Munich, Germany - The uncertainty about an NHL labor agreement for 2004-05 made its first impact on the German Hockey League (DEL) this week when small-market team Iserlohn Roosters announced the signing of Edmonton Oilers centerman Mike York. The 26-year will join the Roosters in case of an NHL lockout. Although DEL teams are only allowed to bring in a limited number of import players, a few more prominent names may pop up as the late July start of DEL training camps approaches. www.prohockey.de gets you updated on all off-season moves.

In 2003-03, Michigan-native York was Edmonton's leading scorer with 42 points (16G,26A) before a broken finger sidelined him for the remainder of the season in late January. York is expected to arrive in Iserlohn in early September and would stay until the end of a possible NHL lockout. He would be re-united with old buddy Bryan Adams, a former NCAA teammate with the Michigan State Spartans.

"Apart from Jaroslav Pouzar [also a former Edmonton Oiler], York would be the greatest player ever to wear an Iserlohn uniform. Even if he only sticks around for two or three months, our young team would profit a lot from York's skills and experience", said Roosters GM Wolfgang Brück.

New faces from North America in the DEL

Other DEL signings from North American leagues include the following players (as of June 25, 2004):

NHL: F John Tripp (Adler Mannheim, from Los Angeles Kings), D Nolan Baumgartner (Frankfurt Lions, from Vancouver Canucks)

AHL: G Jamie Storr (Adler Mannheim, from Lowell Lock Monsters), F Steve Kelly (Adler Mannheim, from Manchester Monarchs), F Jamie Morgan (Adler Mannheim, from Norfolk Admirals), F Matt Davidson (DEG Metro Stars, from Lowell Lock Monsters), D Derrick Walser (Eisbären Berlin, from Syracuse Crunch), D Chris Armstrong (ERC Ingolstadt, from Cincinnati Mighty Dogs), F Sean Pronger (Frankfurt Lions, from Manitoba Moose), F Ivan Ciernik (Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg, from Portland Pirates), D Petr Smrek (Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg, from Binghamton Senators), D Alan Letang (Hamburg Freezers, from Bridgeport Sound Tigers), F Kevin Colley (Iserlohn Roosters, from Bridgeport Sound Tigers), Brian White (Iserlohn Roosters, from Providence Bruins), F Brian Swanson (Kassel Huskies, from Chicago Wolves), D Christian Laflamee (Kassel Huskies, from Worcester Ice Cats), D Kirk Furey (Kassel Huskies, from Philadelphia Phantoms), D Pascal Trepanier (Nürnberg Ice Tigers, from Hershey Bears), F Darren Haydar (Nürnberg Ice Tigers, from Milwaukee Admirals)

WHL: F Yannic Seidenberg (Kölner Haie, from Medicine Hat Tigers)

Click here for a team-by-team overview of all DEL off-season moves.