There has been a buzz of activity on the European transfer market following the end of the World Championships. Read below to see which CHL teams have been most active, as well as a list of all of the past week's transfers involving CHL clubs. 

CHL News

The end of the IIHF World Championships always sets off a flurry of activity between clubs, and three players in the tournament who played in the Champions Hockey League last season have earned contracts with National Hockey League clubs – Czech defenceman Jakub Nakladal is going from TPS Turku to the Calgary Flames, while a pair of Finnish forwards from Karpat Oulu have also earned overeas try-outs – centre Joonas Kemppainen with the Boston Bruins and winger Joonas Donskoi with the San Jose Sharks. The pair followed up an outstanding season together in Northern Finland with fine performances on the Finnish national team – finishing second and third in team scoring – to earn these new opportunities.

With their top two offensive players from last season gone, as well as goalie Tomi Karhunen off to Tappara Tampere, Karpat are now going about building their roster for 2015–16. So far they've re-signed veteran forwards Esa Pirnes and Ivan Huml and also acquired 21-year-old centre Miro Aaltonen from the Espoo Blues.

“I'm looking forward to playing in Oulu, and I believe that it is the best possible place for my development,” said Aaltonen, who is just coming off a breakout season in which he compiled 37 points (16 + 21) in 57 Liiga regular-season game, helping the Blues qualify for the upcoming CHL season. 
 
“Miro is a good skating centre who fits our needs. He has a good career as a player in front of him and we know that he will be able to bring a lot to the team,” Karpat Sport Director Harri Aho said in a team-released statement.

Despite losing Aaltonen, the Blues have also made a couple of signings in defenceman Juuso Vainio and Swedish goaltender Christian Engstrand, formerly of Lingkoping HC, who played last season with Alba Volan Szekesfeharvar in the EBEL.

“Engstrand is a talented goaltender who has previously proven that he can play in the top league in Sweden. Now he is in a great place to re-establish himself as one of Europe's top goalies.” Peter Ahola, Espoo's general manager, said on the club's website.

Other teams that were particularly active in signing new players in the past week were the British champion Sheffield Steelers and defending CHL champion Lulea Hockey. Both clubs added a defenceman and a forward to their rosters.

“I'm very very excited and I'm looking forward to it a lot,” 32-year-old forward Fredrik Vestberg, who comes over from Almtuna of the Swedish Allsvenskan, said in an audio interview on the Steelers' website. “I've played 13 years in Sweden and I'm looking forward to a new adventure. My family's really looking forward to this opportunity and it's going to be very fun.”

The club also added defenceman Zack Fitzgerald of the Braehead Clan, the UK's other CHL qualifier. Meanwhile, Lulea announced a couple of Finnish additions on Monday afternoon who started last season as teammates in the KHL in Yugra – defenceman Ilart Melart and winger Toni Rajala, the latter having moved to Farjestad Karlstad mid-season.

“Lulea Hockey have certainly shown that they want me on their team and that made it easier to make my decision,” Melart said on the team website. “That they're also puting together a really strong team makes me really look forward to the upcoming season.”

“I am already looking forward to moving to Lulea to begin my first season from the start in Sweden,” said Rajala, who previously played 37 games with HV71 Jonkoping in 2013–14. “I have heard a lot of good things about the city and the arena from friends who have played there before, which made ​​it easy to sign with Lulea.”

As well, players such as Brian Salcido, Manu Honkanen, Tomas Rolinek, Miiko Koivisto, Harri Tikkanen and Tibor Kutalek – who all played in the CHL last season – have moved to clubs where they'll have the opportunity again this season. The past week of transfers involving CHL clubs is listed below.