Zachary Okabe - HC Thurgau has found their second import

HC Thurgau has agreed to terms with Zachary Okabe for a one-year deal valid for the upcoming 2026-27 season. The 25-year-old forward joins the Swiss League club after two seasons in the ECHL with the Kalamazoo Wings. HCT's team manager Patrick Brändli: "Okabe has proven his scoring abilities in recent years and now wants to further develop his game in Europe. [...] We are convinced that he will bring even more creativity and quality to our offense".

Okabe turned pro during the 2023-24 season after five years in the NCAA with St. Cloud State University. In the past two years, he appeared in 137 ECHL games, scoring 38 goals and collecting 59 assists, and in 12 AHL games, recording three points.