Little light & lots of shadow: The HCB strikers

In the second part of our player evaluation, we look at the strikers who were almost entirely disappointing last season. Although individual actors escaped a negative grade, the majority scored unsatisfactorily in our report.

Domenic Alberga: 6 In his third year with the Füchse, the Italian-Canadian demonstrated his importance in the fourth line not only through his tireless commitment and physical play, but also through unexpected scoring qualities: 11 goals (like Dustin Gazley) are for the beefy one Center is above average – and the reason for its positive rating.

Anton Bernard: 5,5 Although the resigned captain held his own with 17 scorer points, a plus-minus statistic of -11 does not give the 32-year-old a good rating. Especially since Bernard, who has been so present defensively, has always been reliable in recent seasons. Despite his recent fluctuating performances, his resignation at the HCB opens a big hole in terms of sport.

Daniel Catenacci was never able to live up to expectations. © BWL/Reinhard Eisenbauer

Daniel Catenacci: 4,5 A mystery: How can a player who is so technically gifted and has already played in the NHL get lost so badly in the ICE? His 45 appearances (only 7 goals) can be summed up as listless, indifferent and almost arrogant. The fact that he has the best face-off rate in the entire league cannot hide his consistently weak performances.

Daniel Ciampini: 4 It can always be worse: Ciampini, who came on board late as a savior, turned out to be the biggest mistake by Knoll in recent memory. Although the Canadian scored three goals in the first three games, disaster then began. Invisible and without any willingness to fight, he was finally demoted to the fourth line. A big mistake.

Brett Findlay: 5,5 Despite all the criticism, the exceptional talent from Canada is Bolzano's best scorer in the final tally. Does this mean he earns at least 6? No. Because Findlay can do more – and should have shown more. In the final phase of the season, of all times, the center disappeared completely. He is (most likely) saying goodbye to the HCB with an 11-game goal drought.

Brett Findlay rarely showed his class. © Vanna Antonello

Daniel Frank: 5 While Frank rose to new heights last year with 10 goals, he came back down to earth last season. Although the audience favorite from Merano played almost exclusively with the top cracks, he was never able to match last year's performance. Just two goals and a plus-minus balance of -13 speak volumes.

Luca Frigo: 6 Frigo moves its circles more inconspicuously than any other HCB player. The soon-to-be 29-year-old from Moncalieri leaves the spectacular to others; he concentrates on the substance. Eight goals and ten assists reflect a solid season, especially since Frigo is also important in defense. The reputation that the Italian enjoys among Foxes fans is disproportionate to his actual value.

Dustin Gazley: 5 Age is taking its toll on the now 33-year-old American. At times he showed flashes of his undisputed class, but in the end Gazley missed out on a lot - also because the last spark is now missing. Like Findlay, he also completely disappeared from the scene in the most important games. Despite 32 points, he did not gather strong arguments for a contract extension.

Dustin Gazley was disappointing for long stretches. © Vanna Antonello

Diego Luck: 6 As a newcomer, it is complicated to find yourself in a dysfunctional team structure. The 22-year-old's first season in the white and red colors should therefore be viewed with caution. What speaks for him: He was used regularly (with some reservations) by both Doug Mason and Greg Ireland. One drawback: the Val Gardena native still lacked the last bit of courage in the offensive game.

Mike Halmo: 7 Bolzano's best: While he was controversial in recent seasons due to his antics, there are now no two opinions about Mike Halmo. He kept the HCB alive for a long time, and not just through his class on the ice. The Canadian is also a leader in the dressing room. Someone who can pull the rest of the team along and spread a good atmosphere. Halmo has to stay.

Marco Insam: 5,5 When he is fit, Insam is still one of the most reliable HCB players. The emphasis is on if, the 32-year-old missed 14 games due to injury. In the 30 games he played, the man from Val Gardena rarely used his dangerous shot. Nevertheless, his commitment to the Foxes is also certain next year.

Angelo Miceli: 6 With 14 goals, the “Calabria Sniper” ranked third on the internal top scorers list. Miceli is and remains a guarantee; his position within the HCB is undisputed. That's why sports director Dieter Knoll won't hesitate for a second and give the national player a new contract - in the hope that he will put the many ups and downs aside in the future.

Joseph Mizzi: 4,5 The ice hockey experts in Italy knew that the 23-year-old is considered a sloppy genius, is not easy to deal with and only partially utilizes his existing talent. Probably also the HCB management team, which now has to admit: The Mizzi project has failed. At the beginning he was a regular player, but in the last few games he was almost exclusively on the bench. Weak.

Simon Pitschieler: 6 The running miracle from Val Gardena has everything it takes to become an important building block in the HCB construct in the future. However, recurring injuries are slowing down the 24-year-old's development. Pitschieler only played 22 games this season and was denied a goal. We can only hope that he will be spared further setbacks in the future.

Not rated: Matteo Luisetti, Hannes Kasslatter, Leonardo Felicetti, Daniel Gellon

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
View all

Football

Italy

International leagues

International

Winter sports

Tennis

Other sports

Motorsport

Cycling

Watersports

Events

Favorites

Little light & lots of shadow: The HCB strikers

While the playoffs in the ICE Hockey League are in full swing, the cracks from HCB Südtirol Alperia have already gone on vacation. So it's high time to reflect on the past season and present the great Foxes report card.

Suggestions

Comments (0)