Excerpt from 'Rocket Hockey Report' of host Amy Johnson commenting on the positive aspects of Laval's season.

Eisbaren Berlin recently announced signing defenseman Olivier Galipeau to a one-year contract.

"Olivier is a strong two-way defender. He is still young but has already proven his ability at a high level. Olivier is an intelligent player who always works hard. He is ready to take the next step in his career in Europe," sports director Stephane Richer said via statement.

"I'm really excited to play for Eisbaren next season. I want to make the most of my first year in Europe and hope we can win another championship. I can't wait to meet everyone and play in front of the fans," declared Galipeau.

"As this will be my first year, I want to learn a lot about the team and the league. I have always been a strong defensive defenseman who plays very physically. I want to show that in Berlin. But I can also get involved in the offense, play good, hard passes through a simple game and get pucks to the goal."

The Montreal native is an example of the benefit of an ECHL affiliate brings to an American Hockey League team. Galipeau signed with the Trois-Rivieres Lions for the 2021-22 season after winning the Kelly Cup with the Fort Wayne Komets the previous year. His performance led to a professional tryout contract with Laval and two-way contracts for the following two years. He finished a three-year tenure with the Rocket with a combined 29 points in 118 games.

This past season, Galipeau usually slotted on the third defensive pairing primarily forming a duo with Mattias Norlinder and had an important role on the penalty kill. The 27-year-old finished second on the team with a plus-20 rating.

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Former Rocket Olivier Galipeau's First Opportunity in Europe