Brett Stovin — a four-year Bisons vet and captain for the last two seasons — is heading overseas for the next chapter in his hockey journey.

The veteran of over 100 university games made things official back in June, signing a one-year deal with the Scotland-based Dundee Stars. The team plays in Britain's ten-team Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), the highest level of ice hockey competition in the United Kingdom.

"We played in that elite league two years in a row for the [Bisons] pre-season, so I know a lot of the teams," Stovin says.

"Also, the growing level of the league was a factor. There's a lot of NHL players that play there now and our team is actually full of guys that have played in the AHL for a few years, so the level of the league is pretty high. The league also has a very good reputation."

It's been a whirlwind of a year for Stovin, who battled through an excruciating hip injury during the 2018-19 season that at times made his pro ambitions seem doubtful.  

"It was a bit of a process getting everything together while I was still battling with a pretty severe hip injury and feeling some pain and having my doubts about if I should be putting a highlight video together. I had a dream of playing pro but I wasn't sure if it was going to be logical to do it and if my hip would hold up.

There was a lot that went into it and a lot of stress, but once we got the highlight video together and the season was over, I turned my attention towards taking care of myself. I haven't felt better than I feel right now in a very, very long time. With [athletic therapist] Mandy [Los] and [chiropractor] Andy [Ainley] working extremely hard and seeing me weekly, daily sometimes, it was a huge help."

Stovin's tape gained a lot of traction internationally, with interest coming from teams in Italy, Poland, France, and the U.K.

After talking it over with his family and girlfriend, Scotland ended up making the most sense.

"The three of them kind of leaned me towards one way. All three of them had the same opinion. To me, I'm a huge family guy and that was what made my decision for me, was the opinion of the people around me once I had narrowed it down to two teams."

Stovin was also quick to mention the long-term commitment of Dundee's head coach and general manager Omar Pacha.

"He was the first one to offer me a contract and he stuck around for I think it was over three months before I finally actually signed it. He was there and was talking to my agent and he wanted to reach out to me. He just really, really wanted to sign me and he left a spot for me for months."

One of the major reasons why Pacha, and other teams, wanted Stovin was his versatility. He can play essentially any role on a team due to his high hockey IQ.

"I probably wouldn't be in this situation if I was a one-dimensional player. I'll be honest, I don't have that flashy skill. I can get the job done, but I'm not flashy and I'm not the toughest guy in the world. So, having the opportunity to play every role and be that guy that gets called upon and use my brain — because I'll give myself credit, I am a smart player — is huge for me. Almost every team I talked to about a contract all wanted me for the same reason, that I could play in different positions."

Stovin was also quick to credit Bisons head coach Mike Sirant for adequately preparing him for life as a pro hockey player.

"He gave me the opportunity to have a lot of weight on my shoulders and figure things out. He obviously gave me the opportunity to play defence, top six and the third line. I've ran a power play from the back end, I've ran it from the front and I've penalty killed. He put me in every single scenario I could have asked for in the last couple of years. That was perfect for getting me prepared for anything I'm going to face in the next couple of years."

Stovin leaves for Scotland in mid-August, with the regular season running from September until March. For the first time in his life, can focus solely on becoming a better hockey player, something he is ecstatic about.

"Growing up, from the first day I played junior until now, I'm one of the only guys on every team that had to work full-time all the time and then try to train after. It's been so hard on my body and just exhausting to the point where I wasn't actually training properly. I can finally focus on taking care of my body and training the right way to be ready for the season."