Luke Moncada is moving to the Puster Valley. © Matthaeus Kostner

Andergassen replacement: Puster Valley uses Val Gardena

HC Falkensteiner Pustertal announced their second new signing on Friday, following Colin Furlong. The name is no stranger in South Tyrol.

June 05, 2026

From: sn

As the wolves announced at midday, they have Luke Moncada Signed. The 26-year-old was part of HC Gherdëina last season and sensationally won the Alps Hockey League (AlpsHL) with the Ladin team. Moncada plays center and could therefore fill the gap left by Raphael Andergassen. The Black and Yellows also confirmed the continued presence of Tommy Purdeller.

Moncada hails from Markham, a suburb of Toronto, and began playing ice hockey in the Canadian metropolis. At just 16, he made his debut in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), considered the world's best junior league. Initially playing for the Guelph Storm, he transferred to the North Bay Battalion in 2017. He played for the club for three years, accumulating a total of 103 points.

A return to ICEHL

The 1,87-meter-tall and 95-kilogram Moncada completed his first professional season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Cleveland Monsters. In 2021, he made the move to Europe, initially joining the Vienna Capitals before moving to Asiago. After 106 games in the ICE Hockey League (ICEHL) and two appearances for the national team, he transferred to HCG last summer, where he became a key player with 59 points in 53 games. Now he returns to the top Austrian league.

Tommy Purdeller will remain with HCP. © I. Foppa / HC Pustertal

One piece of news that will particularly delight HCP fans is the confirmation of Tommy Purdeller's contract. The fan favorite and prolific scorer signed a two-year deal last summer, but included an opt-out clause, which he has now allowed to expire. This means the 22-year-old, who scored 37 goals in the ICEHL over the past two seasons, will continue to play for the Wolves.

"I can barely wait for it"

“I wanted to join HCP because I already saw during my time at Asiago how great the club is here in the Puster Valley with its fantastic arena and amazing fans. I’m looking forward to the atmosphere in the Intercable Arena and a very strong, high-quality team, where we will give our all to achieve our goals. I can’t wait,” explained Moncada.

HCP Sporting Director Patrick Bona is also looking forward to the new signing: “Luke is a very interesting player with development potential. He is known as a hard worker with a great attitude and is the right age to drive the targeted rejuvenation of our squad. He will be assigned a clear role.”