OHL Alumni Central

Ontario Hockey League alumnus Mark Popovic has left the NHL behind for a second time to test the European waters. In 2008-09, Popovic ventured to Russia to play for St. Petersburg of the KHL. This season, 2010-11, he has landed in Switzerland to play for HC Lugano of the Swiss National League A.

Mark played four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League from 1998-99 to 2001-02, all with the Toronto St. Michael’s Majors. In his final two seasons in the OHL, he was a member of Team Canada at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships. In 2001, Canada won the Bronze Medal and the following season they won the Silver.

In his final two seasons with the Majors, the team advanced to the Eastern Conference finals before being beat out 4 games to none both seasons. In 2000-01 the defeat was at the hands of the Ottawa 67′s, a team the would be the eventual Robertson Cup champions. In 2001-02 the Barrie Colts swept the Majors en route to a Robertson Cup loss to the Erie Otters. In that final season, Popovic was selected to the CHL Third All-Star team.

Mark was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of the 2001 NHL draft, 35th overall. He appeared in one game with Anaheim and over four seasons with the Atlanta Thrashers appeared in an additional 80 games.

In the off-season, Mark runs a hockey camp in Midland, Ontario. Check out the website for more information.

Check out Mark Popovic’s profile page at the National League A official website.

Mark appears in this previous post at OHL Alumni Central listing the St. Michael’s / Mississauga Majors that played professionally in 2009-10.

Kitchener Ranger grad, Boyd Devereaux has left the NHL behind and has found a new home in Switzerland with HC Lugano. The team’s official website has an English language option but it just uses translation software so the wording is pretty sketchy. Devereaux continues his role as a checker and has 4 points in 16 games with the squad so far this season.

Devereaux played for the Rangers for two seasons, 1995-96 and 1996-97 before moving on to the Edmonton Oilers organization. Along the way, Boyd made stops in Detroit, Phoenix and Toronto, as well. Highlighting his OHL career was being selected to Team Canada for the World Junior Tournament in 1997. He also holds a Stanley Cup ring from stint in Detroit.

Lugano is a city with a metro population of 130,000 located in the south of Switzerland near the border with Italy. Generally, Lugano is an Italian speaking city. Nestled in the mountains and surrounded by lakes, Lugano is a very popular tourist spot and has been dubbed the ‘Monte Carlo of Switzerland’.

Lugano HC is currently in seventh place in the twelve team Swiss league. The top eight teams make the playoffs.