Release from 16.09.2026

Online press conference kicks off new Alps Hockey League season

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The eleventh season of the Alps Hockey League was officially launched with an online press conference on Wednesday. Numerous representatives from the league and its clubs looked ahead to the upcoming campaign and one of its major highlights: the win2day Mountain Classic presented by VKB. The open-air spectacle on January 30 will feature a derby between Kitzbühel and Zell am See. The full online press conference is available to watch on demand.

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The new Alps Hockey League season gets underway with six games on Saturday. Among the opening-day matchups is a rematch of last season’s final between runners-up HC Meran/o Pircher and champions HC Gherdeina valgardena.it. Gherdeina captain Simon Pitschieler reflected on last season’s successful campaign during the press conference and expressed confidence ahead of the new season. Returning side EC-KAC Future Team is the only team not in action on Saturday and will begin its season next Tuesday with an away game in Asiago.

First outdoor game on January 30 as part of the Mountain Classic
Among the live interview guests was Nicolas Stockhammer, Chairman of the Board of Governors. He reflected on an extremely exciting previous season and expects another competitive and entertaining campaign in the league’s eleventh season, with numerous teams capable of challenging for the title.

There is also plenty of excitement surrounding the win2day Mountain Classic presented by VKB. On Saturday, January 30, the first outdoor game in Alps Hockey League history will take place in Bischofshofen, with Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel facing EK Die Zeller Eisbären in a derby. A temporary stadium with a capacity of around 8,000 fans will be built in the outrun of the ski jumping hill in Bischofshofen. Jakob Engelhart (KEC) and Max Wilfan (EKZ) both expressed their excitement ahead of the special matchup. In addition to the Alps Hockey League game, the two-day event will also feature two ICE Hockey League games and one Austrian Women’s Hockey League matchup.

Important rule change for the upcoming season
Alps Hockey League Commissioner Michael Suttnig also explained an important rule change for the new season during the press conference: the so-called “No-Return” rule in overtime. During 3-on-3 overtime in the Regular Season, once a team has carried the puck into the offensive zone, it will no longer be allowed to deliberately take the puck back out of the zone. A violation will result in a stoppage of play and loss of possession. The aim of the new rule is to encourage more shots and quicker decisions in overtime.

All games once again available live on Valcome.tv
All Alps Hockey League games will once again be streamed live on Valcome.tv during the 2026/27 season. Fans will have two options to follow the action on the streaming platform: purchasing a single-game ticket or subscribing to the “Follow Your Team” package.

The “Follow Your Team” package provides access to all home and away games of the selected team during the Regular Season, including the Master or Qualification Round. The package costs €99, while single-game tickets are available for €7.50 per game.

Further details are available directly on the Valcome.tv streaming platform.

Watch the full press conference on demand here:

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