Dan Buccella Profile from PNJ

Buccella, 28, whose career exemplifies the road-atlas life of a minor-league journeyman, is thankful to settle and begin a new phase where it all started.

When the Pensacola Ice Flyers open their season Friday at the Columbus (Ga.) Cottonmouths, Buccella will be Pensacola’s team captain center, player-assistant coach and provider of sage wisdom to young teammates.

“Yeah, I am definitely not the same punk I was when I was 20 years old, first walking into this place,” said Buccella, who grew up in the Toronto suburb of Woodbridge, Ontario. “It’s been an exciting journey the last eight years.”