Release from 16.02.2024

EC-KAC brings back Thimo Nickl

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The EC-KAC, current leader of the win2day ICE Hockey League, has confirmed the return of Thimo Nickl, the first NHL draft pick born in Klagenfurt and trained at the EC-KAC. The defenseman will return to his home club in the summer of 2024 at the latest.

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Thimo Nickl and the EC-KAC have agreed on a long-term cooperation that includes various exit clauses. In addition, the Austrian record champions have also activated the European transfer rights to the defenseman for the current season in order to secure their personnel for the playoffs.

The 22-year-old went through all age groups in the junior department of the "Rotjacken" and made his adult ice hockey debut with the EC-KAC's Alps Hockey Team in October 2016. He was a member of the Future Team until the summer of 2019, when he moved to the Drummondville Voltigeurs in Canada's top junior league. A year later, the Anaheim Ducks got his rights the NHL Entry Draft, which they later passed on to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Thimo Nickl initially played in Europe from 2020 due to the pandemic, with a year in the Rögle BK organization followed by two seasons in the HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden's second division. So far this season, the 22-year-old has represented the Wheeling Nailers in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), for whom he has played in all 46 games. He has recorded two goals, 14 assists and a strong plus/minus record of +22. Last year, Thimo Nickl played in all seven games for the Austrian senior national team at the World Championship in Finland and finished third in the time-on-ice ranking of all Austrian defender.