Ethan Szypula in conversation with SportNews. © Social Media

Ritten's Ethan Szypula: The Man with the Magic Wand

Last year he won the Italian championship and the Alps Hockey League (AlpsHL) with the Rittner Buam. This season he has already won the Supercup and is leading the AlpsHL goal scorers list. But who is this Ethan Szypula? SportNews had an in-depth conversation with the Canadian striker.

03 December 2024

There are players you look forward to seeing before you even enter the stadium. They have that certain something, that aura that makes them stand out from the crowd. Players who are worth every cent of the entrance fee. All of these statements apply to Ethan Szypula.

His actions even provoke a murmur among opposing fans. Like on Thursday at HC Gherdëina, when he pulled the puck between his legs in the best Marek Malik style and slammed it onto the crossbar. "I love giving the fans what they want to see," he says with a smile. To show such masterpieces, self-confidence is the be-all and end-all. The 27-year-old currently has plenty of that, having collected 16 points in 35 games. "The hard work in training is increasingly reflected in the games," he says modestly.

Side by side with the NHL stars

Szypula grew up in the city of Hamilton, which has a population of 600, where he started playing ice hockey at the age of two. "Because I loved the sport so much from the very first moment," he explains. His role model when he was younger was his cousin Brian McGrattan, who chased the puck in the NHL for ten years. As a youth, Szypula himself played alongside future NHL stars, such as Nick Suzuki, the current captain of the Montreal Canadiens. "I'm still in touch with some of them today and we're on the ice together in the summer. I learned a lot from them and benefited a lot from them. Sitting next to players like Nick, you understand what level you're at."

Ethan Szypula (right) played in the OHL for the Owen Sound Attack with numerous future NHL stars. © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / dp

After attending the University of Western Ontario for four years, the winger began his European adventure in Slovakia. There he met Zach Osburn, who was previously under contract with the Buam. The current DEL defender played a major role in why Szypula moved to the plateau in 2023. "Moving from such a big city like Hamilton to a small village was definitely an adjustment. The language, the environment, the club - it was a learning process. But I love it here. It's a beautiful place to play hockey."

Szypula had no teething problems on the ice. The boys - with the Canadian in the lead role - won one title after another. First Italian champions, then regular season winners, later first in the Master Round and finally the AlpsHL title. One moment of this triumph will remain in the memory of number 94 forever: on January 27th, he scored the winning goal against Cortina in overtime of the decisive third game of Serie A. "It was unbelievable for me personally to put the cherry on the cake," emphasizes Szypula. "We had to fight adversity during the season, but we improved steadily and became hungrier with our success. Winning everything is indescribable."

A future in the ICEHL?

If it's up to him, the boys will continue like this this year. The start is promising, as Simon Kostner & Co. are in second place in the table before the derby on Tuesday against the Wipptal Broncos (20 p.m.). Speaking of Broncos: Bryson Cianfrone, a player who shared the dressing room with Szypula for a year, is under contract with the Wildpferde. The striker also knows Austin Osmanski from HC Pustertal from his university days. "It's nice to meet old friends and talk to them," he says. He can put rivalries like the one with the Broncos aside in these moments.

At that moment, Ethan Szypula shot Ritten to the Italian championship title. © Max Pattis

Although the season is still long, the question remains: Can the boys keep a player of his caliber at the club for another year? Szypula could certainly imagine moving to a higher league, such as the ICEHL. "As a hockey player, you always want to work your way up. See how you compare to other leagues, other teams. I had solid performances in the Continental Cup. But who knows, you can't control the future," says Szypula, who adds: "At the moment, my focus is fully on this season and on success with the boys."

Alps Hockey League:

Tuesday, December 3th:
Rittner Buam – Wipptal Broncos (20 pm)
HC Gherdëina – KHL Sisak (20.30 p.m.)

Thursday, December 5th:
Rittner Buam – EK Zell am See (20 pm)
Unterland Cavaliers – HC Meran

Saturday December 7th:
Wipptal Broncos – EC Bregenzerwald (18 p.m.)
HDD Jesenice – Rittner Buam
KHL Sisak – Unterland Cavaliers (18.30:XNUMX p.m.)
HC Meran – HK Celje (19.30 p.m.)
HC Gherdëina – Zell am See (EK 20.30 p.m.)