Release from 10.04.2021

Lukas Piff named Eisner Auto Young Star of the season 20-21

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Lukas Piff of the spusu Vienna Capitals has been named Eisner Auto Young Star of the season 20-21 in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League. The 20-year-old defender won the voting, which was made by fans, national team coaches and TV experts, ahead of teammate Sebastian Wraneschitz. Paul Huber of the EC Red Bull Salzburg reached third place for the second consecutive time.

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The 20-year-old defender, one of 18 Vienna respectively 13 homegrown players on the ICE semifinalist's roster, joined the spusu Vienna Capitals organization as a child, progressing through all of the Silver Capitals junior teams and graduating from the Vienna Capitals Hockey Academy. Piff reached the lineup of the two-time champions during last season’s pick round after signing his first young professional contract in Austrias capital in the summer of 2019. The former U18 and U20 national team player was given a permanent place in the roster during the current campaign, making 50 appearances. The defender with strong skating and technical skills dished eleven assists.

"I was already very happy about the award for 'Young Star of the Month February'. Now to be chosen 'Young Star of the Season' is of course amazing. My thanks go to the fans, coaches and experts who voted for me. But all this would not have been possible without the support of all my coaches, who have supported me since my childhood in the Vienna Capitals' junior team on my way to becoming a pro. Last but not least, thanks to my team. The disappointment about the narrow elimination in the semifinals against Bolzano is still there, of course. Nevertheless, we can be really proud of what we have achieved this season as a young team," said Piff.

Lukas Piff thus succeeds Daniel Obersteiner, who won this individual award in 19-20 in the EC-KAC Jersey. Piff is the fifth Young Star of the Season from the spusu Vienna Capitals in the voting conducted since the 06-07 season. With Mario Seidl, Patrick Peter, David Kickert and Benjamin Nissner, the two-time champions now provide the most season Young Stars.

Final ranking Eisner Auto Young Star of the season 20-21:
1. Lukas Piff (spusu Vienna Capitals) 11 points
2. Sebastian Wraneschitz (spusu Vienna Capitals) 10 points
3. Paul Huber (EC Red Bull Salzburg) 9 points*
4. Patrick Antal (spusu Vienna Capitals) 9 points
5. Ákos Mihály (Hydro Fehérvár AV19) 8 points

*) Paul Huber received the second most votes in the fan voting and ended up in third place, despite a points tie with Patrick Antal.

Young Stars of the season:
2020/21: Lukas Piff (spusu Vienna Capitals)
2019/20: Daniel Obersteiner (EC-KAC)
2018/19: Benjamin Nissner (spusu Vienna Capitals)
2017/18: Erik Kirchschläger (EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz)
2016/17: David Kickert (Vienna Capitals)
2015/16: Libor Sulak (HC Orli Znojmo)
2014/15: Radek Cip (HC Orli Znojmo)
2013/14: Daniel Pastl (EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz)
2012/13: Patrick Peter (UPC Vienna Capitals)
2011/12: Mario Seidl (UPC Vienna Capitals)
2010/11: John Hughes (HDD TILIA Olimpija Ljubljana)
2009/10: Markus Pirmann (EC-KAC)
2008/09: Thomas Hundertpfund (EC-KAC)
2007/08: Johannes Kirisits (EC-KAC)
2006/07: Philipp Pinter (EC Red Bull Salzburg)

Procedure of the election
First, five monthly winners will be determined. For this purpose, four players per month are nominated to take part in the voting. Due to only two gamedays in September 2020, the first two months have been combined into one election. The six-monthly winners will then compete in March 2021 for the title of "Eisner Auto Young Star of the 2020/21 season".

The election consists of three components: in addition to the fan voting on the league homepage, the Puls24 and Sky experts, as well as the national team coaches of the countries participating in the ICE will also cast their votes. If two or more players receive the same number of votes, they will be ranked according to the result of the fan vote.