Attack Alumni: Where Are They Now? 2020-21 Edition
The last of the North American professional hockey leagues kicked off their 2020-21 seasons this past weekend and with many leagues also operating across Europe, we decided to take the opportunity to highlight Attack Alumni on the ice and behind the bench. In total the Owen Sound Attack have 67 alumni actively rostered with teams for the 2020-21 season, including 14 in the National Hockey League (NHL), 17 in the American Hockey League (AHL), 3 in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), 11 in Europe and 22 rosters with Canadian Universities (U Sports).
Highlighting a list of 14 players who have started the season in the NHL are Nick Suzuki who is off to a hot start with the Montreal Canadiens, Jordan Binnington who is looking to lead the St. Louis Blues back to the Stanley Cup finals, Mark Giordano who is has been rock solid on the back end for the Calgary Flames and Wayne Simmonds who has had a major impact in his first season with his hometown team the Toronto Maple Leafs. Former Attack Head Coach Ryan McGill remains an assistant coach with the Vegas Golden Knights who have had a solid start to the new season and are battling near the top of the NHL’s Honda West Division.
There is a real youth movement among 17 Attack Alumni in the American Hockey League, with 9 players including the likes of Sean Durzi, Jonah Gadjovich, Markus Phillips, and Maksim Sushko having less than 3 years of pro hockey under their skates. Our veteran presence in this league does not go unnoticed with Kurtis Gabriel already been called up to the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. Attack players do like to stick together in this league with the Cleveland Monsters (Columbus Blue Jackets), Laval Rockets (Montreal Canadiens), Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers), Ontario Reign (Los Angeles Kings), and San Jose Barracudas (San Jose Sharks) all having multiple Attack Alumni on their rosters.
Representing the Attack in the ECHL is a small but mighty group that includes Erik Bradford, Alan Lyszczarczyk and Matt Petgrave. This group could be larger with some Attack Alumni being impacted by the pausing of operations for some ECHL teams.
Attack fan favourite Petrus “the weatherman” Palmu highlights group of 11 players playing across Europe. Palmu and former teammate Damir Shripzyanov find themselves on the opposite sides of the red line while playing in the Kontinental Hockey League, while another set of ex-teammates Daniel Catanacci and Mike Halmo join forces with Bolzano in Italy. The highlight of our European alumni though must be journeyman goaltender Tyler Bestkorowany who enters his 11th season of pro hockey with VSV EC in Austria.
While we are extremely proud of our Alumni that make it to the pro ranks, we are especially proud of our representation of players playing collegiate hockey. The Attack were set to have 22 alumni land on U Sports rosters for the 2020-21 season before it was cancelled. Most of these players, 20, were playing in the Ontario University Athletic (OUA) loop with three players joining each the Brock Badgers and Guelph Gryphons, while ex-teammates Jaden Lindo and Liam Dunda were to suit up for the Queen’s Golden Gaels and Cordell James and Ethan Szypula were to don the purple and silver of the Western Mustangs. The Attack were also represented in the OUA’s Quebec based teams with Emmanuel Vella set to play between the pipes for the Liam Heelis coached McGill university hockey team. Our final two university players headed east, where ex-captain Santino Centorame was set to be joined by Matthew Philip this season with the St. Francis Xavier X-men.
“Being a part of the development process each player has had, I certainly take a lot of pride in knowing the young men that have come through the Attack organization are being able to fulfil the great dreams they’ve all had. Be it professionally or academically” said Attack General Manager Dale DeGray.
“It’s obviously exciting to be able to turn on the TV to see some of our past players playing in the NHL and contributing. But it is equally satisfying knowing that a number of young men playing at school across Canada will meet their educational goals and obtain great jobs and careers from this opportunity” added DeGray.
A complete list of Attack Alumni in the different leagues can be found below.
League: National Hockey League (NHL)
| FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | YRS W/OSA | CURRENT TEAM |
| Josh | Bailey | 2005-2007 | New York Islanders |
| Jordan | Binnington | 2009-2013 | St. Louis Blues |
| Cody | Ceci | 213-2013 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| Mark | Giordano | 2002-2004 | Calgary Flames |
| Trevor | Lewis | 2006-2007 | Winnipeg Jets |
| Kurtis | MacDermid | 2011-2014 | Los Angeles Kings |
| Ryan | McGill * | 2015-2017 | Vegas Golden Knights |
| Brad | Richardson | 2001-2005 | Nashville Predators |
| Bobby | Ryan | 2005-2007 | Detroit Red Wings |
| Andrej | Sekera | 2004-2006 | Dallas Stars |
| Andrew | Shaw | 2010-2011 | Chicago Blackhawks |
| Wayne | Simmonds | 2006-2008 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| Gemel | Smith | 2010-2014 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| Nick | Suzuki | 215-2019 | Montreal Canadiens |
* denotes Assistant Coach with current team.
League: American Hockey League (AHL)
| FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | YRS W/OSA | CURRENT TEAM (AFFILIATE) |
| Chris | Bigras | 2011-2015 | Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI) |
| Joseph | Blandisi | 2011-2013 | Laval Rocket (MON) |
| Trent | Bourque | 2015-2019 | Manitoba Moose (WPG) |
| Aidan | Dudas | 2016-2020 | Ontario Reign (LAK) |
| Sean | Durzi | 2015-2019 | Ontario Reign (LAK) |
| Kurtis | Gabriel | 2010-2014 | San Jose Barracudas (SJS) |
| Jonah | Gadjovich | 2014-2018 | Utica Comets (VAN) |
| Kevin | Hancock | 2014-2019 | Tucson Roadrunners (ARI) |
| Brady | Lyle | 2017-2020 | Providence Bruins (BOS) |
| Michael | McNiven | 2014-2017 | Laval Rocket (MON) |
| Jacob | Middleton | 2012-2013 | San Jose Barracudas (SJS) |
| Zach | Nastasiuk | 2011-2015 | Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins (PIT) |
| Markus | Phillips | 2015-2019 | Ontario Reign (LAK) |
| Thomas | Schemitsch | 2013-2016 | Cleveland Monsters (CBJ) |
| Matthew | Struthers | 2015-2018 2019-2020 | Cleveland Monsters (CBJ) |
| Maksim | Sushko | 2016-2019 | Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI) |
| Garrett | Wilson | 2008-2011 | Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI) |
League: East Coast Hockey League (ECHL)
| FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | YRS W/OSA | CURRENT TEAM (AFFILIATE) |
| Erik | Bradford | 2014-2015 | Jacksonville Icemen (WPG/MB) |
| Alan | Lyszczarczyk | 2017-2018 | Orlando Solar Bears (TB/SYR) |
| Matt | Petgrave | 2010-2012 | Florida Everblades (NSH/MIL) |
League: European Leagues
| FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | YRS W/OSA | CURRENT TEAM (LEAGUE) |
| Marek | Bartanus | 2005-2007 | Michalovce Dukla HC (SLOVAK) |
| Tyler | Bestkorowany | 2007-2009 | VSV EC (AUSTRIA) |
| Jesse | Blacker | 2009-2011 | Barys Nur-Sultan (KHL) |
| Daniel | Catanacci | 2011-2013 | Bolzano (ICEHL) |
| Bryson | Cianfrone | 2015-2016 | Val Pusteria Wolves (AlpsHL) |
| Gilbert | Gabor | 2012-2014 | Vasterviks IK (Swe-1) |
| Mike | Halmo | 2008-2012 | Bolzano (ICE) |
| Anton | Hedman | 2006-2007 | Djurgardens IF (SHL) |
| Petrus | Palmu | 2014-2017 | Ingolstadt ERC (DEL) |
| Kyle | Platzer | 2013-2015 | KooKoo Kouvola (Liiga) |
| Damir | Sharipzyanov | 2013-2016 | OMSK Avangard (KHL) |
League: U Sports
| FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | YRS W/OSA | CURRENT TEAM (LEAGUE) |
| Justin | Brack | 2013-2017 | Brock University Badgers (OUA) |
| Cole | Cameron | 2016-2018 | University of Guelph Gryphons (OUA) |
| Chase | Campbell | 2016-2018 | University of Waterloo Warriors (OUA) |
| Santino | Centorame | 2013-2017 | St. Francis Xavier University X-Men (AUS) |
| Liam | Dunda | 2014-2016 | Queens University Golden Gaels (OUA) |
| Jacob | Friend | 2014-2018 | St. Mary’s University Huskies (OUA) |
| Brett | Hargrave | 2013-2014 | Nipissing University Lakers (OUA) |
| Liam | Heelis * | 2010-2011 | McGill University (OUA) |
| Cordell | James | 2016-2017 | Western University Mustangs (OUA) |
| Olivier | Lafreniere | 2017-2018 | Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks (OUA) |
| Jaden | Lindo | 2012-2016 | Queens University Golden Gaels (OUA) |
| Tyler | MacArthur | 2013-2017 | Brock University Badgers (OUA) |
| Jarrett | Meyer | 2014-2016 | Laurentian University Voyageurs (OUA) |
| Matthew | Philip | 2019-20 | St. Francis Xavier University X-Men (AUS) |
| Zach | Poirier | 2018-19 | University of Guelph Gryphons (OUA) |
| Keenan | Reynolds | 2014-2016 | Carleton University Ravens (OUA) |
| Zach | Roberts | 2015-2019 | University of Guelph Gryphons (OUA) |
| Greg | Smith | 2015-2017 | Lakehead University Thunderwolves (OUA) |
| Ethan | Szypula | 2013-2018 | Western University Mustangs (OUA) |
| Emmanuel | Vella | 2016-2017 | McGill University (OUA) |
| Bradley | Von Schubert | 2016 | Royal Military College (OUA) |
| Connor | Walters | 2013-2016 | Brock University Badgers (OUA) |
* denotes Head Coach with current team.
