Euro title, national record

13 May 2025

The 2024/25 season brought success for several former Dragons around the world. From Champions Hockey League glory to an all-time scoring record for Finland’s women’s national team, there was plenty to talk about among our alums. In total, we had prize winners in Switzerland, Slovakia, France and the Czech Republic, as well as in international play.

Goalie takes European prize

Simon Hrubec enjoyed a season to remember in Zurich. He backstopped the ZCS Lions to Champions League glory before adding a Swiss title to his personal honors board. Since playing for the Dragons in 2019 and 2020, the Czech shot-stopper went on to win a Gagarin Cup with Avangard before cementing himself as a star in Switzerland. This season brought a second domestic title and also saw the Lions win the European competition. Hrubec made 31 saves in the final as Zurich edged Farjestad 2-1 on home ice.

Pollock celebrates gold in Slovakia

In Slovakia, Brett Pollock helped Kosice to a record-breaking 10^th title after a thrilling final against Nitra. It went to seven games, and the Steelers were down 2-4 going into the third but rallied to grab an overtime verdict and lift the cup. Brett, who played for KRS in 2022/23 (two goals and nine points in 27 games), had two assists in that decisive showdown. He finished the season with 18 points in 19 playoff games, having scored 42 in 44 during the regular season.

Another former Dragon, Adam Cracknell, also had a productive season in Slovakia. He was second in league scoring during the regular season with 59 (35+24) points in 54 games for Poprad.

Fleury finishes in style

Damien Fleury, who played for the Dragons in our first season, ended his playing career by helping Bruleurs de Loups to gold in France’s Ligue Magnus. The mercurial 39-year-old signed off with 7 (3+4) points from 14 games in his final playoff campaign as the Grenoble club defeated Angers in the Grand Final. Fleury was also involved in this year’s IIHF Continental Cup final, but Grenoble lost out to Cardiff Devils. The Devils featured Hunter Shinkaruk on the roster, but he was unable to play due to injury.

There was another KRS connection in that French final, with Josh Nicholls suiting up for Angers. The 33-year-old Canadian forward spent four season with our organization, playing 86 times in the KHL and 19 in the VHL. He arrived in France towards the end of the season but established himself as a regular on the team in its run to the final.

Daloga wins Czech title

In the Czech Republic, two of our former defensemen had successful seasons. Vojtech Mozik, who made 23 appearances in 2020/21, was part of the Sparta Prague team that topped the regular season standings. Then, in the playoffs, Slovakia’s Marek Daloga helped Kometa Brno win the championship. Daloga, 36, played 20 post season games for the champion to secure his first career title. In 2017/18 he played 34 games for the Dragons, contributing 3 (1+2) points.

KRS women on top of the world

It was a successful World Championship for some of our former players at KRS Shenzhen. Alex Carpenter, who played with us in the CWHL and the Russian championship, was part of the USA’s gold-medal team. She had 8 (2+6) points and was third in team scoring as the Americans won the title in Ceske Budejovice. Alex had an assist on the opening goal of the gold medal game, setting the U.S. on the way to a 4-3 overtime victory against Canada. As a Dragon, Carpenter helped us to victory in our first season in the Russian league.

In the same tournament, Finland’s Michelle Karvinen helped her country to bronze and, along the way, set a new all-time scoring record for the Finns in World Championship play. Her goal on Switzerland in the group stage took her to 61 points, ahead of Riika Sallinen and Jenni Hiirikoski. Karvinen played for KRS in the 2021 playoffs and returned for the climax of the 2021/22 season, totalling 27 points in 20 games and winning the championship in her second spell. Susanna Tapani, who played for the Dragons alongside Karvinen, was also on the bronze-medal roster in the Czech Republic.