Release from 07.01.2026

Bolzano bring Matteo Gennaro back to the ICE | New forward for Villach

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HCB Südtirol Alperia have brought Matteo Gennaro back to the win2day ICE Hockey League. The 28-year-old spent the past two seasons with Asiago, where he recorded 90 points in 89 appearances. In addition, EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV announced the signing of two-way forward Brett Budgell. The 24-year-old replaces Brett Ritchie, whose tryout contract was terminated early. Budgell joins Villach from the Bloomington Bison of the ECHL and will be playing in Europe for the first time.

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Gennaro, who has been part of the Italian national team setup since last year, will arrive in Italy on Wednesday evening and is set to return to the ice after an injury forced him to miss the first part of the season. The versatile forward, who can play both center and wing, has already proven to be an important asset in the win2day ICE Hockey League. During his two seasons with Asiago, he tallied 90 points in 89 games (41 goals, 49 assists) and finished last season as the “Stellati’s” top scorer.

“I’m extremely happy to return to Italy and especially to Bolzano,” Gennaro said. “Being part of a great team and a well-established group that is aiming for the championship is a huge motivation for me. I’m confident I can help the team a lot. The league is incredibly balanced this season and the standings are very tight, which makes everything even more exciting and pushes me to give 110 percent.”

Brett Budgell strenghtens Villach
Budgell has already impressed in the current season. In 25 ECHL games, he recorded seven goals and 14 assists for a total of 21 points, including three shorthanded goals. Overall, Budgell has played 198 ECHL games for Bloomington, Iowa, and the Newfoundland Growlers, collecting 144 points (52 goals, 92 assists). In addition, he made 30 appearances in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack and the Iowa Wild, registering five assists. Last season, he also suited up 11 times for Hartford, adding four assists.

VSV Sports Director Herbert Hohenberger on the new signing: “Brett is a classic two-way forward who will not only add depth to our offense, but also provide very important defensive contributions. These are exactly the kind of players we need in our current situation to gain more stability and create a more balanced lineup. We expect secondary scoring from him, but also a clear boost to the effectiveness of our penalty kill. His versatility will help us on both sides of the ice.”