Jonathon Blum (right) in the US national team jersey: He will play in the Pustertal Valley in the future. © AFP/POOL / BRUCE BENNETT

Transfer hit: A real star for HC Pustertal

This news makes the hearts of ice hockey fans in the Pustertal valley beat faster: The Wolves dropped a transfer bomb on Friday and landed a true star.

June 20, 2025

From: det

He's played more than 100 games in the NHL, he was captain of the KHL—the second-best league in the world—and he led Red Bull Munich to the DEL championship title. And he's someone about whom Pustertal's sporting director Patrick Bona says: "It fills me with a certain pride that we've managed to attract a player of such caliber to HCP." Yes, as you might guess, HC Pustertal pulled off a real transfer coup with the signing of Jonathon Blum.

The 36-year-old defender from California is exactly the kind of leader, the kind of difference-maker, the kind of veteran the HCP needs on defense. And the father of three also has the talent and the aura to become a fan favorite for the Wolves. Blum has seen just about everything in his career.

Jonathon Blum (right) in a Nashville Predators jersey. © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / FREDERICK BREEDON

Back in 2007, Jon Blum was drafted in the first round, 23rd overall, by the Nashville Predators. He subsequently played in both the AHL (352 games) and the NHL (122 games for the Minnesota Wild and Nashville Predators). Blum's hockey journey continued overseas, where he spent four years in the Russian KHL between 2015 and 2019. He played so well that he was selected for the All-Star Game in the 2015/16 season and later represented the USA at the 2018 Olympic Games.

Champion, assist king, fan favorite

Via Sweden (two years with Färjestad), the defender eventually made his way to the DEL, where Blum spent the past four seasons under contract with Red Bull Munich, scoring an incredible 267 points in 190 games. He was the league's assist leader in two of the four seasons, and in 2023, he crowned the league with the championship title—and Blum was a fan favorite in Munich anyway.

“My goal is to win the title.” Jonathon Blum

HC Pustertal has landed a big fish. "I chose HC Pustertal because the club has a great ice hockey tradition and a very passionate fan base, and they have gone above and beyond to support me and my family. I'm looking forward to playing in a sold-out Intercable Arena – especially for the derbies against Bolzano," Jonathon Blum said, adding, "As a player, my goal every year is to win the title."