Latest news with #AdlerMannheim
Belfast Telegraph
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Former NHL drafted netminder joins Belfast Giants with sights set on continuing upward trajectory
The 25-year-old German-born Canadian joins Jackson Whistle on the roster for the team's double defence having moved from German side Adler Mannheim, giving head coach Adam Keefe a pair of outstanding goaltenders to select from. While Whistle has proven himself to be capable of carrying the team to an Elite League title, being named the Giants' MVP last season in helping them win a League and Challenge Cup double thanks to a superb .928 save percentage, Gravel comes in with an excellent reputation. The Berlin-born netminder was not only drafted in the sixth round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by the Blackhawks but has won scores of individual awards during his career, including being named Outstanding Goaltender and to the First All-Star Team at the 2019 CHL Memorial Cup with the Halifax Mooseheads. As the Giants always look for during the off-season, Gravel also brings plenty of winning experience on the ice, too, having claimed gold with Canada at the 2018 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup and the 2022 University Cup with the University of Québec-Trois-Rivières. The latter of those achievements, coming in the first of three years with the Patriotes which saw him win silver in the University Cup in 2024, was accompanied by more individual recognition as Gravel was named the competition's Most Valuable Player, and he would rack up two more Second All-Star Team awards in his following two seasons. And he has since translated that into the professional sphere, returning to the full-time ranks last season – he had a brief stop with the Allen Americans in 2021 – with the ECHL's Orlando Solar Bears and excelled, putting up a .927 save percentage in 23 games and earning himself a brief loan spell with the AHL's Belleville Senators. His season would end in Mannheim, where he was signed to provide backup to now Dallas Stars goaltender Arno Tiefensee and veteran Felix Brückmann for the Deutsche Eishockey Liga Play-Offs, but he would make just two appearances for the Eagles. Now, however, he will look to win the battle for the starter's jersey out of training camp with Whistle ahead of their Champions League tilt, starting with a meeting with Finnish champions KalPa on August 28, but, regardless of who does come out on top, the Giants look very well-served at netminder. 'I'm really excited to be joining the Giants. I've heard great things about the club, the city, and especially the fanbase. Playing in Belfast is a great opportunity to continue developing my game and to compete for championships. I can't wait to get started,' commented Gravel. Keefe added: 'Alexis is a big young goalie with a bright future. He has played in some very big games throughout his career and has consistently risen to the challenge. He is an extremely competitive individual who wants to win. "He had a great first year pro last season, and we think he is only going to continue to get better. We are excited to bring him to Belfast.'
National Post
01-07-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Calgary Flames sign depth defenceman to two-way contract
While you may not recognize this name, the Calgary Flames have been tracking Nick Cicek for a long while, all the way back to his stint as a captain in the Western Hockey League. Article content On Tuesday, the Flames welcomed Cicek into the fold, signing the free-agent defenceman to a two-way contract for the upcoming campaign. Article content Article content 'He's always been a player that we've been intrigued with,' said Flames assistant general manager Brad Pascall, who also oversees the Wranglers' roster. 'With his age, with his size, with his skating ability, with the defending ability, he's a player that we've liked and we think he has really matured his game overall. He's a player that we identified and said, 'Hey, let's take a shot at him with our organization.' We think he'll fit in well and we'll give him every opportunity to open the eyes of our NHL coaches. Article content 'That's his goal — to come in and open eyes. And if he ends up in the American League, we think he can be a really solid player, with size, that would work well with our young players, as well.' Article content Cicek, who hails from Winnipeg and still spends his summers in Friendly Manitoba, had three goals and 17 points in 50 appearances in his lone season with Adler Mannheim. Article content His resume is highlighted by a 16-game stint with the San Jose Sharks in 2022-23. He was credited with four assists, 28 hits and 21 blocked shots, although he was a minus-7. He also scrapped with Mark Kastelic, then of the Ottawa Senators. Article content 'He does play hard,' Pascall said of this new addition. 'He's a big, long, strong defender who skates well, but he also finishes his hits. He's not afraid to play with some grit to his game.'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Toronto Marlies Defender Nicolas Mattinen Signs In Germany
Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images Former Toronto Marlies defenseman Nicolas Mattinen has signed a one-year deal with Adler Mannheim in the DEL, it was announced Monday. Mattinen, a 2016 sixth round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs, inked a one-year deal with the club last summer after winning the DEL Player of the Year and Defenseman of the Year in 2023-24. Having only seen 22 games with the Marlies this season, Mattinen finished with four assists. Advertisement Mattinen's impressive 2023-24 campaign saw him suit up for the DEL's Straubing Tigers where he scored 16 goals and added 30 assists for 46 points in 52 regular season games. In a further 12 playoff games, he added one goal and seven points. Before heading to Germany, Mattinen spent one year playing pro in Austria as well as three years of collegiate hockey at the University of Ottawa (U Sports). Mattinen played his junior hockey with the London Knights, Flint Firebirds, Hamilton Bulldogs and the Oshawa Generals. With Mattinen heading back to Germany's top league, he should be able to bring back his major offensive impact that saw him take the league by storm two seasons ago. While his tenure with the Maple Leafs organization did not go as planned, he has proven to be a difference maker and Adler Mannheim must be happy they got his services for 2025-26.
