Heading up north

EXA IceFighters Leipzig defenseman Connor Hannon looks up the ice while controlling the puck during a game in the 2021 season in Germany. Hannon recently signed a contract with Rostock for the upcoming season. (Photo courtesy of Eishockey Magazine)

HOUGHTON — When the offseason hit last season, Houghton native Connor Hannon was not sure about where he was going to play the 2023-24 season. Would he remain with EXA IceFighters Leipzig, or would he look to sign a new contract with another team? He eventually settled on a return to Leipzig, but the season did not go quite the way he would have liked.

Now, he has his sights set on another team from the same league, the Rostock Piranhas, which should be a very good fit for him as well.

“(I), obviously, had a good foundation there, lots of friends, lots of buddies,” said Hannon about Leipzig. “I was kind of waiting to see what they were going to do with their contracts. There was a lot of turnover over there, so guys were signing one, maybe you’ll get a couple guys that’ll sign a two-year contract. So, kind of just waiting to see what my buddies were going to do, and how the team was gonna shape up. Most of those guys ended up staying. That was kind of the reason for going back there, to play in a familiar spot. I love it there.”

Having one last run with his friends he had made over the previous three years was well worth the experience, even if Hannon’s season did not go as well personally as he would have liked.

“They treated me like family, you know,” he said. “I decided to go back and was very thankful that I got to play one more year with my buddies.”

Part of what drew Hannon back for another, beyond playing with his friends, was also the fact that Leipzig was willing to keep him on, even as an import player, since most teams in the Oberliga (the third tier of German professional hockey) usually use their import slots on forwards.

“There’s not many teams that carry an import defenseman, so knowing that they were going to carry an import defenseman, or wanted to leave that spot open, was pretty cool,” he said. “Knowing that they wanted me back (was) also has a big thing. Jobs are limited over there for imports, especially for import defensemen, so sometimes you have to take and roll with what you can get. Thankfully, I was in a spot where I had had a great year and could go back to Leipzig there.”

After three seasons of scoring 37 or more points as a defenseman, Hannon’s fourth season did not work out as well. He was reduced to only 20 games played, and scored just three goals and 12 points.

The reason for his struggles, an injury he suffered in the preseason.

“(I) got through five preseason games. We were playing eight, which is way too many, but that’s another topic,” he said. “(I) ended up getting hurt in my sixth preseason game, ended up being out for almost three months, just over 13 weeks or something.

“It’s part of the game. It’s the worst part. And being over in Germany, away from family and friends, is tough. Luckily, we had an international break, so I did get to come home for about nine days and just reset, see some doctors here, that kind of thing.”

While injuries are part of the game, lengthy ones can derail a season, especially if it happens early in the year.

“(It was a) tough injury on the shoulder, especially if you’re playing hockey, and playing the way I do, physically and that kind of stuff,” Hannon said. “(It’s) always tough getting hurt, but (I was) able to get back, be healthy, and finish the season on a positive note.”

The last time Hannon suffered an injury of this magnitude was while playing for Finlandia University. However, at that time, the injury came in a playoff game, so he had the summer to recover, instead of the first half of the season.

He said that it was hard, especially at first, to deal with missing as much time as he was, but he was thankful that he had a strong support system to help him.

“Luckily, I have had great friends over there, and people who I could rely on and lean on and that kind of stuff,” said Hannon. “My coach over there last year was awesome. He understood, and he played the game, and just kind of helped me mentally through it.

“That’s the hardest part, is the mental side nobody talks about. It should be talked about way more. I mean, I was going to the rink every day, but I couldn’t go on the ice. (I was) just trying to stay in a routine, stay mentally strong and that kind of stuff. (That is) something that doesn’t get talked about enough.”

Hannon said it took him about four games to get back to feeling like himself in game situations.

“I’d say the first three games were pretty rough just as far as like that decision-making, that stuff that you use those preseason games and stuff for,” he said. “Going in mid-season, everyone’s in about the best shape that they’re going to be in, so it was tough. I’d say (it took) about three games (and) then I felt comfortable with the puck, making the right decisions, not forcing too much stuff.”

As Hannon prepares for this season in Rostock, he is encouraged by the fact that he feels healthy, and that some of his teammates from Leipzig are joining him. Also, he will be playing for coach Leonard Soccio, who was born in St. Catherines, Ontario, and played against Hannon’s father during his playing career.

“For me, I know a couple guys that have played there and that’ll be actually moving from Leipzig with me, so having a support group, and guys that I know, is a huge thing,” said Hannon. “Honestly, the big thing is having a North American coach, a guy that understands me and understands how I play, especially being an offensive defenseman. Instead of playing 18 minutes a night, hopefully (I can) be relied on to play more like 25, and (he can) kind of use me as a horse. That kind of stuff attracts me big time, and I just want to be on the ice and help as much as possible.”

Over the past several years, Rostock’s play has been similar to Leipzig, so that is a nice added bonus for Hannon.

“It’s a great organization,” he said. “They’ve had good teams over the last couple years, kind of similar to Leipzig, always fighting for those middle of the pack spots.”

Hannon is also excited about the fan base and how they support the Piranhas.

“It’s nice to kind of know what you’re getting into, having played there 14 times already,” he said. “They have a great fan base. The rink is pretty nice, the locker rooms are nice, which is another attraction. Having fan support is huge. (The rink is a) two-sided rink, as far as stands go, so you have a lot of people in a small area, (which) makes it loud. You know how European fans are, a pretty good, pretty attractive atmosphere.”

Just prior to heading back over to Germany, Hannon finished up working with Raymond Brice, Marcus Gloss, and the rest of the staff at BR.ICE Hockey Development. For Hannon, having the chance to give back to the community was very important to him.

“(It was) nice to be able to put something in place where we can give back to the local community, kind of keep that train rolling,” he said. “Hopefully (we can) just continue to grow with it, and see where it goes from there.”

Hannon feels he learned as much from the young players he coached throughout the summer as they did from him.

“The next generation of hockey players is insane compared to what it was when I was growing up,” he said. “They start so young, and they’re so good right away. It’s super cool to just kind of learn from them, even. You learn a lot as a coach. You see some of the things that they do as youngsters.

“You don’t really think about it when you’re playing, but you can learn just as much from them as they can from you.”

As for his goals this season, Hannon wants to stay healthy and get back to what makes his game special.

“For me, I think the big thing is just trying to stay healthy for a full season again, get back to playing a full season,” he said. “Obviously, last year didn’t go the way I wanted it, (which is) part of the game. (I was to) just try to be a good teammate, be a leader in that locker room, and as a player, try to get that team in the top six spot, make a direct playoff spot. (I want us to) make a playoff push. (I want to) be a leader on and off the ice, and try to help some of our younger guys, push the team in any way possible.”