It is currently impossible to predict what the future holds for Andy Bernard and HC Meran.

Deadline expired: What are HC Meran's plans?

On Monday, the Alps Hockey League announced in a press release that HC Meran had missed the registration deadline for the upcoming season. What are the spa town team's plans for the coming season?

February 16, 2026

From: cst

Where does the future of ice hockey in Merano lie? This question has been more pressing than ever since Monday. As the AlpsHL announced on Monday, HC Merano has not yet registered for the league and – as things stand – would not participate in the championship next season. The twelve other clubs, including Wipptal, Unterland, Ritten, and Gröden from South Tyrol, have re-registered.

Will HCM leave the AlpsHL in the coming months? This question remains unanswered, partly because only the initial deadline has passed, which Merano deliberately let slip by. Numerous questions remain unanswered, including financial matters, as well as league regulations and requirements that make life difficult for the clubs. HCM is taking its time to reach a final decision, which could very well involve making changes.

A complete withdrawal is not out of the question.

A withdrawal of Merano from the AlpsHL is therefore not out of the question, but it's not set in stone either. The Italian Hockey League would be an alternative to the cross-border AlpsHL. However, HCM is hesitant about this option as well. The worst-case scenario would be that there would be no top-class ice hockey in the spa town from autumn onwards – but nobody wants to think about that.