Michael Dal Colle has been in contact with HC Bozen for weeks. © iserlohn-roosters.de

Final transfer casting: HC Bozen is looking for the superstar

In the ongoing arms race of the ICE Hockey League, HC Pustertal and HC Bozen are setting the tone this summer. Now the Foxes are making their final big transfer move. But there's also something happening in Bruneck.

July 23, 2025

From: fop

The current HCB Südtirol Alperia roster boasts a wealth of experience from a whopping 288 NHL games, 235 KHL games, and 700 DEL appearances – spread across 22 players. However, one player is still missing: a first-line striker. This player should significantly increase the experience in the Bolzano ranks.

One thing is certain: The new signing has the potential to become an absolute star, joining the ranks of already well-known signings such as Mark Barberio, Philip Samuelsson, and others. Whether center or winger is not a deciding factor in the selection, as the HCB already has several players in its ranks who can be deployed flexibly on offense.

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At the top of the wish list is still Michael Dal Colle
( SportNews first reported a month agoThe Canadian winger would be an absolute transfer bomb. He played in the NHL until three and a half years ago, where he played no fewer than 116 games. In the past two seasons, Dal Colle has been the Iserlohn Roosters' top scorer in the DEL (45 and 38 points, respectively).

However, it is known that the patience of Bozen's squad planner Dieter Knoll is not unlimited when it comes to transfer matters. And so the HCB boss and his entourage are exploring the market for alternatives. According to the latest rumors, the focus could be on Peter Abbandonato The Canadian center forward made his first move to Europe a year ago, coming from the AHL and collecting 61 appearances and 51 points with the Finnish first division team Jokerit. Nevertheless, his contract was allowed to expire on June 30th.

Italy striker Matteo Gennaro has been linked with Olimpija Ljubljana. © FISG

Whether it's Dal Colle, Abbandonato, or someone else, one thing is certain: a final decision won't be made before the end of the week. HCB fans should be able to handle it. Even without the latest big transfer, the recently launched season ticket sales are currently approaching record highs.

Ticar in Bruneck highly valued

One thing is clear: Bolzano fans will not see Mark Arcobello and Matteo Gennaro, who have recently been linked with HCB. Longtime Lugano striker Arcobello has ended his career, while former Asiago star Gennaro is headed to Slovenia, where the capital club Ljubljana is continuing to build up its team.

Speaking of Slovenia: Bolzano’s archrival, HC Pustertal, is currently fishing for Rok Ticar, one of the small Alpine country's best ice hockey exports. The 36-year-old center most recently played for the Graz 99ers, having previously played in Vienna, Klagenfurt, Sweden, Germany, and the Russian KHL. Ticar would be the 16th striker in Brunico's highly-rated team.