The Wolves are getting reinforcements from Nuremberg for the center position. © icetigers.de

Here he is! Pustertal has its dream player

It runs like a thread through all of HC Pustertal's transfer activities: the objects of desire are experienced, are considered to have strong characters and play in Germany or have a past in Bolzano. The latest HCP coup even embodies the last two characteristics in personal union.

24 May 2023

From: fop

Arvin Atwal, Ryan Stanton and Zach Sill have found their way from Germany via the Brenner Pass to the Puster Valley, and two ex-HCB players, Alex Petan and Andreas Bernard, have also been signed. Curious: Rick Schofield also recently played in the DEL and also has an extremely successful past in Bolzano. Now he too has landed in Brunico.

SportNews already had last week reported about the impending transfer, this Thursday evening HC Pustertal finally officially confirmed the deal. This gives the Wolves an absolute dream player.

Schofield has long been on the shopping list of sporting director Patrick Bona, who clearly follows the credo in this transfer period: “The HCP needs experience, leadership and a winning mentality”. Schofield combines all of these attributes. At 36 years old and having worked in five different countries, he brings a wealth of experience with him. He has always played playoff ice hockey for the past twelve seasons, secured the championship title with HC Bozen in the EBEL's premiere year in 2014 and in 2018 he joined the ranks of Red Bull Salzburg as the player with the best plus-minus statistics in the league (+38 ) to be awarded.

In 2014, Rick Schofield took off with HC Bozen. © APA / GERT EGGENBERGER

Schofield is moving from the Nürnberg Ice Tigers, for whom he played 39 games and 26 points, to HC Pustertal. Before his involvement in the DEL, he was active in the ICE Hockey League for nine years for Bozen, Linz, Salzburg and Villach (477 appearances, 188 goals, 208 assists). The Foxes brought the team-serving center from the AHL to the Old Continent for the first time in 2008. Now he has come full circle with his return to South Tyrol.