The ICE Hockey League regularly loses strong players to other leagues at the end of the season. The following analysis highlights how some of the most prominent departures of recent seasons were able to establish themselves in their new teams. We start in the first part with the cracks Trevor Gooch, Ryan Murphy, Josh Passolt and Mark Rassell!
Trevor Gooch
Trevor Gooch established himself as a highly productive attacker in the ICEHL and collected an impressive 105 points (37 goals, 68 assists) in a total of 105 games over two seasons, including with the Graz99ers. This corresponds to an average of exactly one point per game, although he shone with 60 points in 48 games for Olimpija Ljubljana in the 2023/24 season. For the 2025/26 season, Gooch moved to EV Landshut in the DEL2 and got off to a phenomenal start there. In his first 12 games he has already recorded 15 points (9 goals, 6 assists), which raises his points average to 1.25 points per game and proves that he has a dominant role in the second highest German league. In addition, the +/- statistics keep him at a value of +7!
Ryan Murphy
As an offensive defender, Ryan Murphy was a central figure at EC Salzburg and contributed significantly to the team’s success over the last two seasons. In his two years in the ICEHL, he recorded a strong 89 points (18 goals, 71 assists) in 112 games, which corresponds to an excellent value of 0.79 points per game for a defender. The move to the DEL, which is ranked higher in terms of sport, to the “sister club” EHC Munich represented a new challenge for him. There, his offensive production was reduced somewhat. With six points (one goal, five assists) in twelve games, his points average is currently 0.50, meaning he continues to be a solid offensive force from the blue line. In Munich, the Canadian forms the second pair of defenders with his compatriot Dillon Heatherington. Things aren’t going well for the Bulls this season either. After a weak start to the season, they were able to achieve five wins in the last six games and are currently in sixth place.
Josh Passolt
Josh Passolt was the Pioneers Vorarlberg’s top scorer in the 2024/25 season and impressed as a reliable goalscorer. He scored 45 points (22 goals, 23 assists) in 47 games, achieving almost a point per game (0.96 PPG). With these values he was in sixth place in the scorer rankings after the basic round. After missing the playoffs, a move to HK Nitra in the Slovakian league during the season caused a change of scenery. There, Passolt was particularly impressive in the playoffs (19 points in 20 games) and stayed in Nitra beyond the season. His point production has weakened somewhat at the moment, but he remains an important pillar in the offense with currently 12 points (6 goals, 6 assists) in 17 games (0.71 PPG).
Mark Rassell
At the HC Innsbruck Haien, Mark Rassell stood out as an effective goalscorer and one of the few bright spots in the 2024/25 season when he scored 35 points (24 goals, 11 assists) in 44 games and was able to score a goal almost every other game. After a short interlude in the DEL, Rassell found his new home in the DEL2 with the Ravensburg Towerstars. Similar to Gooch, the level of the DEL2 seems to suit him very well, as he was even able to increase his points average there. In his first 15 games for the Ravensburg Towerstars he already has 14 points (8 goals, 6 assists).
Photo by Gintare Karpaviciute – EC Red Bull Salzburg
