Former Aggies to play in Europe
Former Utah State hockey players Aaron Burrell, Nick Thiros and Chris Webber have signed professional contracts to play for teams in Europe this upcoming season.
Burrell will play for the Turnhout White Caps in Belgium, Thiros for the Troisdorf Dynamite in Germany and Webber for Majadahonda in Spain.
All three players signed for only one year.
“I’m way excited, but scared on the same note,” Thiros said. “We really don’t know what we’re getting into. It’s going to be something unique, that’s for sure.”
Burrell said playing in Europe will be a whole new experience.
“It will be a challenge,” he said. “I’m going to be in the top league in Belgium and the Netherlands.”
Webber, who is already in Spain, said the whole thing hasn’t really set in yet.
“I never thought I would get this opportunity,” he said. “I still can’t believe it. I’m still in shock.”
The three players were noticed by the European teams at a tryout in Ogden over the off-season, which was arranged by David Imonti, the players’ agent.
“Our agent is the man,” Burrell said. “This was always kind of a pipe dream. I really didn’t think it was going to pan out.”
The tryout also yielded contracts for eight former Weber State players, a former Arizona State player and possibly one for former BYU goalie Tamio Stehrenberger, Imonti said.
“It’s exciting for the Weber guys,” Burrell said. “There were nine guys out of the West [who signed contracts]. This really puts us on the map.”
Webber said he beat out nine other goalies for the spot on Majadahonda.
“It’s no fluke,” he said. “I’ve been to nationals three times in the last five years. I like to win.”
Webber, who played two years for San Jose State before transferring to USU, said he feels like he’s playing the best hockey of his life right now.
“I feel like I’ve grown as a hockey player here at USU,” he said. “I’ve really polished up my game. There’s no way I could have done that at SJSU.”
Burrell said he thinks his game was at its best at the national tournament in Michigan last March.
“I’ll have to get back into it,” he said. “One day I was in Washington working on a farm and the next I was driving to Ogden for a professional tryout. Even though we weren’t in the best condition, [the coaches] could still see that we could play.”
Burrell, who is USU’s all-time leading goal scorer, said it will be unusual for him to have to fight for ice time.
“I’ll be playing third or fourth line,” he said. “This will be a different challenge working my way up.”
Thiros said even though the players will be better and the game will be faster, he thinks he’ll be one of the best on his team.
“I plan on being at the top of the pack,” he said. “I’m a competitor and I don’t plan on going over there to sit on the bench.”
Burrell said he is very excited to get paid to play hockey.
“It’s neat to get paid to do something you love,” he said. “Hockey’s becoming my job. And it’s a damn good job.”
Thiros said it will be different to play hockey at a more serious level.
“It’s always been something to go play for fun, for pride and to win,” he said. “Now it’s all those plus money and prestige.”
Thiros said the money isn’t even the best part.
“Just to play over in Europe is the driving force,” he said. “The money is just a bonus. A big bonus.”
The players are being provided new equipment by the teams they play for. Thiros said he has already received a bunch of sticks ordered for him and Webber said he has had brand new goalie equipment given to him.
Thiros said his team will ley him keep his jersey No. 9 and Webber No. 31 which they wore during their entire USU career.
-bhhinton@cc.usu.edu