Finlandia University’s Connor Hannon is shown in action against UW-Stout on Dec. 14, 2018, in Hancock, Mich. (Courtesy Photo/Finlandia University)

HOUGHTON — Connor Hannon is as much a product of Copper Country hockey as one could be.

After signing a one-year contract with IceFighters Leipzig, in Germany’s third-tier professional league Oberliga, Hannon’s hockey journey enters a new chapter — playing professionally.

The IceFighers’ season is scheduled to start Nov. 6, provided all goes well amidst the pandemic. Hannon said he’s taken a minute to reflect on achieving the dream of playing professional hockey. But he and the team have since had a couple preseason games. Now the goal is to win.

“I think finally getting a few preseason games in its starting to sink in a bit, that this is what I’m here to do — play hockey,” Hannon said. “Very surreal feeling for sure and I try not to think about it too much and just play my game and play hard.”

Hannon, a 2014 Houghton High School graduate and 2020 Finlandia University alum, moved to Germany in late September looking for an opportunity to play pro hockey.

Hannon reached Germany by way of family friend Jedrzej Kasperczyk, a former teammate of Connor’s father, Brian, who himself played 15 years in Germany. During Brian’s career in Germany, Connor was born in Offenbach.

Kasperczyk contacted the IceFighters about Hannon and, on Oct. 19, Hannon signed a one-year contract with the team.

Hannon, 25, is a 6-foot defenseman in his fourth week with the team. IceFighters head coach Sven Gerike said in an article on the team website that Hannon “already made a convincing impression during training” and that “he fits perfectly into the system and is a very good reinforcement for our defense.”

Hannon’s signing with the IceFighters came after a challenging year with the market in uncertainty as the coronavirus pandemic created a lot of unknowns.

But there was one opportunity that shined the brighest: Kasperczyk and the IceFighters. Kasperczyk played the last four years of his lengthy pro career in Leipzig, from 2011 to 2015.

Connor was already familiar with the IceFighters before signing the contract. He had played in Kasperczyk’s retirement game with the IceFighters, as Brian was unable to play. Connor said he remembered “a few faces” and they had remembered him also.

“Just a relief that I have a good team to play my first year pro with and a great coach behind me and hopefully can make a name for myself over here,” Hannon said. “Coming over I was just looking for a chance and I’m very happy I got one.”

Hannon didn’t splurge after signing the contract.

“I bought some groceries and put a little more money in the market but other than that not a big spender,” Hannon said.

Hannon had a lot of advice for other kids in the Copper Country harboring dreams of playing professional hockey.

“When you get to a certain age or level of hockey the separation between players is so small that people pay more attention to the little things that can truly separate players from one another,” Hannon said. “Also just enjoy every moment around hockey, I can’t tell you about a goal I scored last year but I can tell you memories from road trips when I was 10 or in high school and those are the moments that make hockey so special for me, now, looking back.

“I think my biggest advice is just stay the course through all the ups and downs, work hard for what you want, get better everyday as a player and a person, and don’t forget to have some fun along the way,” Hannon added. “Huge thank you to some of the most important people in my life my mom, dad, sister and my family who has my back no matter what and supports me endlessly, my friends and teammates who helped me get to the point I’m at, and my coaches along the way. Joe Burcar, Ross Rinkinen, my father, and Jeff Finger for giving me a chance to play at the college level, Micah Stipech for teaching me leadership and hard work and to fight all the demons, and Corey Markham for teaching me to be competitor, a coach, and being one of my biggest role models in life. I’ve been blessed with so many amazing people and these are only a few. Thank you all.”