Extremely smart two-way player. Outstanding hockey sense, great vision and playmaking, really smart on the forecheck, works extremely hard in all three zones. Has no standout skills but excels thanks to his smarts. Had plenty of USHL interest and is still an option for the CHL, but is planning to play in the USHL and NCAA.
Surprised this hasn't been mentioned by Stachowiak has committed to Michigan State University (which is also my school).
The NAHL-Draft was today. The only German who has been selected is: 1st round - 12th OA - Minnesota Magicians - Moritz Wirth (LD)
Markus Eisenschmid will join Adler Mannheim Adler sichern sich Dienste von Markus Eisenschmid Yasin Ehliz is in contact with the Flames «Bild»: Calgary Flames will Olympia-Zweiten Ehliz - WELT
The new season started last night (in the NAHL at least). Over the next few days I will add the skaters to the OP.
Added the skaters to the OP. I want to update it every day (if any games were played the previous night), but I don't know if that will work, but at the very least I will update it every Monday.
Freddy Tiffels will play for Cologne https://www.haie.de/news/frederik-tiffels-kehrt-nach-koeln-zurueck
Just going by some stats, it looks like Yannik Valenti (2 assists in 9 games) and Manuel Alberg (1 assist in 8 games) had some rough starts.
Valenti looked pretty good last night. Can't rely on his skill as much as he did in Germany, so he has to grind it out more and I think that's why it's been a little difficult for him so far. He got himself into scoring positions a lot and went to the net wide open many times but just wasn't getting passes, so I felt like it wasn't even his fault he didn't get more shots or even goals. But he obviously got his first one eventually: I chatted with him after and he said it obviously felt good to finally get that first one in. Said he needed to adjust to the smaller ice surface and more physical style of play and that it's been difficult for him in those first games. But he's very happy in Vancouver and hopes things will start going his way more now.
I think this is an intersting article on EP about Nico Sturm. College dropout never an option for competitive Nico Sturm From the article:
So Lean Bergmann has signed with the Sharks. Sharks Sign Forward Lean Bergmann Will be interesting to see, if he will be loaned back to Mannheim for another season in the DEL or if he will be assigned to the AHL, assuming he doesn't make the Sharks roster out of camp. Too bad Markus Eisenschmid is injured. That might hurt his chances to be signed by a NHL team.
Too bad with Eisenschmid, I really liked his game at the WCs. The way he played, he looked like a NHL player imho. When he crashed into the boards, it looked really bad the way his arm bent. As for Bergmann, I think it's a good signing for SJ. Let's see if he can continue to impress at the next level, which should in his case be the Barracuda. I doubt he will make the big club just yet, but I am rooting for the guy.