Release from 26.03.2024

Marcel Mahkovec is Young Star of the 2023/24 season

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Marcel Mahkovec of the HK SZ Olimpija has been voted Young Star of the 2023/24 season. The youngest nominated player won the voting by fans and TV experts from Austria, Italy and Slovenia just ahead of Finn van Ee of the EC-KAC. Senna Peeters of the HC TIWAG Innsbruck is in third place.

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Marcel Mahkovec, nominated after winning the monthly poll in March, played his first season with the HK SZ Olimpija and impressed right away. In 51 appearances, the 20-year-old scored 23 points (11G | 12A). In the Pre-Playoffs against Pustertal, he was directly involved in four of the “Dragons'” nine goals, even scoring three times. Before joining Olimpija, Mahkovec played for his home club Bled as well as for Krefeld (GER) and AIK (SWE). The forward also plays for the Slovenian national team.

Mahkovec won the 2023/24 Young Star voting with 15 points, just ahead of Finn van Ee (KAC - 14 points) and Senna Peeters (HCI - 13 points). This was the first time since 2011 that a player from Ljubljana was crowned Young Star. Back then, John Hughes received the honor.

Marcel Mahkovec: "I am very proud and honoured to have been selected as the best young player of the season. I have to admit that I was quite surprised when I heard the news because there were many quality players in the selection. I would also like to thank my coaches, my teammates, and the entire organization of HK SŽ Olimpija for their support throughout the season. Last but not least, a huge thank you also to all the fans who voted for me."

Final Result of the Young Star of the Season 2023/24:
1. Marcel Mahkovec (HK SZ Olimpija) 15 points
2. Finn Van Ee (EC-KAC) 14 points
3. Senna Peeters (HC TIWAG Innsbruck) 13 points
4. Lucas Thaler (EC Red Bull Salzburg) 11 points
5. Mathias Böhm (spusu Vienna Capitals) 7 points

Fan voting:
1. Finn Van Ee (KAC) 5 points
2. Mathias Böhm (VIC) 4 points
3. Marcel Mahkovec (HKO) 3 points
4. Lucas Thaler (RBS) 2 points
5. Senna Peeters (HCI) 1 point

Voting PULS 24 experts:
1. Senna Peeters (HCI) 5 points
2. Lucas Thaler (RBS) 4 points
3. Marcel Mahkovec (HKO) 3 points
4. Finn Van Ee (KAC) 2 points
5. Mathias Böhm (VIC) 1 point

Voting VB33 experts:
1. Senna Peeters (HCI) 5 points
2. Marcel Mahkovec (HKO) 4 points
3. Finn Van Ee (KAC) 3 points
4. Lucas Thaler (RBS) 2 points
5. Mathias Böhm (VIC) 1 point

Voting Sport TV & SLO TV experts:
1. Marcel Mahkovec (HKO) 5 points
2. Finn Van Ee (KAC) 4 points
3. Lucas Thaler (RBS) 3 points
4. Senna Peeters (HCI) 2 points
5. Mathias Böhm (VIC) 1 point

All Young Stars of the Season:
2023/24: Marcel Mahkovec (HK SZ Olimpija)
2022/23: Fabian Hochegger (EC-KAC)
2021/22: Benjamin Lanzinger (EC GRAND Immo VSV)
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)

Voting procedure
First, five monthly winners were determined. Four players per month were nominated to take part in the voting. Due to only a few match days in September 2023, the first two months have been combined into one election. The five monthly winners then competed for the title "Young Star of the 2023/24 season".

The election consisted of two components: in addition to the fan voting on the league website, the TV experts from Austria, Italy and Slovenia also voted. If two or more players received the same number of votes, they were ranked according to the result of the fan vote.