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The DEL transfer market is full of ambition this summer, and the Krefeld Pinguine have just provided further proof. The club from North Rhine-Westphalia officially announced on Monday the signing of Canadian defenseman Stuart Percy, a former first-round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. At 33 years old, Percy arrives at a team returning to the German top flight with clear intentions: not to make up the numbers.
Percy's arrival constitutes the second significant signing on the blue line after that of Max Gildon. Coach Thomas Popiesch now has a versatile defenseman capable of playing in all situations and stabilizing a unit that will need its bearings in a league where pace and intensity do not forgive mistakes. The right-hander joins a squad already rich with fourteen nationalities in the Krefeld locker room, a melting pot that reflects the promoted club's international ambition.
Percy's arrival constitutes the second significant signing on the blue line after that of Max Gildon.
The European journey of a Toronto prospect
Stuart Percy never became the defenseman the Maple Leafs hoped for when they selected him 25th overall fifteen years ago. Twelve NHL games, all in a Toronto jersey during the 2014-2015 season, and then the road came to an end. What could have broken a career instead forged another, more discreet but remarkably long: 675 professional games across the AHL, Finland's Liiga, the Czech Extraliga where he was still wearing the colors of HC Vítkovice Ridera last season, and now the DEL.
"Stuart is exactly the type of player we were looking for on our defense," the Pinguine's sporting management stated in their press release. The profile fits: a reliable left-hander, a good first pass, experience on special teams, and a reading of the game sharpened by years of adapting to different European systems. His stint at Vítkovice last season, where he played over twenty minutes per game in a Czech league renowned for its defensive demands, convinced the German staff that he can take on a leading role.
Krefeld building for the long term
The promoted club is not doing things by halves. After securing their return to the top flight following a controlled DEL2 season, KEV has begun recruitment that looks more like that of a playoff contender than a club simply looking to secure survival. Percy embodies this desire to blend North American experience with knowledge of European hockey.
The timing of the announcement, a few weeks before the start of summer preparation, allows Popiesch to integrate his new defenseman into the defensive schemes before the season resumes. The Pinguine will play their first official match of the 2026-2027 season at the end of September. Until then, training camp will serve to build chemistry between Percy and his new teammates, a priority project for a defense that has not played in the top division for two years.
A German league increasingly attractive
Percy's signing illustrates the DEL's growing influence in the European transfer market. Attracting a former first-round NHL draft pick with over 600 professional games is no longer the preserve of only the big Swiss or Swedish clubs. Krefeld, which was still playing in the second division a few months ago, manages to convince a player of this caliber, proof that the German championship has gained credibility and financial capacity.
Now it remains to deliver on the ice. Percy, at 33, has never been a top offensive defenseman—his career high is 24 points in a season—but that is not what is being asked of him. The Pinguine signed him for his defensive reliability and leadership. In a team about to discover the rigors of the top flight, these qualities are arguably worth more than a spectacular skating move. For a club that suffered relegation in 2023 and is just returning to the big time, Percy's experience could well be the difference between a season spent looking in the rearview mirror and one looking upward.