The Transfer Fairy (I claim copyright for that!) is a busy bee again this week with HK Acroni Jesenice and EV Vienna Capitals taking center stage: The Slovenians picked up towering Defenceman Martin Tuma from Czech second Division side IHC Pisek. Standing tall at 6 foot 4, Tuma was a fifth-round pick for the Florida Panthers in 2005, but never featured in an NHL-game. He returned to Europe from AHL-side Rochester in 2007 and plied his trade in his home country. Now, he’s ready for a new challenge and joins HK Acroni Jesenice as, most-likely, a stay-at-home-defender role. He could debut as early as tonight (Thursday) since he has arrived at Dvorana Podmezakla already.

Vienna try-out Lupaschuk
What may sound like something you’d say when catching a cold, is actually a journeyman-Defender with NHL-experience so I’ll stop joking about the name right now. Ross Lupachuk, a second –round pick for the Washington Capitals in 1999, who spent the majority of his playing career either in the AHL or in the best leagues that Europe has to offer (He’s lined up for Mora and Malmö in Eliteserien, Cologne in the DEL, Kärpät and HIFK in SM-liiga as well as for KHL-teams Avangard Omsk and Sibir Novosibirsk) is now on try-out with Tommy Samuelsson at Vienna. He’s a leader on the ice and in the dressing room and equipped with a rocket of a slapshot. Capitals Head Coach Tommy Samuelsson knows the player well from back in Eliteserien:„He was a premium offensive Defender: He’s fantastic at the Blue line and really knows how to shoot the puck.” Lupaschuk’s of course more Offensive-minded than his pendant from Jesenice and should feature in the Caps’ European Trophy game at Budejovice versus HC Mountfield.