The Alaska Aces will have a new captain in the upcoming hockey season after hometown veteran center Nick Mazzolini, who in June helped the ECHL club to the third Kelly Cup in franchise history, signed with a team in Germany's second division.
Mazzolini, who turned 30 on Sunday, arrived in Germany that day and played an exhibition game for Lowen Frankfurt, according to the team's website.
Mazzolini last spring led all playoff scorers with 11-20—31 totals in 21 playoff games. He racked 25-47—72 totals in 69 regular-season games as Alaska's first-line center, first-unit power-play staple and elite penalty killer.
Mazzolini's departure means none of the three centers the Aces used in the playoffs -- the other two were Jordan Morrison and Tyler Mosienko -- will return for the 2014-15 season. Morrison signed to play in a Newfoundland senior league and Mosienko signed to play in England.
Aces coach Rob Murray said he tried to reach a new deal with Mazzolini during the offseason -- all ECHL contracts are for one season -- and Mazzolini told him late last week he was headed abroad.
"We negotiated throughout the summer and thought we could probably get a deal done, especially after the success the team had and the success he had, especially as a local guy,'' Murray said. "He decided the opportunity was better at this point in his career to make in-roads in the European market.
"We wish him all the best and thank him for all he's done for the organization.''
Mazzolini played four of his five pro seasons for the Aces, earning 109-154—263 totals in 269 games. This is his second season abroad -- he played in Italy in 2010-11.
The Aces will be a significantly different crew in the upcoming season than they were by the end of last season. Of the 22 players who appeared for them in the playoffs, at least two-thirds will not return.
Some of that turnover is because players were under contract with the NHL's Calgary Flames or the Abbotsford Heat (British Columbia), Calgary's American Hockey League affiliate. The one-year affiliation agreement between the Aces and Calgary was not renewed because Calgary moved its AHL affiliate to upstate New York, which is about as far away from Anchorage as an AHL team can be.
Also, some Aces from last season have retired -- principally veteran goaltender Gerald Coleman, who also backed the 2011 Kelly Cup winners -- or received AHL deals in the offseason.
Murray said the turnover has been greater than he expected, but he's eager to rework the roster for a franchise that has delivered four consecutive Brabham Cups as ECHL regular-season champions. Alaska has announced the signings of 10 players for next season, four returners and six newcomers.
"You have a new team to mold and a bunch of guys coming in hungry to prove themselves,'' Murray said. "It's a clean sheet. It's wide-open for guys to come in and earn spots on the team.''
Mazzolini's new club, Lowen Frankfurt, plays in the DEL2, which is one step below the DEL, commonly called the German Elite League. Center Brian Swanson of Eagle River, a former NHLer, played six seasons in the DEL before returning to North America to captain the Aces to the 2011 Kelly Cup.
Lowen Frankfurt earned promotion to the DEL2 this season after playing last season in Germany's third division, or Oberliga.
Reach reporter Doyle Woody at dwoody@adn.com and check out his blog at adn.com/hockey-blog