Hunter Fejes
Winger Hunter Fejes of Anchorage moved across the pond recently, leaving the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears for HC Bosice in the Slovakia Extraliga, and he quickly made an impact with his new club.
Fejes, a 28-year-old who earlier this season was declared cancer-free after months of chemotherapy to combat Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, made a dynamite debut for HC Kosice on Sunday. He racked one goal and two assists in a 5-3 road win over HC Dukla Trencin.
Fejes started a tic-tac-toe, goal-scoring sequence to deliver his first assist. Then, racing in on the forecheck to recover the puck, he juked a defender behind the net to set up a teammate for a point-blank goal. He closed by roofing a shot from the slot.
Tuesday, Fejes contributed the last goal in a 4-0 home victory over HK 32 Liptovski Mikulas. Stationed in the bumper position between the circles, Fejes accepted a pass and rifled a roof job to give him 2-2—4 totals and a plus-2 rating in two games.
The seventh-year pro previously played abroad for parts of two seasons in Austria and part of another season in Sweden.
Orlando suspended Fejes upon his departure, which sounds bad. Actually, it’s an administrative move that allows the Solar Bears to retain Fejes’ ECHL rights. Fejes put up 7-10—17 totals in 21 games for Orlando this season. He has played 110 games across five seasons for the club, delivering 43-49—92 totals, which explains a big reason Orlando wants to keep his rights.
The former Coyotes draft pick, who has played 89 career games in the American Hockey League, in Slovakia joined a club that sits third in the 12-team Extraliga.
On the YouTube video roundups of HC Kosice games, you also get a piece of Fejes trivia – he is identified by his given name of Samuel (named after his father) instead of Hunter, which he goes by.
Meanwhile, several other pros from Anchorage are likewise flourishing in Europe.
Casey Bailey
Former NHL right wing Casey Bailey of Anchorage continues to generate strong numbers in his third season with the Iserlohn Roosters of the DEL, Germany’s top circuit. The 31-year-old owns 12-26—38 totals in 50 games to tie for third on the club in goals and sit second in points. Iserlohn is 12th in the 15-team DEL.
In the Swedish Hockey League, defenseman Brian Cooper, 29, of Anchorage has helped the Vaxjo Lakers to second place in the 14-team league, just one point removed from the top spot.
Cooper, an Olympian, has accumulated 4-18—22 totals in 43 games to rank fourth among Lakers defensemen. He’s plus-12 and his 37 blocked shots are second on the club. (Also, this is a fine time to remind you that, on the SEL website, penalties are called “deportations’’ – awesome.)
In England, winger Tanner Sorenson of Anchorage, who turned 30 last week, has produced 12-11—23 totals in 36 regular-season games for the Nottingham Panthers who are tied for sixth in the 10-team Elite Ice Hockey League. Sorenson is tied for third on his club in goals and sits sixth in points.
Tanner Sorenson
Sorenson has flourished in the Challenge Cup, which is a competition within the league, with 3-4—7 totals in seven games.
Also in the EIHL, defenseman Christian Hausinger of Anchorage is second among Fife Flyers defensemen in scoring with 4-15—19 totals in 42 regular-season games. The 26-year-old’s plus-minus of minus-5 is second-best among Flyers regulars, and relatively strong considering the club’s goal differential sits at minus-52. Hausinger has been whistled for just four penalty minutes.
Like Sorenson, Hausinger has excelled in the Challenge Cup, where he owns 4-7—11 totals in 10 games.