EBEL

EBEL: Brian Lebler is back

Brian Lebler, after a season playing for Ingolstadt in DEL, has decided to return to the Black Wings Linz for the 2016/2017 season. The 27-year-old Austrian national team member has spent most of his professional hockey career in Linz, collecting 212 points (122 goals) in 235 games. Lebler was awarded EBEL's MVP in the 2014/2015 season.

(29 Mar 2016)

Tom Pokel remains Bolzano’s head coach

For the first time since joining EBEL in the 2013/2014 season, it seems as if Italian club HC Bolzano will have a normal off-season. The Foxes extended the contract with coach Tom Pokel for one season and plan to put together their roster within the next two months.

(17 Mar 2016)

EBEL semifinals start today

After Red Bull eliminated Klagenfurter AC with a 5-2 win in Game 7, today the semi-finals start in Erste Bank Eishockey Liga. Defendig champion Salzburg will be challenged by Villacher SV. Orli Znojmo vs Black Wings Linz is the other match-up in the race for a spot in the final.

(13 Mar 2016)

Komarek unleashes the inner Granlund

In Game 2 of the EBEL Quarter Finals, Konstantin Komarek of Red Bull Salzburg helped his team with THIS gorgeous goal (click here to watch the video). In 'Grandlund-fashion' the 23-year-old Austrian scored on Klagenfurter AC to increase the series' lead to two. Also Linz, Dornbirn and Villach are now up 2:0 in their match-ups.

(28 Feb 2016)

EBEL playoff draw made

In EBEL, the top-3 seeded club could pick their opponent for the first playoff round. Following matchups will battle in the quarterfinals:

Red Bull Salzburg (1) - Klagenfurter AC (8)

Orli Znojmo (2) - Dornbirn Bulldogs (5)

Vienna Capitals (3) - VSV Villach (7)

HC Bolzano Foxes (4) - Black Wings Linz (6)

(23 Feb 2016)

Last-minute roster changes in EBEL

With only three games left before the start of the playoffs, the clubs in EBEL had to make the final roster decisions. In order to stay within the 60-point-limit under the EBEL point system, four clubs made signficant choices going into the playoffs.

Red Bull Salzburg signed Juuso Riksman as the new backup. GK Fabian Weinhandl and FW Marco Brucker were released to make space for the Finnish net minder. The Vienna Capitals scratched Kurtis McLean, whereas Roland Hofer will no-longer be part of the roster of the Bolzano Foxes. Davide Nicoletti, who was part of the Italian's championship winning team in 2014, will take Hofer's spot in the line-up. Orli Znojmo increased its depth between the pipes acquiring Jan Lukas.

(16 Feb 2016)

Also HC Pustertal wants to join EBEL

After Ritten Sport expressed their wish to join EBEL a few weeks ago, another Italian team has now officially applied to partcipate in this central european league. HC Pustertal Wolves has applied to join EBEL in the 2016/2017 season. The Wolves would be the second Italian team in the league, as HC Bolzano is already in the midst of its third season in EBEL. All thee Italian clubs have the permission from the Italian federation to play in Austria's top league. A decision on which clubs join Erste Bank Eishockey Liga will be taken within the 5th of April.

(12 Feb 2016)

EBEL: Pick and Qualifying Round kick off today

In EBEL the first chapter of the regular season has ended and now the teams enter the intermediate stage. Salzburg, Linz, Znojmo, Vienna, Bolzano and Dornbirn fight for a spot in the Champions Hockey Leaue and the right to pick the opponent in the quarter finals. In the Qualifying Round Klagenfurt, Villach, Fehervar, Graz, Innsbruck and Ljubljana battle for the remaining two playoff spots.

(22 Jan 2016)

Ritten wants to join EBEL

Rittner 'Buam', Italian champion of 2014, has requested to leave Serie A and applied to join Erste Bank Eishockey Liga in the 2016/2017 season. Ritten would be the second Italian team in the Austrian based league, as the Bolzano Foxes already play in this competition. Biggest obstacles for the South Tyroleans to become the league's 13th member are their arena, which only offers space to approximately 2000 spectators, and the geographic proximity to Bolzano.

(15 Jan 2016)

Tayor Vause is Bolzano’s last roster cut

With the signing of defenceman Branden Bell, the Bolzano Foxes had to make one roster move to fulfill EBEL's point system obligations. It was thought to be a hard chioce, but in the end it was made easy in a unfortunate way. Taylor Vause is out for weeks because of a hand injury and has been removed from the Italian record champion's roster.

(15 Jan 2016)