The big HCB testimony: Save yourself if you can!

In the first part of our player evaluation we focus on coaches, goalkeepers and defenders. One thing first: positive grades are rare. Trainer Greg Ireland: 4,5 Greg Ireland definitely failed in Bolzano! In the 2019/20 season he led the HCB to the top of the table as a savior, but last season - despite reaching the final - he was no longer undisputed within the team. That's why his return action came as a surprise. With him, discipline and tactical order were to come, and there was no trace of either until the dismal 0-7 defeat against Klagenfurt.

Doug Mason: 5 The experienced Canadian with an ICE past was welcomed with open arms by the players in the summer. With his sociable, friendly manner, he brought new harmony into the dressing room as Ireland's successor. However, this didn't last long. Internal team friction and initial failures quickly turned the situation around. Mason did not find the right solutions either in his speeches or with his specialist knowledge of the gang. The expulsion at the end of November was only logical.

Not rated: Fabio Armani/Alexander Egger (interim coach) goalkeeper Kevin Boyle: 5 The Canadian came to Bolzano with good references, but was unable to live up to his reputation. Bolzano was an emergency solution for him in the late summer when the transfer market was empty, so he never really felt comfortable in South Tyrol. This was reflected in his performances. Only over time did he become more consistent.

Justin Fazio: 6,5 As a backup he is a luxury, but as a goalkeeper he is too weak for a supposed title candidate. The young Italo already had this status before the season and he maintains this status. However, it should be noted that he mostly delivered a good performance in his 20 appearances. He would have deserved confirmation - provided he doesn't have any claims to a regular place himself.

Not rated: Andrew Bernard Verteidiger James DeHaas: 4,5 Of the defensive newcomers, he was the one who had the lowest expectations. But even this he was rarely able to fulfill. What he delivered was not fish, not meat. He did not take part in the offensive game; his positional play and ability to react were always poor in front of his own goal.

James DeHaas wasn't really convincing. © Vanna Antonello

Keegan Lowe: 4,5 The Canadian with NHL and AHL experience tried to act as a leader on the ice and repeatedly went where it really hurt, but fluctuating performance, inattention and major mistakes overshadowed everything. At -13, he has the worst plus-minus statistic on the entire team. A big disappointment.

Matthew Maione: 5 In the meantime, he made it clear why he spent years chasing pucks in the best leagues in Europe. But nothing more. Defensively, however, he revealed some glaring deficiencies even in the ICE. In addition, he seemed like a foreign body in the dressing room and didn't fit into the team structure. His farewell is sealed.

Nick Plastino: 5 The once nimble, agile offensive defender, who was equipped with a gifted stick technique, is getting on in years. After several seasons in the best leagues in Europe, he seems a shadow of himself. His proneness to errors and inattentiveness overshadowed his 23 points scorer. The 36-year-old is no longer a top performer. He is nearing the end of his career.

Nick Plastino is expected to end his career. © Vanna Antonello

Alex Trivellato: 6 For a man who played continuously in the DEL for 7 years, the defender from St. Jakob didn't show enough throughout the entire season. Nevertheless, he was still clearly the best and most reliable defender on the team. Can you lure him with the “C” on his chest? If Trivellato stayed, regardless of possible captaincy honors, it would be a milestone in squad planning.

Dylan Di Perna: 6 The tall Italo came from the Canadian University League in 2020 and steadily improved in Bolzano - until Greg Ireland initially sorted him out and later banned him from the Ritten. Di Perna will never be a main player in the ICE, but he has shown that he can hold his own in the league.

Ivan Tauferer: 6 The Rittner only played 17 times, but despite his long absence he quickly caught up. As a homegrown defender with ICE caliber, he would be of great importance in the future. The subjunctive is appropriate here because the continuation of his career depends heavily on his hand injury, which has left him spending more time in rehab than on the ice over the past two years.

The following were not assessed: Gabriele Parini, Markus Kankaanperä

Part 2 of the big HCB report card follows on Friday, in which we take a closer look at the offensive department.

ICE Regular Season ICE	SP	TV	P
1. Klagenfurt	47	183:101	102
2. Fehervar	46	146:126	89
3. Salzburg	46	142:107	87
4. HCB South Tyrol	46	137:125	76
5. Linz	46	146:116	75
6. Villach	46	155:136	74
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The big HCB testimony: Save yourself if you can!

For the first time since joining the league in 2013, the ICE playoffs will take place without HCB Südtirol Alperia, even though the Foxes started the season with title ambitions. For us, this means prematurely: off to pen and paper! The big final certificate is waiting.

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