There was a time when almost every spring brought with it a free agent name or two out of Europe that created a bit of a bidding war among interested NHL teams. This aspect of springtime business has calmed down in recent years as the rate of regular NHLers to be found has also cooled down, perhaps considerably. The Panarins of the world have been few and far between, even if KHLers usually head the list of desirables. The New York Islanders gobbled up two respective top names coming out of that league in the offseasons of 2024 and 2025, with the results having been less than satisfactory to date.
2024 target Maxim Tsyplakov put in a fairly solid 10-25-35 statline in his first NHL season but had just one point in 25 outings for the Islanders this season before being unceremoniously traded to the New Jersey Devils in what was part of an Ondrej Palat salary dump, only to find himself waived by the Devils about a dozen games later. An undersized Maxim Shabanov was the most heavily targeted prize last spring and ultimately made his way to Long Island but has found himself scratched of late more often than not, even if his 4-12-16 statline over 42 games did include some plays of brilliance that indicated there’s probably more in the tank.
Interestingly, the Tampa Bay Lightning went free agent hunting in Europe last spring and made several signings, with current defenseman Charle-Édouard D’Astous having become the most successful of last year’s crop. He not only has 27 points this season but has regularly chalked up over 18 minutes of TOI throughout the season, serving as the prime example of what teams hope to get when they go this route. Two years ago, the Dallas Stars added 22-year old forward Arttu Hyry to their program, who went on to have a 49-point rookie AHL season and has gotten into 13 NHL games this season as lower line depth.
Each are an attest to what many teams hope to find when they chance it on a low-key signing of a player enjoying success in Europe’s top leagues.
What we’re seeing this spring is that the various European leagues are lacking in big must-have free agent names but are well represented in providing players whom a number of teams would appear interested in adding to their farm systems. Furthermore, a number of available KHL players are not only in their mid-20s but just happen to be free agents in Russia as well, a concern that always precludes some of the statistically most successful players from being market grabs each spring. No less than five forwards have excelled this season and find themselves open to go to whoever they see the best opportunity with, be it in North America or the KHL.
Likewise, leagues such as the SHL, Liiga, NL, and DEL just happen to have the odd U25 player or two available who very much look like worthy ELC candidates, even if none appears close to being an immediate homerun swing of any sort.
With this in mind, we have little doubt that a number of the following players - many of whom were draft topics at one point or have come out of nowhere in recent years - will land themselves a contract with an NHL team and their chances of doing so will be considerably better if they are open to multiyear two-way contracts for next season. As always, the NHL season is a long one with injuries always playing a role, so there’s plenty of reasons for players to pine for the kinds of opportunities that, for example, fell into Pavol Regenda’s lap this past season.
MOST LIKELY TO BE SIGNED THIS SPRING OR OFFSEASON
Vitali Pinchuk (BLR) - C - 24 - 6-foot-3, 203 pounds. - KHL
The well-built former Kingston Frontenac is the cream of the crop for this spring’s European free agents. There were things scouts liked back in the 19-20 season, but it never led to a drafting, and he was quick to return to Belarus (granted, it was the pandemic), where he got a lick of the KHL the next season. Now he’s wrapping up his fourth straight season of KHL play and what a season it’s been, seeing him finish sixth overall in league scoring (66 points) and third overall in goals scored (31). He also put up a +21 rating. Already last season, his 43 points raised a good number of eyebrows and had teams very curious about this season, knowing he was scheduled to become a free agent this spring. He’s in full playoff mode now with three points in an initial round sweep of Dynamo Moscow. It is felt that he should be NHL-ready right off the bat, capable of a heavy game and nifty stickwork. There was a bit more hoopla about Tsyplakov and Shabanov in recent years, but Pinchuk may have the kind of overall game that’ll make him a more versatile NHL option.
Danil Aimurzin (RUS) - C - 23 - 6-foot-0, 180 pounds. - KHL
Not the biggest, fastest, or slickest player out there, Aimurzin nonetheless is very solid on his skates, makes a husky impression, and, well, constantly brings the puck to the goal. And if he’s not doing it, he’s heading to the net to make himself a pass option or pounce on rebounds. There’s a solid offensive orientation to his game, featuring strong patience with the puck, and he plays in a manner that makes it feel like he doesn’t sense stress. Although very different in the highlights department from a player like Maxim Shabanov the year before, Aimurzin is still fairly young and has a puck-protection style that is easily imaginable on North American ice. Truth be told, he’s coming off his worst regular season (14-29-43 and -7) in several years but is only now truly a free agent topic due to his current contract concluding this spring. His 57 points last season (including 31 goals) would have made him a likely signing last summer, so teams that were interested then are surely going to continue being in the hunt. For what it’s worth, his Cherepovets team features two draft picks from both Carolina and Pittsburgh.
Foto: Johan Löf / BILDBYRÅN / COP 230 / JH0083
Pontus Johansson (SWE) - LHD - 24 - 6-foot-1, 185 pounds. - SHL
A slick, mobile defenseman whose deep knee crouch and long, straight back are reminiscent of former Blackhawk and Coyote Niklas Hjalmarsson, Johansson is currently suiting up for playoff hockey in his fifth season of SHL hockey, having literally exploded onto the scene this season after four relatively anonymous seasons of SHL play. His six goals in 51 games are as many as the past four seasons combined while his 25 points and +15 far outweigh anything he’s done before. That he’s often chewed up over 20 minutes of TOI per game only goes to show how much his role has grown for an absolute championship contender this year, not surprising in light of Skelleftea’s regular ability to develop future NHL talent. Pontus’ age is just right to take the next step, and his all-round play should be making him an attractive target for teams looking for a wide variety of defensive depth options.
Nick Malik (CZE) - G - 23 - 6-foot-2, 180 pounds. - CZE
It wasn’t too long ago that the US-born Czech goaltender was a Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick selected as a 20-year-old after a strong season as a starter for Kookoo of the Finnish Liiga. He continued to be a starter there in the years thereafter, but always with a losing record and numerical statistics that didn’t inspire Tampa to sign him on time to retain his rights. In the past two years, he’s taken his act back home to Plzen, where he’s served as the starter for a regular playoff contestant, putting up topflight stats in that league each year. At the moment, his team looks poised to easily get to the second round of the playoffs, naturally with Malik in net, so a signing will have to wait a few weeks. Alas, when a goaltender of this age in a pro league carries his team to the tune of a 25-14 record with six shutouts, a 1.65 GAA, and a .929 save percentage in a whopping 41 starts, he can become a hot topic for NHL teams seeking viable goaltending depth.
Daniil Gutik (RUS) - LW - 24 - 6-foot-3, 190 pounds. - KHL
Had Gutik been available last offseason, it’s hard to imagine that he’d not have been gobbled up. He was 23 and coming off a total of 28 goals and 57 points. He has size, can aptly get from point A to B, and has actually been more noticeable as a playmaker to that point, until he started putting pucks in the net with regularity. This season didn’t kick off as promising with an Admiral Vladivostok team that never really competed, but a midseason trade to Spartak Moscow saw him pick things up again, collecting 19 points in 21 games and now having scored two goals in three playoff games to date. All in all, he finished 20-27-47 in 65 games and has a total package that should lead to a couple of suitors, again fully aware of his current contractual status as an unrestricted KHL free agent. The assumption will be that he’d need some time in the AHL to gain his bearings in North America.
Foto: Michael Erichsen / BILDBYRÅN
Rickard Hugg (SWE) - C/W - 27 - 5-foot-10, 190 pounds. - SHL
After captaining the Kitchener Rangers in the 18-19 season and scoring at over a PPG pace that year, some were surprised that Hugg didn’t latch on to an NHL organization. In light of his skating style and average size, it shouldn’t have been that much of a surprise. He then immediately headed back to his home region in Sweden and went pro with Skelleftea, playing two decent seasons on a lower line before becoming a top six mainstay. Over his last four seasons, he’s managed to put up between 40-50 points every year, playoffs included. However, as this year’s playoffs get underway, Hugg is coming off a career best 56 regular season points and a +13 rating, having established himself as a serious threat in every game and seen in the SHL as one of the top 5-10 forwards whatsoever. He’s simply hard to get the puck from and combines a hounding playing style with some very nifty mitts and a strong wrister. The feeling is that he can immediately jump onto an NHL roster and contend for a third line spot, especially in light of his cycling abilities and net-area instincts.
Simon Johansson (SWE) - RHD - 26 - 6-foot-2, 194 pounds. - Liiga
Johansson is a known commodity who, as a 2018 5th rounder, joined the Wild organization for two solid, but unspectacular AHL seasons not too long ago and actually has a contract for Kloten of the NL in the bag for next season. However, he’s coming off a monster season in the Finnish Liiga in which he accounted for 19-32-51 and a +16 over 58 games, regularly logging app. 20 minutes of ice time every night. This not only meant he was the league’s top scoring defenseman but 14th overall in league scoring. If there’s any hope on his behalf of giving the NHL another shot, now wouldn’t be the worst time. He has never been a defensive beast but has savvy transitional skills and comes with strong bloodlines (cousin to Alex Winnberg and brother to Anton and Victor, both drafted). Perhaps accompanying one of the pups to their respective AHL club next season would make for a good storyline.
SHOT IN NORTH AMERICA BECKONS!?
Matyas Filip (CZE) - 25 - C - 5-foot-11, 187 pounds. - CZE
Filip is just the type of unassuming player who could see himself in a Radek Faksa or Zemgus Girgensons role at the NHL level within a few years’ time if he plays his cards right. Having shown steady play as a lower line center for years now, Filip took a step towards being one of the Czech league’s most important two-way players. With 13 goals, 26 points, and a +11 in 46 regular season games as well as another 3 points and +4 in 7 playoff games, he’s assuming the middle six forward role to a tee for his Plzen club in this career year, but the stats only tell part of the story for a player who thinks team-first and is a go-to must when the defensive chips are on the line. Skating and average size is there for a player who could very well be a solid lower line option after a season of AHL preparation.
Tobias Normann (NOR) - 24 - G - 6-foot-1, 187 pounds. - SHL
Normann spent last season, his first in the SHL, as famed Frölunda’s 1B starter. This season, he made his way to being the team’s 1A. Ultimately, his season ended on April 2nd against Lulea with a 2-3 record and a sparkling 1.33 GAA and .921 save percentage, something his stacked club couldn’t make use of. Alas, Normann’s regular season saw a number of fantastic performances including three shutouts in 24 appearances. Furthermore, his 1.68 GAA and .923 save percentage led the entire SHL in both categories, even if his 14-10 record was good, but pedestrian for a club that had heavy title ambitions. Originally from Norway, Normann has extensive pro experience from teenage years back home and used a strong 23-24 season in the HockeyAllsvenskan to jump up to the SHL last year. He also stood in goal for Team Norway three times at the Men’s WC last spring, pitching a shutout and 2.63 GAA along the way. We expect him in net in Switzerland this spring as well, likely as his nation’s starter. The time is ripe for him to take a next step if he should have any NHL ambitions, even if Frölunda would love to see him finish off his contract there, which first expires after the 28/29 season.
Patrik Puistola (FIN) - 25 - RW/LW - 6-foot-0, 181 pounds. - SHL
It’s hard to say if the former Carolina Hurricanes draft pick could one day be a true NHL option, but it is clear that he’s not only overcome a few skating issues from his earlier years but has spent the past four seasons establishing himself as a top producer in both the SHL and Liiga, meaning there’s little doubt he’d at least contribute to an AHL line-up right off the bat. Anyone seeing him the past two seasons has noticed a player who is very keen on generating high octane opportunities and even found more of a playmaker gene than initially thought, seeing as how he was originally drafted as a gunner off the wing, thanks greatly to being a Mestis-league goalscorer in his draft year and then a bit of a sniper at ensuing U18 Worlds and WJC tournaments. Agile and slick with his turns in the corner, Puistola is not a speedster and certainly not one to be found deeply involved in rough stuff. It definitely feels like a team playing with house money would best be served by bringing him in and seeing how much of an option he turns himself into after he gets a bit of AHL play under his belt.
Theo Rochette (SUI/CAN) - 24 - C/LW - 5-foot-11, 172 pounds. - Swiss NL
A former Memorial Cup winner, Rochette first turned 24 in February and has taken his steady development to a new level this season, serving as perhaps the NL’s top U25 player whatsoever. After regular seasons of 30 and then 31 points the past two years, he jumped to 22 goals and 43 points this past season and just exited the playoffs in an exciting seven-game series, pitching in with seven points along the way. The author of 317 points in 271 career QMJHL games, it was felt Rochette may sign a contract last summer after a spring to remember featuring 11 goals and 17 points in 19 playoff games. When one combines his continued growth as a point collector with what’s been an uncanny ability to play meaningful hockey every spring - and constantly fantastic +/- stats to boot -, it should be a foregone conclusion that an NHL team will look to give him a shot as soon as this summer.
Sandro Schmid (SUI) - C/RW - 25 - 5-foot-11, 185 pounds. - Swiss NL
No relation to Swiss NHL goaltender Akira Schmid, the former Malmö Redhawk junior player is coming off his seventh straight NL season, and it has been his finest by a country mile, turning into a top league playmaker with a career year of 10-28-38 over 52 games. Actually, it’s been a longer stretch of fine play for Schmid who was not only a part of Switzerland’s silver-medal-winning WC squad last spring but contributed a 3-4-7 statline in the process. All this also led to him being at this winter’s Olympics where he provided a strong Swiss club with some feisty 3rd line play and intelligent corner work. And this is where it gets interesting because he’s always been capable of providing energy and conducting yeoman work but now it’s turning into more dangerous creation of offensive opportunities off the forecheck. This development would indicate there’s sound logic in believing he can step right onto an NHL checking line without missing a beat. Another strong WC performance this spring - a tournament taking place in his native Switzerland - might be all we need to see before he signs an ELC.
Axel Sundberg (SWE) - RW/LW - 27 - 6-foot-2, 215 pounds. - SHL
Last year, we identified Sundberg as a heavy-built winger who had come out of nowhere to put himself on the map of system depth options. With skating deficiencies that nonetheless look like they’d be little problem on smaller ice surfaces, Sundberg went from being a lower level nobody to a 2nd line SHLer last season. Now somewhat fully developed, he’s taken it all a bit further this spring, jumping from 25 to 34 points and engraving himself on the left face-off circle of the power play. There’s a physical dimension to his game and he uses his body adeptly to not only protect the puck, but ward off oncoming attackers. Sure, he’s come a long way in a short period of time while quickly heading towards his late 20s but it’s very easy to picture him wreaking some havoc on a North American ice surface. We’ll soon find out if an NHL team feels the same way.
JUST GETTING OUT OF THEIR DIAPERS
Hugo Fransson (SWE) - LHD - 21 - 6-foot-0, 176 pounds. - SHL
If he were one year younger, we’d have little doubt that Fransson would be an overage draftee this summer. Despite two straight seasons of SHL play with at least 27 contests per season, rounded out by some decent HockeyAllsvenskan play, no-one foresaw the kind of breakout season he enjoyed this year, albeit for an SHL team that needed to punch its SHL ticket for a 3rd straight year in the relegation round series. Finishing off with 11-16-27 numbers over 56 games, Fransson has been the discovery of the season in the SHL and everyone’s curious to see if that’ll pocket him an ELC, especially in light of how many smaller, mobile defensemen have made their way to the NHL in recent years. At his age, it would be akin to a team signing a draft pick.
Santeri Huovila (FIN) - LW - 21 - 6-foot-0, 172 pounds. - Liiga
After putting up a 9-33-42 statline in 49 games as a Liiga rookie last year, Huovila managed to tie that output this year with 5-37-42, yet he achieved that in all of 33 games! We understand if you need to blink twice seeing that stat. A 21-year-old undrafted player collecting more than one assist per game is something you quite frankly do not see in many established pro leagues, much less one featuring former NHLers and current NHL draftees. There is of course a reason for doubt, as he not only is a lightweight out on the ice but doesn’t have much of a second gear. However, there’s a radar in that head of his and if you’re open and in a scoring position, watch out! You will get the puck. He is incredibly adept at handling the biscuit and quickly distributing it. A team willing to invest in a physically underdeveloped player will add a skillset and player who has started looking underchallenged in the Finnish Liiga.
Adrian Klein (GER) - LHD - 22 - 6-foot-3, 212 pounds. - DEL
There was a time when Klein was just a 16-year-old gangly defenseman who managed to put up 11 points in Germany’s 3rd pro league circuit. It’s not something we see often, so the hope was that he’d make his way to being an NHL topic. Even though he progressed fairly evenly, bit by bit, getting 80 DEL games under his belt between the ages of 17-19, participating in a U18 Worlds and two WJCs, the size and experience combo just wasn’t enticing enough to overcome some mobility and hockey IQ issues and see him get drafted. What has happened since is that he’s become a DEL regular and after two seasons of being his team’s # 6/7 defenseman, he established himself as a clear-cut top four this past season, making incredible use of his size as a shot and pass blocker while regularly muscling out opponents along the boards and in front of the net. In addition, he put in a career year statistically with five goals, 16 points, and a+10 rating over 51 games heading into the playoffs. We’d love to see him play for Germany at the men’s WC and have to think there’s an NHL team out there that knows he’s ready for a bigger test - and may not want to wait to enter what would likely become a bidding war if he ups the ante once again next season.
Jere Lassila (FIN) - C - 22 - 5-foot-10, 176 pounds. - Liiga
There are those out there in the scouting community who wonder how players like Lassila slip through the cracks come draft day. Once the captain of Finland’s U18 entry (8 points in 6 games) and then two years later its WJC entry (8 points in 7 games), Lassila is basically a coach’s dream. He’s a hound out there who plays with intensity and simply understands where he needs to be and what he needs to be doing in situations in all three zones. He’s seen regular Liiga action for four straight years now, seeing his point production increase from 3 to 26 to 35 to now 58 points. Indeed, a 20-38-58 and +4 statline in 60 games for a non-playoff team is highly impressive for a player who just turned 22 at the end of March. Seeing as how his game is very much a two-way affair, it’s hard to imagine there won’t be an NHL team ready to bring him in and start shaping him for a future bottom nine role at the NHL level. There was a time when he was just felt to be downright small, but his actual size isn’t unheard of at the NHL level.
Vasili Machulin (RUS) - LHD - 23 - 6-foot-4, 201 pounds. - KHL
A no frills defenseman with great size, Machulin plays an unspectacular all-round game in which he has no hesitation to use his body in a variety of ways. Playing for a weaker Sochi team for several seasons now, Machulin racks up the TOI, often getting upwards of 21 minutes per contest, seeing use in just about every situation, save for the power play. There’s little risk in his game and yet it always looks like there’s a bit more that could be squeezed out under the right circumstances. He nonetheless has 19 and 14 points to show for himself the past two seasons. For teams that keep their eyes open for low-risk, physical additions such as an Artyom Zub or Ilya Lyubushkin, for example, Machulin could be right up their alley. He is well-schooled and now quite KHL-experienced for a player who hasn’t yet turned 24.
Janne Naukkarinen (FIN) - C/W - 22 - 6-foot-2, 192 pounds. - Liiga
The 23-24 season was Naukkarinen’s first full season of Liiga play (20 points) and also saw him get in some reps at the WJC where he collected two assists. This wasn’t enough to get drafted as an overager, but he continued to keep eyebrows raised with a decent 24-25 season that didn’t see any real progress pointwise (18 in total) yet a continued Liiga role as a third line center with five points over 21 playoff games to boot. This year saw him in a similar role but with a good bit more production, delivering 24 points and cutting down his penalty minutes. The skating is anything but polished yet he’s a big body with a solid slate of pro experience to date and an offensive game that keeps showing flashes of being deserving of more opportunity. Could that come in the AHL next year?
Nestor Noiva (FIN) - RW - 22 - 6-foot-0, 183 pounds. - Liiga
Despite strong U18 and U20 league stats, Noiva has only represented his nation in international friendly play and not at any of the major tournaments. However, he did work his way into a regular shift and 25 points last season as a Liiga rookie and there was no sophomore slump this year, as Noiva put up 12-24-36 and +5 regular season numbers, which he impressively improved on with 7 points in a 5-game first round playoff victory over Kiekoo-Espoo. His importance to his Assat team can’t be overstated as he regularly logs ca. 19 minutes of TOI per game and is coming off a recent 38-minute performance in a game that stretched over six periods. Should he get signed this offseason, we would say there’s good potential for Noiva to take the same kind of developmental path as recent Dallas Stars signing Arttu Hyry.
Veit Oswald (GER) - LW - 21 - 6-foot-2”, 179 pounds. - DEL
Where to start. After a quiet but interesting draft year with a sneaky good U18 Worlds performance, Oswald really made some noise in his DY+2 (both at the WJC and in DEL play) but didn’t get drafted and then fell off the planet a bit in conjunction with a disjointed Munich team in DY+3, despite having attended the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect camp the summer before. Still 21 right on up into August, Oswald has reset his clock this year, being the most effective U22 player in the DEL and serving as a multifaceted weapon for a Munich team with serious aspirations. Often playing with established ex-AHLers, Oswald has never looked out of place and set career highs of 12-14-26 and a +16 in 38 games before suffering an injury that has kept him out since mid-January. Chances are that his numbers would be even more appealing just now as his team found a bit of a groove right down the stretch. We’re convinced that a team ready to give him an ELC can throw him right into a top nine role in the AHL next season and think of him much like a drafted player with NHL upside moving forward.
Matvei Polyakov (RUS) - RW - 21 - 5-foot-10, 176 pounds. - KHL
Aside from strong MHL statistics the past two seasons for SKA St. Petersburg’s junior club, Polyakov hasn’t popped out as an overage Russian player you risk a pick on. That’s usually reserved for someone who is sticking out in the KHL. Now beyond draftability, the slightly undersized Polyakov decided to use the last year of his current contract to force his way onto St. Petersburg’s roster and simply become the veteran-laden squad’s sixth best scorer with a 16-13-29 statline. Likely a player St. Petersburg fully intends on retaining, signing him now would - age wise - be like investing in a recent European draft pick. Combine this season and the prior high-scoring junior years and well, Polyakov has clearly outplayed a number of Russian forwards who have been drafted this century.
Alexander Smolin (RUS) - G - 22 - 6-foot-2, 168 pounds. - KHL
One of the youngest goalies on the market, Smolin has seen an astronomic rise in his stock in a very short period of time. Only two seasons ago, he was splitting his time between the junior MHL, the second tier VHL, with a bit of KHL hockey sprinkled in between. Then he became a full-time back-up for Metallurg last season, generating all-round solid numbers and a 14-6-2 record. This season saw him split duties and take things to another level. A 23-8-2 record was accompanied by a 2.33 GAA and .915 save percentage, stats that are fine if not lights out in the KHL. He has kicked off the playoffs with three straight victories and a 1.00 GAA and .947 save percentage. There are Gagarin Cup ambitions here, so we’ll see where Smolin is at when all is said and done, but there’s no doubt the age/performance ratio is very enticing.
Jimi Suomi (FIN) - LHD - 23 - 5-foot-11, 174 pounds. - Liiga
Always known as a mobile and agile skater, Suomi was a known commodity (although a good bit smaller) in his draft year, when he put up four assists at the U18 Worlds. He followed that with 32 games and six points in Liiga play in his DY+1. Over the years, he kept gaining experience and after two straight seasons of regular deployment in Finland’s best pro league, he enjoyed a bit of a breakthrough this season with 11 goals, 31 points, and a +13 in 53 games. Suomi has a shot and has a real knack of avoiding the rough stuff when players come hunting for him. If he doesn’t make his way to North America, the feeling is we’ll see him in the SHL next season.
Jiri Tichacek (CZE) - LHD - 23 - 5-foot-9, 170 pounds. - Liiga
Yes, there’s a bit of a size issue here. We always knew that no matter what he achieved, that size wasn’t what you ideally want to use a draft pick on. He could be another Jared Spurgeon, but teams don’t make a habit of selecting that in advance. Still, Tichacek keeps arousing interest. He made the Czech Olympic team (alas, only getting ca. 10 minutes of ice time all tourney long) but more importantly, he took his gig to Finland after an impressive 24-25 season in the Czech Republic and actually took a little step in the process. Like in 24-25, he accumulated 31 points, doing so in two fewer games than the year before. He also improved by seven points in the +/- department. The question is if there’s a team out there who can hand him the power play blueliner job at the AHL level next season? If there is, there could be grounds for finding out if Tichacek could just be another Spurgeon.
IS THE TIME FINALLY RIPE?
Boris Blank (GER) - LW/C - 24 - 6-foot-0, 187 pounds. - DEL
Already having completed six full seasons of DEL play, the former WJC participant was a draft topic for several years but simply didn’t display the overall speed to compensate for other holes in his game. This season, he has exploded onto the scene with 19-28-47 numbers in 52 games, becoming a clear-cut go-to offensive player. Plenty in the scene feel it’s time for him to get a WC call as well for Germany, but that is still up in the air. What is clear is that he has shown flashes for years now, but his skating has gotten to a point where it shouldn’t prohibit an international career. The question now is if a team sees him as a player who is simply a year of AHL play away from being an NHL option. His stats certainly trump other U25 players who’ve signed ELCs in recent years and he made a very mature impression this year, taking the bull by the horns for a club that needed him to score.
Max Franzreb (GER) - G - 29 - 6-foot-0, 198 pounds. - DEL
Actually smaller than he appears on the ice, Franzreb has been a goalie who has looked mentally stronger than most you’ll see around Europe for a number of years now, often scratching the surface of what seems to be untapped potential. This winter, he took over the reins as the 1A in net for yearly contender Adler Mannheim and has put in his best ever season, not only putting up a 23-11 record, but finishing third in GAA (2.04) and SV% (.921). He was also on the Olympic team and faced the US in a game where he put up a valiant effort for the first and final 20 minutes of play. He’s definitely a bit old to be an NHL option, but a strong playoff push (4-1 record in a first round victory) might be the cherry on top for a team looking to add a sneaky 3rd option for its goalie rotation next fall. His current coach and GM is former NHL official Dallas Eakins.
Leon Hüttl (GER) - RHD - 25 - 6-foot-0, 180 pounds. - DEL
Another player who has been seen at the men’s WC in recent years, Hüttl was a strong candidate for the Olympic team but the coaching staff went in another direction. His playoffs are about to begin and we’re thinking last spring’s decent WC performance should see him there again this year, but what we don’t have any doubt about is his mobility, hockey IQ, and overall understanding of how to push the game forward up the ice. He’s got another 25+ points (28 to date) but his +24 ties a career high and has him 7th overall in the league. He’s not the biggest player around and not a speed demon either, but he’s a Brian Rafalski of sorts by DEL standards and we’ve wondered what an NHL organization could make of him, considering he has a pure winner’s attitude and is a highly respected competitor in the DEL.
Yaroslav Likhachyov (RUS) - 24 - LW - 5-foot-11, 174 pounds. - KHL
He played three seasons of hockey in the QMJHL and was never drafted, with his final season coming during the pandemic. After two years of decent youngster production in the KHL, he kind of fell off the map last season with just 10 goals and 14 points. Little was expected this season, but in the final year of his KHL contract, he went out and blew away all previous highs with 22 goals and 39 points in 59 games. He was always a good player on the move with some solid hands and now it’s come to fruition. What is unclear is his exact contractual status as he played on loan with an option this season. If he feels he’s on the cusp of some big KHL numbers heading into next season, it may be worth it to ink a one-year KHL deal and see what next spring brings. But if Lokomotiv is his only option for next season should he stay in Russia, where he was stunted in the 24-25 season, he may feel the time is right to give North America another go.
Nick Olesen (DEN) - C/W - 30 - 6-foot-1, 185 pounds. - CZE
For sure, you’ll rarely see a player this old listed in this or any list of possible European free agents, but Olesen has something cooking recently that some team out there definitely has on its radar. Long a player who simply made noise in his native Denmark or in Sweden’s lower leagues, Olesen eventually made it to the SHL and played a minimal middle six role for 3 seasons, once even potting 13 goals. Then he took his act to the Czech Republic, where he had his best season as a pro and something went “click”. Last spring, a Team Denmark featuring Nikolaj Ehlers as its sole NHL player had a magical run in a tournament it hosted. A key in that run was Olesen, who whipped up 12 points in 10 games. He then blew all previous highs out of the water this season with 45 points in 51 regular season games for Ceske Budjevice, also participating in the Olympics along the way, where he led Denmark in scoring with 4-1-5 in four games. Quite clever around the net and in making use of time and space, while also fleet of foot, one has to wonder if he’s just the good old fashioned case of a very, very late bloomer. In any case, his most recent stats in conjunction with his above-average international performances have raised eyebrows and one should never underestimate how hungry a player from a smaller hockey nation like Denmark could be if the opportunity comes along.
Eugen Rabcan (SVK) - G - 24 - 6-foot-3, 196 pounds. - SVK
In his third season of regular top league play in Slovakia, Rabcan became an absolute minute-muncher for a run of the mill team that is in the midst of an interesting playoff battle at this time, one Rabcan has a 3-3 record in. All in all, Rabcan started 40 regular season games and put up a 20-20 record with a 2.52 GAA and strong .921 save percentage. There is talk of Rabcan having a good shot at being part of the country’s WC outfit (2-0 with a 1.49 GAA in several international outings this winter) and seeing as how he’s represented by an agency with a heavy emphasis on North America, Rabcan’s path to an NHL organization could be just a few contractual autographs away.
Colin Ugbekile (GER) - LHD - 26 - 6-foot-2, 198 pounds. - DEL
There were some who felt Ugbekile should have been on the Olympic team. It didn’t happen and we’ll be curious to see if he is one of the final cuts for the men’s WC or keeps strutting his stuff in Switzerland. Fact is, it’s likely now or never for the former USHLer who has clearly established himself as one of the top two-way defensemen and power play quarterbacks in the DEL, coming off a career season with nine goals, 43 points, and a +10 rating for a team that once again came up short of the playoffs. He’s got the size and wheels to give the AHL the good ol’ college try, and his game is definitely one that can thrive in a program that emphasizes the transition. But it’s easy to think that if an NHL contract isn’t offered this summer, that might be all she wrote for a player who’d spend the next 10 years likely being one of the DEL top five German defensemen on a yearly basis.
Libor Zabransky (CZE) - RHD - 25 - 6-foot-0, 203 pounds. - CZE
You look at Zabransky’s size and shot, and his plethora of WHL experience as well as his regular appearance for his native Czech Republic on the international stage (albeit, without any WC performances), and you have to wonder how come no-one has taken a flyer on him to see what he can do at the pro level in North America. Let there be no doubt that there have always been warts in his game, but he’s tickled scouts’ fancy here and there to keep his name in the notebooks. Now, after six seasons of pro play, with four of them having been in a bottom four role in the Finnish Liiga, Zabransky has cashed in his maturity cheque and set Czech league bluelines on fire to the tune of 18 goals this season. Considering he had never had more than seven in any given season, and that was five years ago, teams will have to determine if it’s just one-off or if Zabransky has reached the potential he once long hinted at.
YOU DON’T KNOW HIM, BUT DON’T BE SURPRISED IF HE GETS SIGNED
Ruslan Abrosimov (RUS) - C - 24 - 5-foot-10, 181 pounds. - KHL
A former MHL captain and top scorer, Abrosimov put in three straight seasons of KHL play and improvement before exploding this season to the tune of 24 goals, 48 points, and a +15 in 62 games, wearing an “A” on his chest while at it. If there are any NHL aspirations, the timing is just right for a player whose game is all about production. Slightly below average size doesn’t have to be an issue here as Abrosimov is adept at avoiding physical contact.
Vasily Atanosov (RUS) - RW/C - 23 - 5-foot-11, 160 pounds. - KHL
A strong identifier of opportunities and a player who knows how to read the room on the rush, Atanosov has done nothing but produce in recent years. Although he came in shy of the 40 points he had for Torpedo in their strong 23-24 season, Atanosov has deposited 21 shots in the net this year (36 points) and is finally a contractual free agent. There’s skill and vision here, and you never know how long the next KHL contract will be. He has consistently scored in the KHL for three straight seasons, so teams know what he is, but also that he’s quite a lightweight.
Tim Barkemo (SWE) - LHD - 21 - 6-foot-1, 185 pounds. - HockeyAllsvenskan
We’ll preface this by mentioning that you rarely see a Swedish UFA sign an ELC coming out of the second tier HockeyAllsvenskan. Then again, Barkemo had several solid U20 league seasons in the Skelleftea organization, even suiting up 13 times for the regular SHL contender. Last season was then his first full introduction to pro play, and he turned himself into a regular. This season, he turned himself into a top two defenseman who a number of SHL clubs are on the hunt for, with Skelleftea likely having the best cards. His 5-17-22 and +21 statline over 50 games is quite impressive for a player his age in a conservative league (scoring wise), but he put up six points in his team’s first round playoff sweep. Most importantly, he regularly sees upwards of 22 minutes of TOI per game. In his most recent playoff contest, he gobbled up 31:13 of ice time. We’re talking about a player that an NHL franchise could really mold quite directly as of next season. Otherwise, he’s clearly SHL-bound.
Maxim Fedotov (RUS) - RHD - 24 - 5-foot-10, 172 pounds. - KHL
That last name should ring a bell because Maxim is indeed Red Wings legend Sergei’s eldest son. The undersized righty shot defender actually had his best KHL season for Torpedo back in the 22-23 season, capped off by seven points in 10 playoff games. After finding lower line roles in the KHL in recent years, he was back in a top four role again this year, which he capped off with 24 points in 52 games, serving as his team’s best all-round defender after Artyom Serikov, who will hit the UFA market next summer. Fedotov now has loads of KHL experience, mostly with bottom-feeders, but without a KHL contract under his belt, the option is there to test his luck in North America and a certain someone may even be able to open a door or two to that opportunity.
Anton Kosolapov (RUS) - LW - 24 - 6-foot-1, 190 pounds. - KHL
Once a player with some good junior numbers, Kosolapov stood out mostly as a bit of a tenacious forechecker who liked to bang bodies. His VHL stats in recent years never really popped and until this season, it looked like he might just end up a minor leaguer in Russia for the long run. Then he got a shot with a new organization (Sibir Novosibirsk) and proceeded to go 17-21-38 and + 7 in 38 games. He’s still playing playoff hockey right now, but he’ll be a KHL free agent this offseason. It won’t be for long though as he’ll have a number of suitors and heck, he might be best served sticking with Sibir. But if an NHL team has seen something it likes, and Kosolapov put some wares on display, now is the time to bring him in, even if the plan would be to give him a year of AHL hockey and hope for the best.
Lucas Lagerberg Hoen (SWE) - LHD - 21 - 6-foot-2, 190 pounds. - SHL
For the draft gurus among us, you’ll recognize this last name and wonder what’s going on. No worries though, Lucas is just the older brother of Jonas, who is draft eligible this summer. But while Jonas unfortunately missed much of his draft season, Lucas was able to use this season to officially put his name on the map. It wasn’t a fairy tale ride though as Lagerberg Hoen spent some nights getting just 1-2 minutes of ice time and others with 19+, so there was a good bit of up and down in his role. But when all was said and done, he had eight points in 43 games and established himself as a physically adept youngster who skated and competed like an older player. This season came on the heels of two prior years in the HockeyAllsvenskan where he was often entrusted with a healthy dose of ice time. There’s a package here to build on and Lagerberg Hoen looks like the kind of player teams that haven’t drafted much in recent years would be interested in.
Danjo Leonhardt - LW - 23 - 5-foot-11, 185 pounds. - DEL
The stats won’t blow anyone away although his 29 points and +13 in 45 regular season games are career highs for a player who looks to explode in the DEL in coming years, but Leonhardt has long been on our watchlist and checks a number of boxes for teams that appreciate what the Ondrej Palats of the world can offer to an organization. He gets his nose dirty and does a lot of the little things right, making high value decisions all over the ice and being particularly effective around the opponent’s net. He’s been incrementally earning himself a closer look in recent years and it feels bound to come, next summer if not this one.
Aleksi Matinmikko (FIN) - RHD - 26 - 5-foot-11, 181 pounds. - Liiga
Some players just take a bit of time and Matinmikko is now one of those mid-20s European pros who is what he is, and you’ve got to wonder what a shot in North America might lead to. Having never played outside his native Finland, Matinmikko has been tasting Liiga waters since the 19-20 season, but it took a whopping 21-goal, 65-point season in the second tier Mestis to finally get the type of role he’s been auditioning for. Now he’s wrapping up his third year of full-time Liiga play and his 9-25-34 and +30 was clearly his best to date. His size is average and he isn’t the most mobile player around, but he has a bullet of a shot and has gotten incrementally better year after year for four seasons now.
Oleksii Myklukha (UKR) - C - 23 - 5-foot-10”, 176 pounds. - SVK
The former QMJHLer has never really given the scouting community the belief that he, at his size, had enough jam and enough tricks in the bag to become an NHL option. But in addition to last year’s playoffs, the agile Myklukha has exploded offensively in Slovakia’s top league. There’s a player here who creates time and space, then sets up the open players who can benefit from the newfound areas Myklukha has created, ringing up 18 goals and 55 points in 51 games this season. It’s clear that he’s ready to be playing in a higher profile league next season. Does an NHL team think that league should be the AHL?
Mikkel Oby-Olsen (NOR) - RW - 23 - 5-foot-11, 185 pounds. - HockeyAllsvenskan
Without a doubt, one of the slyest possibilities you’ll read about today. Despite playing almost a full season of HockeyAllsvenskan contests in the 22-23 season, he fell off a bit until latching on again last season to the tune of 25 points. That he’d push that production to 30 goals and 50 points in 54 games this season couldn’t have been expected. But it wasn’t just the numbers that made things special. It was the how. He’s been effective everywhere, controlling play as a puck-carrying trickster, making wonderful passes, and sniping from many spots, often on the power play. He was Almtuna’s all-purpose weapon and raised plenty of eyebrows this winter. The assist totals would have surely been more impressive if he had more talent to work with. We not only expect an SHL contact to be in the bag, but a spot on Norway’s next WC squad seems to be a given at this point. The question is if a team thinks it could find some unexpected gold by bringing over the Oby-Olsen train?
Jasper Patrikainen (FIN) - G - 25 - 6-foot-1, 176 pounds. - SVK
The smaller built battler had an eye-opening 22-23 season, when he pounced on an opportunity and put up a number of wins and some decent stats, but fell right back into more of a back-up role with time missed in each of the last two seasons of Liiga play. In fact, he was so disenchanted with where he was career wise, he jumped to Stavanger of the Norwegian league last season and went on an 8-1 tear in the playoffs. That landed him a gig in Slovakia and he’s been lights out this season, going 22-8 in the regular season with six shutouts. The 2.02 GAA and .930 save percentage haven’t been shabby either. In the middle of the playoffs, the question is if the size isn’t a deterrent, is he the dominating goalie we’ve seen in weaker leagues in Norway and Slovakia, or the player degraded after a strong season in the Finnish Liiga? Will an NHL team look to find out?
Eetu Randelin (FIN) - G - 24 - 5-foot-11, 187 pounds. - Liiga
Yet another smaller Finnish goalie, judging on size alone, you wouldn’t expect Randelin to be an NHL topic. But there’s a little engine that could aspect to his story, as he continues to beat the odds and work his way up the totem pole. Now he’s coming off his first season as a starter in Liiga action in which he put up a 21-9-6 record, steering his KooKoo club into the playoffs. He’s quick and agile, but most importantly, determined.
YEARLY SIDENOTE
As always, it bears mentioning every year that above and beyond the players listed above, the Swiss NL, SHL, and KHL - among others - are chock full of former NHLers, NHL draft picks, AHLers, Canadian juniors, and college hockey players, not to mention former European free agent signings of NHL teams that have since returned to Europe. These leagues also employ a large number of established pros who you’ll see dressing for their respective national teams. A prime example this year would be former Ranger and Golden Knight forward Oscar Lindberg, who exploded for 30 goals and 67 points in 52 regular season SHL games this season. Thus, these leagues also feature many players who were in the NHL in recent years or on the bubble to the NHL, usually as highly effective AHLers and as such, any number of these players could of course still be in the sightlines of NHL teams or maintain the connections that would see them return to a franchise in the coming months.