David Emma is an American.

David Emma plays professional hockey in Europe.

David Emma is nervous.

"It's scary to be an American in Europe," Emma said from Germany, where he's currently playing for the Nuremberg Ice Tigers. "I've been glued to the TV for the last two hours to see what's going on, waiting for the president to speak, calling my mother to see what she knows."

The former captain of the Boston College hockey team and 1991 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner has traveled extensively in Europe as a member of U.S. junior and senior national teams and as a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic hockey team. He is also in his fourth season of playing in a European elite league.

But Tuesday evening, Emma began to feel nervous about being an American in Europe after hearing the news of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

"I'm still in a state of shock," he added. "Maybe it's naive and stupid, but in the U.S., it's not supposed to happen. You're supposed to be safe. I'm thrown back by everything.

"Being in Europe, you see things all the time on TV about terrorism. My mom was here two weeks ago. We had heard some terrorist news and said at least we don't have to worry about that in the U.S."

The Ice Tigers' game Tuesday night against Revier Loewens Oberhausen was postponed after a request by Nuremberg owner Herbert Frey, whose roster includes three Americans -- Paul Stanton, Chris Luongo and Emma. Oberhausen reluctantly agreed.

"I have tremendous respect for our owner," Emma said. "He's the one who said we weren't going to play. He didn't care if we had to forfeit the game and lose the points in the standings.

"We didn't have an official vote, but all the guys -- even the non-Americans -- felt the same way."

Emma, 32, was following news coverage on CNN at his home in Altdorf, where he lives with his wife Jackie and their two daughters Alexandra, 4, and Victoria, 2.

"We're scared, to a degree," he said. "My wife said, 'You know what, I'm nervous being an American here.' But for some reason in Germany we feel safer. I don't know why."

For Emma, a 1989 draft pick of the New Jersey Devils, the most difficult part about watching events unfold from thousands of miles away is not being in direct contact with his family and friends. Emma was relieved to hear the start of Los Angeles Kings training camp was Tuesday and that his former BC linemate Steve Heinze was already in California. Heinze could have been on the hijacked flight from Boston to L.A. that collided with one of the Twin Towers.

Later, Emma learned Kings scouts Ace Bailey and Mark Bavis were on United Airlines Flight 175, the second plane that crashed into the World Trade Center. He knew both men.

The Cranston, R.I., native is no stranger to the European leagues. After playing professionally for seven seasons in the NHL, American Hockey League and International Hockey League, he played for three years with Klagenfurt of the Austrain elite League. He then spent last season in the Florida Panthers and Washington Capitals organizations. He signed with Nuremberg in May.

His familiarity with Europe is of little comfort.

"I feel detached from my family and friends and people I want to be with. I want to know that they're safe," Emma said. "If I had my choice, I get on a plane right now and be home."

Sherry Skalko is the NHL editor for ESPN.com.