Eddie Pasquale will guard Pustertal's goal next season. © HC Pustertal / Iwan Foppa

The star goalie stays: Pustertal's first transfer hit

On Thursday, HC Pustertal announced its goaltending duo for the upcoming ICE Hockey League season – and immediately caused a sensation. The star goalie is staying in Bruneck.

17 April 2025

From: cst/det

Last November, Eddie Pasquale arrived in Bruneck as a replacement for the disappointing Olivier Roy – and brought with him an impressive resume. The 34-year-old goalie played in the NHL and KHL, and also competed with Canada's national team at the 2022 Olympic Games. It quickly became clear: Bruneck had achieved a real coup with this transfer, especially as Pasquale repeatedly demonstrated his great talent in the following weeks and months, guiding the Wolves to the quarterfinals.

The big question after the loss to Klagenfurt was: Can Pustertal retain a goalkeeper of this caliber? Also because Pasquale received numerous offers after his strong season. But now it's clear: The goalkeeper decided against those offers and chose to stay in the Rienz city.

Eddie Pasquale (right) was Pustertal's rock in the storm. © BWL / Draxler

"I had a really great time at HCP. I found a great arena with fantastic fans and a club that operates with great professionalism. For these reasons, I decided to return to Bruneck," said the crowd favorite in a club statement.

Andy Bernard leaves, Jakob Rabanser comes

Andreas Bernard, however, is no longer on the Wolves' roster. The Caldaro native was denied a new contract after two seasons with HCP. Bernard's future remains unclear. The Alps Hockey League has expressed interest in the former Italian national goalkeeper. However, no decision has been made yet.

Jakob Rabanser (left) will be Pustertal's backup next season. © Leo Holzknecht / studioKOSTNER | www.kostner.info

Jakob Rabanser from the Wipptal Broncos will replace Bernard at the Intercable Arena. The 24-year-old missed almost the entire past season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon during the summer preseason. Rabanser made his comeback for Brixen in the IHL just this spring. The Wipptal native isn't breaking new ground in Bruneck. He already made one appearance for the Wolves in the ICE in the 2021/22 season before becoming one of the league's best goaltenders in Sterzing in the AlpsHL.

"I've been following HCP for many years, and it's always been my goal to one day be part of the Wolves family. I'm really looking forward to the new challenge," Rabanser said in an initial statement.