Release from 06.06.2026

Milano Hockey Club holds first Press Conference – Nick Saracino unveiled as first signing

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After being officially welcomed on Monday as the 14th member of the win2day ICE Hockey League, Milano Hockey Club reached another milestone on Friday. The newly founded club from Italy’s fashion capital introduced itself to the public for the first time at a press conference and simultaneously unveiled its first player signing, Nick Saracino.

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Held at the NH Hotel Milano Fiera conference center, just a few steps away from the Milan Ice Fiera Arena currently under construction, the event provided an insight into the club’s long-term vision. With its entry into the ICE Hockey League, Milan returns to the highest level of European club hockey. The organization is building on a rich tradition: over the course of more than a century, Milan-based teams have won 32 Italian championships and played a key role in the development of hockey in Italy.

Club President Christof Leitner opened the presentation by outlining the strategic direction of the project.
"We are building an ambitious club that aims to be competitive in the ICE Hockey League from day one. However, our project extends far beyond the professional team. Youth and women's hockey are essential pillars of a sustainable club structure. This is the true Olympic legacy. Construction of the new arena is progressing according to schedule and is expected to be completed by the end of September."

Marco Margiotta, CEO of House of Doge and the project's principal investor, then explained the motivation behind his involvement and the club’s long-term objectives.
"Milan is one of the most important cities in the world. It was hard for me to believe that it did not have a professional hockey team. We are taking over the legacy of a proud tradition associated with the red and blue colors and combining it with our entrepreneurial vision. We are here to stay for the long term."

Another major topic was player development. Paolo Florean presented the future youth structure, which will operate under the name Milano HC Prospects and include all age categories.
"We will play in the same colors as the first team in order to create a shared club identity from the youngest age groups onward. We are grateful that this project is creating new opportunities for the growth of hockey in Milan."

The sporting update was delivered by interim General Manager Chris McSorley, who officially confirmed the first player signing in club history by introducing Italian-American forward Nick Saracino.

The 34-year-old most recently represented Italy at the IIHF World Championship in Switzerland. Over the past four ICE Hockey League seasons, he recorded 115 points in 163 appearances while playing for Asiago, HCB Südtirol Alperia, and most recently HC Falkensteiner Pustertal.

"He brings experience, leadership, and offensive production," McSorley said. "Additional signings will be announced shortly. We have been working intensively behind the scenes over the past few months, and our roster is essentially complete. We are also close to announcing both our new Sporting Director and our new Head Coach."