OHL Alumni Central

Thank god for the cut & paste function on word processors! If I had to type out Székesfehérvár more than once, this article would never happen. Don’t even bother trying to pronounce it…

Székesfehérvár is one of eleven teams in Austria’s Erste Bank Eishockey Liga (EBEL). Like four other teams in the league, Székesfehérvár is not actually located in Austria. Located 65 km southwest of Budapest, Székesfehérvár is the only Hungary based team in the EBEL.

Adam Munro

Two Ontario Hockey League grads are currently on the roster of Székesfehérvár. Adam Munro and Justin DaCosta are doing their part for the much improved team. In 2010-11, the club finished tied for last, when the EBEL consisted of ten teams, and finished out of the post-season. Currently, at just over the halfway point of the 54 game schedule, Székesfehérvár sits fifth and poised for a berth in the playoffs.

Adam Munro played between the pipes in the Ontario Hockey League for five years from 1998-99 to 2002-03. Munro starred with the Erie Otters until eight games into his final season when he was shipped to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. In 2000-01, Adam had the best save percentage in the OHL. In the following season, Adam helped the Otters to a Robertson Cup victory, after topping the Barrie Colts in the final, four games to one.

Taken in the first round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, 29th overall, Munro played a total of 17 National Hockey League games. He was on the ice for seven with Chicago in 2003-04 and ten with the Blackhawks in 2005-06. Munro spent 2010-11 in Italy’s Lega Italiana Hockey su Ghiaccio (LIHG) with Cortina.  So far this season with Székesfehérvár, Munro has played in 27 games, posting a 2.74 GAA and .921 save percentage.

Justin DaCosta began his 2011-12 season with Chamonix of France’s Ligue Magnus. After just six games on the point with the French squad, DaCosta headed east. Justin played four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League from 2002-03 to 2005-06. He began his OHL career with the Barrie Colts. He played with the Owen Sound Attack before finishing his career with the Mississauga IceDogs.

Undrafted by an NHL club, DaCosta spent time in the Canadian university system and North American minor pros before travelling to Europe this season. In 2010-11, he played with the Allen Americans of the Central Hockey League.

Székesfehérvár is an ancient city with an area population of around 140,000. The team plays out of a 3,500 seat arena, which should feel like home to Justin after his days in Owen Sound!

Portuguese and English we would assume would be the languages Ontario Hockey League grad Justin DaCosta would be most familiar with. I wonder how his French is? DaCosta has signed up with Chamonix of France’s Ligue Magnus for the 2011-12 season. Although a few OHL alumni find their way to the Ligue Magnus each year, it is mostly populated with players from the QMJHL, France and Eastern Europe.

Justin spent this past season in the Central Hockey League with the Allen Americans. The Americans were dominant during the regular season but couldn’t make it past the conference finals in the playoffs. DaCosta played in 44 games with Allen during the regular season and an additional 13 in the playoffs. He was a call-up for one game by the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League.

DaCosta played in the Ontario Hockey League for four years from 2002-03 to 2005-06. He began his OHL career with the Barrie Colts, playing 47 games in his rookie season. After just nine games the following season, Justin was shipped off to the Owen Sound Attack. In 2004-05, a mid-season trade sent him to his hometown, Mississauga. He finished out his OHL career with the IceDogs, putting in a career year with 42 points in 57 games in 2005-06.

Undrafted, DaCosta took advantage of the great OHL scholarship program and played two seasons with the University of New Brunswick.

In three years of pro, Justin has played for five teams in four leagues. Other than his game in the AHL this past season, his highest level of hockey was with the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder in 2009-10.

Chamonix will be looking for big things from DaCosta as they try to have their first .500 season since being promoted from tier 2 in 2005-06. The regular schedule of the Ligue Magnus consists of just 26 games. However, a soccer style country-wide playdown is intertwined. The Coupe de France begins with teams of all senior levels playing down (the equivelent of the Boston Bruins playing the Pensacola Ice Flyers of the Southern Professional Hockey League in some cases). In the end, two teams, most always from the Ligue Magnus, meet in Paris (Bercy) to determine the winner of the Coupe de France in a one game showdown.

Chamonix plays out of the 1700 seat Patinoire Richard Bozon set in the beautiful French Alps.

You can read the article announcing Justin DaCosta’s signing at the Chamonix official website (in French).

The Allen Americans finished first atop the Central Hockey League during the 2010-11 regular season. In the first round of the CHL’s Ray Miron Presidents Cup playoffs, Allen steamrolled the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees. Allen took out the Bees in three games in the best of five series.

With the addition of two players that were members of the Ontario Hockey League’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds for the 2010-11 season, the total of OHL grads on the Americans roster has climbed to seven. Click on the names in blue to view previous articles on those players.

Jonathan Zion – Zion played played five seasons with the Ottawa 67′s from 1997-98 to 2001-02. Jonathan split this season between the Nottingham Panthers of Great Britain’s Elite Ice Hockey League and the Americans.

Tobias Whelan – Tobias played four seasons with the Oshawa Generals from 2000-01 to 2003-04.

Dylan King – Dylan is one of two players up from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds after their OHL playoff hopes were dashed. King has played four seasons with the Greyhounds, starting in 2007-08.

Justin DaCosta – Justin played four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League from 2002-03 to 2005-06. DaCosta suited up for the Barrie Colts, Owen Sound Attack and Mississauga IceDogs over that period.

Kip Brennan – Kip played in the OHL for five seasons from 1996-97 to 2000-01. Brennan started out his OHL career with the Windsor Spitfires and ended with the Sudbury Wolves.

Carson Dubchak – Carson is the other player brought up from the 2010-11 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Dubchak has played in the Ontario Hockey League with the Greyhounds since 2008-09.

Chris Whitley – Chris played in one OHL game during the 2000-01 season with the Oshawa Generals.

The Stockton Thunder look to be heading to the ECHL playoffs. The California team is in the top 3 for attendance in the league and their success is backed by an on-ice product that includes 5 Ontario Hockey League Alumni. Clicking on the following player’s names will take you to their profile page on the Stockton Thunder official website.

Andrew Perugini played three seasons in the OHL from 2005-06 to 2007-08. He was between the pipes with the Barrie Colts until midway through his final season when he was traded to the Sarnia Sting. This is Andrew’s second season with the Thunder.

Matt O’Dette entered the OHL some 18 years ago. Matt played with the Kitchener Rangers from 1992-93 to midway through 1994-95 when he was traded to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds where he finished out his final season in the league. Since that time, Matt has played with several AHL and ECHL teams, providing toughness to all.

Bryan Young provided solid, stay-at-home defense for the Peterborough Petes from 2002-03 to 2005-06. A low draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2004, Bryan has had the opportunity to put in 17 games with the NHL team.

Justin DaCosta began his OHL career with the Barrie Colts in 2002-03. He was traded to the Owen Sound Attack during the 2003-04 season and to the Mississauga IceDogs during 2004-05. His OHL numbers were sparse until he became an IceDog where he put in 42 points in 57 games in his final season. Justin went the Canadian University route and has just entered the world of professional hockey this season.

Kiev, Ukraine native, Igor Gongalsky played in the OHL from 2004-05 to 2006-07. He spent most of his career with the Owen Sound Attack before being traded to the Oshawa Generals early in his final season. He more than doubled his career point totals in just 56 games with the Generals. Igor is now in his 4th season in the ECHL and second with the Thunder.

It should be noted that brothers Bryan and Jason Pitton have spent time on the Thunder this season. The OHL grads are currently on the AHL Springfield Falcons. Watch for an upcoming post featuring these two.