Release from 16.02.2021

KAC and Salzburg complete team roster

This press release has: 3 Documents

Short text 430 CharactersPlain text

On the last day of the transfer period, EC-KAC and EC Red Bull Salzburg has once again added to its squad. The Klagenfurt team announced the comeback of Alexander Cijan as well as the registration of David Fischer and six other players from the Alps Hockey League farm team for the remaining season in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League. The EC Red Bull Salzburg made a double move on the transfer market to strengthen the defense.

Press release 3466 CharactersPlain text

Alexander Cijan returned to EC-KAC from the spusu Vienna Capitals, whom he had left in 2010 to fine-tune his hockey education in Sweden's top U18 and U20 leagues (with Linköping and Mora). In 2014, he moved back to Austria, where he has since appeared in 349 league games with Salzburg, Linz and Vienna, recording 52 scoring points (25G|27A). At the same time, he advanced to become a national player, with 37 caps and two senior World Cup appearances with Team Austria (2015 and 2019) adorning his resume. In the current ICE campaign, he played 36 games for Vienna (1G|1A).

In addition to David Fischer, Christoph Tialler, Simon Hammerle, Fabian Hochegger, Rok Kapel, Valentin Ploner and Finn van Ee, also strengthen the first team of the KAC. The expansion of the lineup to 39 players is a precautionary measure to be as flexible as possible in terms of personnel in playoffs at pandemic times.

Salzburg signs two defenders from DEL
EC Red Bull Salzburg has strengthened its team shortly before the end of the transfer deadline in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League. With Stefan Espeland (NOR) and Alexander Urbom (SWE) - both last played in the PENNY DEL - two experienced defensemen from Scandinavia are joining the Red Bulls.

Alexander Urbom is a 30-year-old Swede who grew up in the youth of Djurgårdens IF and at the age of 19 already played a first half season with the Stockholmers in Sweden's top league, the Elitserien at that time. In 2009, the defenseman went to America and, after a year in the WHL, played four seasons alternating between the NHL and AHL. Urbom totaled 34 NHL games with the New Jersey Devils and Washington Capitols, respectively, as well as 228 AHL games.

After a year in the KHL with Severstal Cherepovets, he returned to the SHL in 2015 with Skellefteå AIK and his parent club Djurgårdens IF, where he made the playoffs in all four seasons and played in the Champions Hockey League. Urbom completed his last season in the DEL with the Düsseldorfer EG in 2019/20.

Alexander Urbom: "I love challenges like this. I'm joining the Red Bulls because I know they have title ambitions."

Stefan Espeland is a 31-year-old Norwegian who played for many years in the top Scandinavian leagues of Sweden, Finland and Norway and in the 2017/18 season, among other things, the EC-KAC for 12 games also already in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League 'active.

At the age of 16, the native of Oslo went to Linköping (SWE) and later moved to MODO Hockey, where he got his first assignments in the elite series. From 2009 Espeland played with a short break back in his home country in Norway's top league Get Ligaen with Vålerenga and moved to Lørenskog in 2015. In 2017 he went via Ilves (FIN) and Klagenfurt back to Vålerenga and the last two seasons Espeland spent in the DEL with Fischtown Penguins and Eisbären Berlin respectively. In addition to some CHL encounters, the defenseman also participated in the 2018 Olympics with Norway.

Stefan Espeland: "I'm really looking forward to the Red Bulls. In Berlin, I could not really develop. The opportunity to play for the championship with the Red Bulls immediately excited me. I've only heard good things about the Red Bulls organization and I can't wait."

Both defensemen will arrive in Salzburg today. Defenders Daniel Jakubitzka and Layne Viveiros, as well as forward Julian Lutz, have been signed off the current Salzburg squad.