hockeyfan1
New member
The name Carlo Colaiacovo conjures up images to Leafs fans in one word...fail. Such as in the big fail of a young, promising prospect who was supposed to thrive in his career here in the Blue & White jersey.
Colaiacovo, as Leafs fans remember, played briefly in his tenure here in Toronto (2005-6 season). The Italo-Canadian hometown talent just could never seem to escape his many injuries sustained, injuries that included but limited to, a concussion. Constant admissions to the DL is another reason for his short stint with the Leafs traded him to the St.Louis Blues (the first of what would be several teams he would play for).
(Colaiacovo and Alexander Steen were traded to the Blues for Lee Stempniak in 2008. Among the worst of Leaf trades for that year as Steen's career took off with St.Louis and he's still a Blue today, while Stempniak fizzled out with the Leafs).
So, after playing out his career (with Detroit, St.Louis again, Philadelphia, Buffalo), Colaiacovo did what so many ex-NHLers have done -- move to Europe, more precisely Mannheim, Germany. There, today at age 35, his career enjoying a resuscitation playing for Adler Mannheim, Colaiacovo would have it no other way. He's found new life playing hockey again in Europe where the ice surface is larger, and skating is de riguer, quite a different game from the NHL one.
As mentioned earlier, many ex-NHLers play overseas. With the emphasis on the youth movement, and veteran players feeling left out or simply not capable of catching up or fitting in with the game here anymore, players find new life playing Euro hockey.
As Colaiaicovo states in the article, where he lives in Germany, people seem less stressed and seem to embrace life differently. His family moved with him this year and on the Adler Mannheim roster, there are Canadian and American-born players there which helps break down language barrier communication.
Happy for Carlo. Wishing him all the best.
Here's the story:
[tweet]964510888454582279[/tweet]
Colaiacovo, as Leafs fans remember, played briefly in his tenure here in Toronto (2005-6 season). The Italo-Canadian hometown talent just could never seem to escape his many injuries sustained, injuries that included but limited to, a concussion. Constant admissions to the DL is another reason for his short stint with the Leafs traded him to the St.Louis Blues (the first of what would be several teams he would play for).
(Colaiacovo and Alexander Steen were traded to the Blues for Lee Stempniak in 2008. Among the worst of Leaf trades for that year as Steen's career took off with St.Louis and he's still a Blue today, while Stempniak fizzled out with the Leafs).
So, after playing out his career (with Detroit, St.Louis again, Philadelphia, Buffalo), Colaiacovo did what so many ex-NHLers have done -- move to Europe, more precisely Mannheim, Germany. There, today at age 35, his career enjoying a resuscitation playing for Adler Mannheim, Colaiacovo would have it no other way. He's found new life playing hockey again in Europe where the ice surface is larger, and skating is de riguer, quite a different game from the NHL one.
As mentioned earlier, many ex-NHLers play overseas. With the emphasis on the youth movement, and veteran players feeling left out or simply not capable of catching up or fitting in with the game here anymore, players find new life playing Euro hockey.
As Colaiaicovo states in the article, where he lives in Germany, people seem less stressed and seem to embrace life differently. His family moved with him this year and on the Adler Mannheim roster, there are Canadian and American-born players there which helps break down language barrier communication.
Happy for Carlo. Wishing him all the best.
Here's the story:
[tweet]964510888454582279[/tweet]