Ice hockey – ICE season preview EC Salzburg: Untouchable again? – winter sports
On September 16th it’s finally that time again: The win2day ICE Hockey League starts the new season.
Analyzed before the start of the season LAOLA1 expert Bernd Freimüller all clubs and gives his forecast for the coming season.
Last season he dominated EC Red Bull Salzburg at will and crowned himself champion with a playoff sweep. Are the “Eisbullen” going ahead again this year?
summer activities
From the champion squad, only TJ Brennan (even Red Bull can’t keep up with offers from Switzerland) and roughneck Keegan Kanzig (end of career) lost unintentionally. Team player Kilian Zündel decided to exercise his status as a Swiss ice hockey player – even before the playoffs when his ice time was reduced to a minimum.
Long-serving cracks such as goalie JP Lamoureux and Alexander Pallestrang as well as center Jan-Mikael Järvinen and playoff reinforcement Mike Dalhuisen did not prompt any new offers.
In addition to four new legionnaires, David Kickert, an Austrian national goalie, also came as a backup. Peter Hochkofler was affected by the league with a special permit – ICE is famous for this throughout Europe – in contrast to the previous season as an international player.
strengths of the squad
You can quickly save details – the first five defending positions are taken by four legionnaires and one national player, the goalie position is shared by Kickert and Atte Tolvanen, one of the key players of the championship year.
Before you attack the young academy products like Luca Auer (must work a lot on his ice skating), Tim Harnisch or Lucas Thaler (more VSV than Red Bull Academy in his case), ten legionnaires or team players are ready. And national players do not mean cracks from the operetta tournaments in November or February, but players from the highest price and performance range such as Peter Schneider, Benjamin Nissner, Ali Wukovits, Thomas Raffl or Dominique Heinrich.
If you compare the team to those of eventual top teams like the KAC or the Capitals, the physical advantages are striking. Become the new defenders like Tyler Lewington or Andrew MacWilliam (besides with extremely limited puck skills) collect penalties at the beginning of the season? Of course, in contrast to Dennis Robertson, who already knows the ICE refs from his time in Bolzano, they are only announced that in the regular round every physical and stock contact leads to penalties.
But in the playoffs, where Wild West rule applies, these three, like Kanzig and Dalhuisen last season, will put opponents in their place. No other team can afford to plan in such a double-pronged way.
With Troy Bourke came a new center who, unlike his predecessor Järvinen, seeks the direct route to goal, scores his hits from close range (or penalty shots, for which he is a specialist) and plays at high speed. The times of capricious fine spirits like John Hughes or Robbie Schremp is finally over under coach Matt McIlvane.
The key to success is a no-frills urge to score (in addition to an aggressive forecheck) like Nissner (has developed into a top Austrian), Wukovits, Schneider (besides his shooting qualities), Paul and Mario Huber as well as Florian Baltram.
weaknesses of the squad
![](https://www.laola1.at/images/redaktion/images/Eishockey/ICE-Hockey-League/EC-RB-Salzburg/2022-23/1209_Genoway_Salzburg_4c993_f_420x236.jpg)
Chad Genoway is set to follow in Brennan’s footsteps
Photo: © GEPA
The squad only seems to have weakened in one position. TJ Brennan decided both in the regular season and in the playoffs, so many a game at key moments. His ability to dance out and then pull off shot blockers (an incredible 27 hits!) was unparalleled in the league.
His successor was Chay Genoway, eight years in the SHL and KHL. The 35-year-old is still a brilliant skater with great movement in tight lies. Most recently at Brynas, however, he was a bit overwhelmed as the desired top defender. But his physical shortcomings are mitigated by his giant colleagues and if his shot isn’t hard enough, there are other top alternatives like Heinrich and Robertson ready.
Ty Loney just can’t get going in Salzburg. Corona and a concussion last season, now injured again. Up until two years ago he was one of the top players in the league, but his reach around goal and his goal-getting skills were only intermittent for the Red Bulls.
This could be upgraded
Including the (former) ice hockey Austrian Aljaz Predan, eight out of ten legionnaire places are currently taken.
Salzburg will not leave anything to chance in the race for the championship title – if Zündel does not meet the requirements, they will certainly not rely on a mixture of Lukas Schreier, Paul Stapelfeldt or Philipp Wimmer in the playoffs.
An additional striker or even a substitute foreigner would not come as a surprise before the trading deadline, it will not fail because of the necessary change.
outlook
Anything other than first place after 52 games would be a sensation, with all due respect to last year’s final opponent Fehervar. Also for the hunt for the second title after that one is already prepared due to the physical force of the squad…
Text source: © LAOLA1.at
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