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Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (3) speaks with defenseman Matt Roy (3) during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabers on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. left). (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
HOUGHTON — Many hockey players who hail from the Copper Country or passed through the Copper Country in high school or college hockey are still playing the game they love at high levels around the world.
For example, the Wisconsin Windigos have former Michigan Tech Huskies player Blake Hietala as their head coach, but they also have forwards Quinn Disher and Ethan DeCay, recruits from Michigan Tech. are doing.
The Austin Bruins, who also play in the NAHL, have a trio of homegrown players in Austin Salani, Jackson Riley, and Camden Markham.
Salani, a native of Hancock, is the Bruins’ leading scorer with 22 goals and 51 points in 46 games. He was off the scoresheet in both games against the Minot Minotaurs last weekend.
Lilley, a Calumet native, has played in 39 games this season, scoring four goals and eight points. He scored his fourth goal of the season Friday against Minot and has three points (two goals, one assist) in his last four games.
Markham, a Houghton native and 2023 Michigan Mr. Hockey Player, started the season with Windigo, scoring two goals and five points in 18 games. He has two assists in 10 games since he was traded to the Bruins.
Landon Stevens, a Houghton native, plays for the Sioux Eagles in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. He has nine goals and 25 points in 41 games. He scored a goal against the Thunderbirds on February 21st.
Houghton native Gaborik Carlson plays with the Grand Prairie Storm of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, along with Elliott Mikesh, the son of former Michigan Tech forward Pat Mikesh, who currently coaches the ECHL’s Toledo Worley. We started the season this year.
Both Carlson and Mikesh were traded by the Storm to the Melville Millionaires of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
Karlsson played in 34 games with the Storm, scoring one goal and four points before being traded to Millionaire. Since his trade, he has three goals and seven points in 17 games.
Before the trade, Mikesh had two goals and 12 points in 34 games with the Storm. Since he joined the Millionaires, he has scored 5 goals and 9 points in 17 games.
As a major junior, Calumet native Dean Lucas started the season as an alternate captain with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League. He had nine goals and 26 points in 34 games before he was traded to the Mississauga Steelheads.
Since the trade, he has seven goals and 14 points in 22 games.
In Tier 3 Junior, Houghton native Matthew Laiyanen serves as the Bozeman IceDogs’ primary starting netminder. He played in 33 games and had a record of 19 wins, 11 losses, and 1 draw, with 2 shutouts. He has a 3.44 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage.
Locals play professionally
At the professional level, defenseman Connor Hannon from Houghton is in his second season with KSW Ice Fighters Leipzig in Germany’s Oberliga. He has played in 20 games this season, scoring 3 goals and 12 points.
Raymond Bryce, a forward from Houghton, started the season in the DEAC of Hungary’s Erste Liga. He appeared in 3 matches there and scored 2 goals. He then moved to Oberliga side EV Duisburg, where he made 24 appearances and scored 9 goals and 22 points.
Bryce was recently acquired by the Manchester Storm of England’s EIHL. He appeared in five games for the Storm and scored two goals.
Center Tanner Kelo, from Hancock, will be in his first season with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles after spending three seasons with the Texas Stars. He played in 46 games for the Eagles this season and is a plus-13 with 10 goals and 34 points.
Other former Huskies in the pros
Forward Brian Halonen made his NHL debut Sunday for the New Jersey Devils in a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Halonen was injured during training camp with the Devils and played only 21 games with the AHL’s Utica Comets before being called up. He scored 13 goals and 17 points in 21 games.
Forward Joel L’Esperance is in his second year playing for the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. He has played in 37 games this season, scoring 12 goals and 19 points.
L’Esperance’s teammate, Trenton Bliss, played in two games for the Griffins and recorded one assist. He spent most of the season playing under Pat Mikesh in Toledo, scoring 18 goals and 50 points in 46 games.
Defenseman Matt Roy and goaltender Feonix Copley are in their second season with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings.
Roy, in his fifth full season with the Kings, has three goals and 16 points in 55 games. Copley, who is currently injured, has appeared in eight games and is 4-1-2 with one shutout. He has a 3.16 goals-against average and an .870 save percentage.
Forward Tommy Pallottino plays for the Dundee Stars of the EIHL. He has played in 38 games, scoring 5 goals and 14 points.
Defenseman Colin Swoyer has split his time between the AHL’s Hershey Bears and the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays this season. He has three assists in four games with the Bears. He played in 25 games for the Stingrays, scoring one goal and five points.
Forward Parker Saretzky plays for the Trois-Rivières Lions of the ECHL. He has played in 40 games and has eight assists.
Tristan Ashbrook, a forward from Menominee, plays for the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder. He has played in 48 games, scoring 18 goals and 30 points.
Defenseman Tyler Rockwell plays for Marseille in France’s Ligue Magne. He played in 42 games and scored 3 goals and 22 points.
Defenseman Jake Crespi plays for Ferencvarosi TC in the Erste Liga. He has seven goals and 28 points in 31 games.
Defenseman Michael Karow is in his third season with the Texas Stars. He has played in 49 games, scoring 3 goals and 11 points.
Goaltender Mark Sinclair plays for the Allen Americans of the ECHL. He played in 18 games, posting an 8-10-0 record with a 4.25 goals-against average and .899 save percentage.
Goaltender Matt Jursik plays for the KHL’s Kunlun Red Star. He has played in 36 games and has a record of 10 wins, 20 losses, and 0 draws. He has a 3.07 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage.
Editor’s note: We realize this list is not complete. We will continue to monitor how our former local players perform throughout the remainder of the season. If you know of anyone we missed, please feel free to let us know so we can add them to the list.
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