city, and the trouble with attracting NHL players to the Slovak national team.

The translations are from written versions that appeared in a recent Hokej.cz article written by Dominik Dubovči.

“There were various offers from Europe,” Regenda said. “Even from Russia, but I wouldn’t go there right now. I know what it’s like for the guys who are there now. And I don't want to be a dick, because people automatically take it that you support the war and go to work for blood money.

“Meanwhile, my teammate, who just went to Russia, has a million dollars net for the season! If a Slovak received such an offer, 99.9% of people would leave their families at home and go. But if you go there as a hockey player, you automatically support the war.”

“Sports and politics are not related at all, but I know that there are guys out there who get threats and hate messages. So I said no to Russia. There will be offers from the KHL in the future. Maybe when the war’s over, I might go there.”

Martin Pospíšil after Olympic qualifiers: “It was never anything against the players” from the KHL Martin Pospíšil was calm and reflective after Slovakia’s 3-1 victory over Kazakhstan on Sunday in Bratislava, which qualified the team for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

Regenda was acquired by San Jose in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks on Jan. 22 in exchange for Justin Bailey. In the podcast, Regenda recounted that experience and, while doing so, oddly compared San Jose to his hometown of Michalovce, a town of 35,000 in eastern Slovakia near the Ukrainian border.

“Right after training in the gym, the general manager told me that I’d been traded. I don’t like changes, but I had to pack up and get on a plane within an hour. It was quite a shock, I played a game that very day! It was challenging. I went from the most beautiful city in America to San Jose. A new environment... It’s like comparing Bratislava and Michalovce. The sea was further away, there wasn’t much to do, while San Diego was excellent in this regard. But I was doing well in hockey after the trade. Plus, we were much higher in the standings.”

Regenda explained what it’s like living in a major U.S. city with an AHL salary.

“I had 90,000 after taxes, and 23,000 of that went towards rent. Everyone in Europe thinks that if we play in America, we’re automatically rich, but the expenses are massive. In Slovakia, for example, I can buy food for a week for 60 euros (approx $70 US or $95 CDN). In the USA, you spend twice, three times that much. I prefer to cook at home, I don’t like going out to eat very often, but some guys were in restaurants all the time. That’s $100 right away.”

Pavol Regenda: “I think I can play in the NHL and I know what I have to do to be there” With his flowing sandy-blond hair, Pavol Regenda looks like he could be a surfer and seems quite at home in Southern California after two hockey seasons there.

Regenda also spoke about the Slovak national team. At the Olympic qualifyers last August, Regenda played on an effective line with Martin and Kristián Pospišil – part of a balanced attack on a Slovak team that included Tomáš Tatar, Adam Sýkora and Šimon Nemec.

At the recent IIHF World Championship, however, no full-time NHL players went and, with 19 career games, Regenda was by far the most NHL-experienced player on the team. Slovakia failed to qualify for the quarterfinals and the team received plenty of criticism at home.

“The young guys – Slafkovský, Nemec, Černák – don’t want to go to the World Championships because, in my opinion, they’re pissed off with the whole system, how it works in Slovakia...

“You come to the national team and you look like an idiot in front of people. One person says that you don’t even try, another person's (betting) ticket is ruined...

“Nothing works in Slovakia, so why should sports work?”

Photo © Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images: Anaheim Ducks forward Pavol Regenda (40) passes the puck from behind the net against the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2023-24 NHL season. 

Hockey Slovakia President Miroslav Šatan: ‘The Door To The National Team Is Still Open to Juraj Slafkovský’ Back in October, Montreal Canadiens right winger Juraj Slafkovský heaped heavy criticism on the Slovak Ice Hockey Association and Hockey Slovakia fired back, dismissing the remarks as “ill-considered statements of a young player.”

Canadian defenseman Madison Bowey, 30, has signed a one-year contract with the Augsburger Panther, the DEL club announced on Friday.

"During my scouting trip, Madison was one of the players I focused on, said Panther sports director Larry Mitchell. “(Head coach) Bill Peters and I have been working hard on him over the past few weeks. We see Madison as the missing piece of the puzzle for our defense, which we desperately wanted to add to with a tough, right-shooting, two-way defenseman.

“He's a tall, solid player, yet a good skater who can also contribute offensively,” Mitchell continued. “Madison is in the prime of his career and is excited about his new role with the Panther under Coach Peters in the DEL.”

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Bowey played junior hockey for the Kelowna Rockets, where he was part of the team’s 2014-15 WHL championship team and played in that year’s Memorial Cup.

Bowey was chosen in the second round, 53rd overall, by the Washington Capitals in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. Between 2015 and 2022, he played 158 NHL regular-season games with the Capitals, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks, recording 40 points and 104 penalty minutes.

Former Stars, Sens D-Man Signs In GermanyCanadian defenseman Dillon Heatherington, 30, has signed a one-year contract with Red Bull Munich, the DEL team announced on Monday. This is the first contract to play in Europe for the 6-foot-4, 216-pound rearguard.

Although he did not play in any playoff games, his name is engraved on the Stanley Cup as part of the 2017-18 Capitals, for whom he played 51 regular-season games that season.

Bowie spent the 2022-23 season in the Montreal Canadiens organization, playing the entire season with the AHL’s Laval Rocket. He then spent the 2023-24 season in the KHL, splitting his time with Dinamo Minsk, Traktor Chelyabinsk and Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod.

Last season, Bowie returned to the AHL with the Cleveland Monsters, the top affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets, recording 18 points in 63 regular-season and playoff games.

Augsburg has never won a DEL title and hasn’t made the playoffs since reaching the semifinals in 2018-19. In the last three seasons, the team has finished last twice and 13th once in the 14-team league.

Photo © Eric Bolte-Imagn Images.

Report: Kölner Haie & DEL Set New European Attendance Records; New Records In Czechia & Britain Too The Alliance of European Hockey Clubs published its annual attendance study on Wednesday, ranking 376 clubs across 29 leagues.

Two days after signing with CSKA Moscow, Russian winger Egor Sokolov has been traded to Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, the CSKA club announced on Thursday.

Sokolov, 25, was traded for the KHL rights to another 25-year-old Russian winger – Nikolai Kovalenko – who is currently a free agent. Kovalenko split last season between the Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks.

Given the similar profile of the two players in this one-for-one deal, the reason the trade was made probably hinges on the possibility of each player playing in the KHL this season. Sokolov is signed while Kovalenko is not, and could possibly return to the NHL.

Kovalenko was born in Raleigh, N.C. while his father, Andrei Kovalenko, played for the Carolina Hurricanes. He grew up in Moscow and Yaroslavl, and played in 304 KHL regular-season and playoff games for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, Ak Bars Kazan and Torpedo between 2017 and 2024, recording 157 points.

In 57 NHL regular-season games over the past two seasons, Kovalenko has 20 points and 16 penalty minutes. He also played in two playoff games for Colorado in 2024, recording no points.

On Tuesday, CSKA acquired Sokolov's KHL playing rights from Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg and then signed him to a one-year contract.

Utah Prospect, Ex-Sen Egor Sokolov Signs In KHL Russian winger Egor Sokolov, 25, has signed a one-year contract with CSKA Moscow, the KHL club announced on Tuesday. According to the announcement, CSKA had earlier worked out an agreement with Avtomobilist Yetaterinberg, who had previously held Sokolov’s KHL rights.

Originally from Yekaterinburg, a city in the foothills of the Ural Mountains on the Asian side, Sokolov went overseas at age 17 to play junior hockey for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the QMJHL.

Sokolov was taken by the Ottawa Senators in the second round, 61st overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. He then spent the next four seasons in the Ottawa organization, playing 13 NHL games for the Sens in which he recorded one goal, one assist and four penalty minutes.

Sokolov was traded last summer to Utah HC, now the Utah Mammoth, for Czech winger Jan Jeník. He spent the entire 2024-25 season in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners, where he recorded 44 points in 75 regular-season and playoff games.

Goalie Spencer Martin Signs In KHL Canadian goaltender Spencer Martin, 30, has signed a two-year contract with CSKA Moscow, the KHL club announced on Wednesday.

CSKA has been very busy over the past few days building its 2025-26 roster. In addition to the three transactions involving Sokolov, it has also signed goaltender Spencer Martin and acquired Denis Zernov from Metallurg Magnitogorsk in exchange for New York Islanders prospect Ruslan Iskhakov.

Last season, CSKA and Torpedo finished fifth and eighth, respectively, in the KHL’s Eastern Conference. Both teams were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

  Photo © Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images.

Islanders Prospect Moves In KHL Trade KHL clubs CSKA Moscow and Metallurg Magnitogorsk were involved in a one-for-one trade involving Russian forwards on Thursday, the latter club announced. Ruslan Iskhakov, 24, is headed to Magnitogorsk and 29-year-old Denis Zernov is headed west to the Russian capital.