What remains of the Bolzano championship squad?

At HC Bozen, the players join each other every summer. The fluctuation in the squad has been enormous for years. And yet HCB boss Dieter Knoll, with the help of his son Georg and several trusted advisors, has always managed to pull one or two aces out of his sleeve right before the start of the season and send a powerful team into the race. That's how it should be this year too. However, the HC Bozen squad planners have a lot of work ahead of them in the coming months if they want to be prepared for the Champions League opener on August 30th. The first question that comes to mind is:

What does the trainer do? Coach Kai Suikkanen has received an offer from Knoll that is ready to be signed. The Finn has emphasized several times that he wants to stay in Bolzano, but has now asked for time to think about it. He wants to make a final decision later this week.

Several factors come into play for him: On the one hand, after his sporting success with the HCB, all doors are open to him not only in Vienna and Klagenfurt, but also at various clubs in his home country. On the other hand, Suikkanen wants to find out what authority he will have in Bolzano in the future when it comes to squad planning and sporting decisions. In any case, Suikkanen and Knoll have already drawn up two lists with names of players who should be kept in South Tyrol or brought on board. Kai Suikkanen: Will he stay or won't he stay? © APA / EXPA/JFK

Who stays? The majority of Italian players will remain loyal to the club. Anton Bernard, who will probably act as captain in the future, Daniel Frank, Daniel Glira and Stefano Marchetti are an integral part of the squad. Discussions will also be held with Luca Frigo, Viktor Schweitzer and Michele Marchetti in the coming days.

The club management has also decided to retain Mat Clark, Robin Gartner, Chris DeSousa, Alex Petan, Matias Sointu, Travis Oleksuk and Angelo Miceli, although one or two of them will be difficult to keep.

If Dieter Knoll has his way, Robin Gartner should continue to cheer for the HCB. © APA / EXPA/JFK

Who is going? It couldn't be stopped either Mike Halmo , who has already left the club as before Austin Smith and Matt Climie . They could be followed by Mike Angelidis, who is currently considering a possible retirement. All signs point to farewell for goalkeeper Pekka Tuokkola too. He wants to reduce the distance to his family in Finland. Several second division teams in his homeland and interested clubs from neighboring Sweden apparently offer him the opportunity to do so. Matt Tomassoni is looking for alternatives.

Markus Gander may also have to do this in the future. The 28-year-old national player, who was injured for a long time last season, is considered the first candidate for elimination from the HC Bozen squad, whose existing composition no longer corresponds to the EBEL points regulation. Luca Franza no longer has a future with the Foxes. However, the future of Chris Carlisle and Domenic Monardo is completely open. Who comes? “Nobody has to worry, because one thing is certain: we will fill every gap that arises,” said sports director Knoll at the championship celebration. He won't just leave it at that mere intention, but will take action in the next few weeks - and probably in Ritten. Tommaso Traversa and Alex Frei are at the top of the wish list, the only thing missing is an agreement with the players and their transfer rights holders (Real Torino and Kaltern respectively). In addition to them, the two young Broncos strikers Matthias Mantinger and Ivan Deluca could end up in the HCB net this summer.

Marco Insam is also expected to return. The currently out-of-contract Finnish legionnaire is urgently needed both on the ice as a strong winger and as a leader within the team. The national player still wants to wait for offers from Scandinavia, but does not completely rule out a comeback in Bolzano. Parallels can be drawn here with MacGregor Sharp, who is looking for a new employer after his involvement with the Swiss second division club Olten. He made an excellent impression in his three years in Bolzano (2011-2014), which is probably why the Foxes have repeatedly called on him in the past. The object of all desires: Marco Insam. © APA/epa / EXPA/REINHARD EISENBAUER

Whether Sharp, Insam, a Rittner, a Sterzinger Crack or anyone else – Knoll and his followers will also manage to have a powerful team together this summer just in time for the start of the season. However, he shouldn't afford a long start-up time and weeks of radio silence, as the interest and expectations of ice hockey South Tyrol are now too great. This is also a downside to success.

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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What remains of the Bolzano championship squad?

HCB Südtirol Alperia has achieved a major coup with the championship title in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga. But success also has its downside: other clubs will use the HCB and let the squad crumble. A change is imminent – once again in Bolzano.

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Football

Italy

International leagues

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Winter sports

Tennis

Other sports

Motorsport

Cycling

Watersports

Events

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What remains of the Bolzano championship squad?

HCB Südtirol Alperia has achieved a major coup with the championship title in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga. But success also has its downside: other clubs will use the HCB and let the squad crumble. A change is imminent – ​​once again in Bolzano.

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Comments (1)

HCB Südtirol Alperia has achieved a major coup with the championship title in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga. But success also has its downside: other clubs will use the HCB and let the squad crumble. A change is imminent – once again in Bolzano.