Squads of Broncos, Kitzbühel and Bregenzerwald are taking shape

The WSV Sterzing Broncos Weihenstephan are excited to announce the signing of the canadian forward Ben Duffy. The 25 year old center, 178 cm of height and 81 kg of weight, has very good skills and possesses a very good instinct of the game on offense. The forward hailing from Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, spent his entire junior career with the Prince Edward Island Rockets in the Québec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), where he scored 18 goals, 23 assists and 41 points in his rookie season, while being selected for the Rookie All Star Team. His second season wasn’t as good, but then “Mr. P.E.I. Rocket” came back with a vengeance and over the three following seasons he was constantly among the top 15 scorers in the renowned Canadian junior league. Thanks to 39 goals, 71 assists and 110 points in 68 games, as a 20 year old he took the Jean Béliveau Trophy as the league’s topscorer. In his last three seasons he amassed 273 points (110 G, 163 A) in 204 games. In the following summer of 2013 he was invited to the Montréal Canadiens’ development camp as an undrafted prospects and secured himself a contract with their AHL farm team in Hamilton. With the Bulldogs he played 13 games in the AHL (one assist) before he was demoted to the ECHL at the end of november. After a brief stint there, he was recalled again for two games before being sent back to Wheeling. Although with 4 goals and 2 assists in 6 games he posted good numbers in the ECHL, he decided to enrol at the University of New Brunswick and get a degree. However, the roster regulations didn’t allow him to play that season in the canadian university league CIS, and therefore he signed with the Eastlink Cee Bee Stars in the semi-professional New Foundland Senior Hockey League (5 goals and 7 assists in 6 games). After that, he spent the last three seasons with the St. Mary’s University in the CIS, where he collected 36 goals, 38 assists and 74 points in 70 games. The comparison with the former Broncos Taylor Stefishen, Johnny Lazo and Colin Behenna who also played in the CIS is a very favourable one: although Behenna boasts the highest point average, Duffy has scored the most goals per game. He scored an average of 0,514 goals per match, while Lazo, Behenna and Stefishen scored “only” 0,404, 0,487 and 0,304 times on average. At the end of the season, Ben Duffy tried his luck again in the ECHL with the Wichita Thunder, where he played no less than 7 games (0+1) in 12 days. However, due to the influx of Ottawa Senators prospects, he was released from his contract after this short period. Now Ben wants to open a new chapter in his career with the Broncos: “I had the opportunity to experience some time in the AHL and ECHL but I have been told throughout my career from coaches and my agents that my game is suited for the European style so I am very excited to start my career over seas. I hope to be an offensive leader for the Broncos and help the team get into the playoffs where anything can happen from there. I'm excited to play in front of the fans in Vipiteno and to be a role model for the younger Bronco teams throughout the city!”

 

The WSV Sterzing Broncos Weihenstephan renewed the contracts with the young offensive talents Ivan Deluca and Matthias Mantinger. After his impressive debut at the tender age of 16 years in the 2013/14 season, Ivan Deluca has not quite been able to continue where he left off after his rookie season, also due to a series of nagging injuries which compromised his play for extended stretches. Under the impression of his more than succesful debut “with the big boys”, not only the fans wearing white and blue nurtured expectations which perhaps were all too lofty, while forgetting that the 1997 born forward was still very young despite his impressive frame of 193 cm by 93 kg. In the past Alps Hockey League Season though, he broke through and his five goals and 17 points collected in 36 games, coupled with a very active play, the 19 year old from Vipiteno was able to showcase his undoubtedly impressive talent. With the U20 national team he was the only player to score two goals and was named the best player of Team Italy after the match against Slovenia. During this past season he was able to play himself into the wider group of the italian senior national team, and played in two friendly matches with the Azzurri. The 1996 born Matthias Mantinger who originally hails from Caldaro, has been playing in the Broncos’ system since 2011, and also the alumnus of the Vipiteno Sports Gymnasium had a break-through season with an impressive first AHL campaign. His 7 goals and 10 points in 29 AHL matches are only one aspect of the speedy winger’s flexible game, who also has good size at 182 cm of height and 84 kg of weight. The fact that he really took his game to the next level this past season, didn’t go unnoticed with the technical staff of the italian senior national team. “Manti” was one of the hottest candidates for the last spot on the team and was left off the final roster only at the very last round of cuts.

 

The domestic Henrik Hochfilzer heads wth Kitzbühel in his second season of the Alps Hockey League. The 26-years old already made the jump into the first team quite early and is since 2009 an important part of the team. In the past three years he scored 56 points in 87 games. With his physical game and his technique he can put a lot of pressure on the opponents defense.

Henrik Hochfilzer: „I can’t wait the next season to start. Every game will be a challenge. I’m ready to give my best and to make the fans happy. I’m not going to disappoint them. My main goal is it, to reach the playoffs with the new formed team.”

Lucas Haberl is another young prospect from Voralberg playing for Bregenzerwald. The 19 years old talent got a two way contract for Bregenzerwald and cooperation partner Dornbirn Bulldogs. The son of the legend Sigi Haberl startet his career for the lions. After going through the youth program he made the jump into the INL squad. During the last winter Lucas followed his brother Dominic to the ECB. He played 29 games in the Alps Hockey League and scored his first two goals. He also played for the Hohenemser SC and scored in every game and was nominated for the U-19 national team. Thanks his hard work he earned a cooperation contract.