Release from 02.03.2026
The journalists of the win2day ICE Hockey League voted T.J. Brennan of Olimpija Ljubljana as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2025/26 Regular Season. The American is the first defenseman in league history to receive this honor and only the second player from a Ljubljana team to be named MVP.
With 53 points, Brennan is currently the third-highest scorer in the league and the top-scoring defenseman. He recorded points in 30 of his 46 games, including three four-point games. Thanks to his outstanding performance, the 36-year-old was voted MVP of the 2025/26 Regular Season by the journalists. In the 2021/22 season, while playing for Salzburg, Brennan narrowly missed the MVP title, finishing second behind Peter Schneider. Previously, only one player from a Ljubljana team had been named MVP: John Hughes in the 2011/12 season.
T.J. Brennan, who will be honored during the second quarterfinal day on Thursday, March 12, in Ljubljana, received the most votes of any player in the MVP selection, scoring 31 points and being named first place seven times. Mathias From of EC-KAC finished second, while third place went to Nicolai Meyer, also from Olimpija Ljubljana.
"Ron Kennedy Trophy"
Ron Kennedy was a great of our sport who had a positive influence on Austrian ice hockey for many years. Ron Kennedy came to Innsbruck via the Netherlands and Germany in 1982 and played in the Tyrolean capital for two years. After a few years overseas, he returned to Austria in 1992 as head coach at EC VSV, where he led Villach to the championship title in his very first year. Kennedy later moved "abroad" again for a few years before returning to Austria as national team coach in 1996. The Canadian was very successful in this role until 2002: Under his leadership, Team Austria managed to remain seamlessly among the best ice hockey nations in the world and showed off with great results. He then coached EC VSV for another four years, leading them to two more championship titles. After five years in Germany, Ron Kennedy took up the coaching position at HC TWK Innsbruck "die Haie" on January 6, 2008. It was to be his last place of sporting activity, as Kennedy was forced to retire in December 2008 for health reasons before losing his battle with cancer forever on July 9, 2009. Kennedy was not only a successful coach, but also a person who was always there for everyone at all times. In memory of Ron Kennedy, the win2day ICE Hockey League has been awarding the "Ron Kennedy Trophy" to the "Most Valuable Player" voted for by hockey journalists since the 2009/10 season.
Top 5 in the voting for Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2025/26 regular season:
1. T.J. Brennan (Olimpija Ljubljana), 31 points
2. Mathias From (EC-KAC), 26 points
3. Nicolai Meyer (Olimpija Ljubljana), 24 points
4. Michael Raffl (EC Red Bull Salzburg), 21 points
5. Nick Bailen (Moser Medical Graz99ers), 18 points
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER (from 2009/10 "Ron Kennedy Trophy"):2025/26: #43 T.J. Brennan (Olimpija Ljubljana)
2024/25: #72 John Hughes (EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV)
2023/24: #96 Steven Owre (BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg)
2022/23: #12 Brady Shaw (HC TIWAG Innsbruck)
2021/22: #3 Peter Schneider (EC Red Bull Salzburg)
2020/21: #32 Sebastian Dahm (EC-KAC)
2019/20 #1 Jean-Philippe Lamoureux (EC Red Bull Salzburg)
2018/19: #3 Peter Schneider (spusu Vienna Capitals)
2017/18: #6 Rafael Rotter (EV Vienna Capitals)
2016/17: #21 Riley Holzapfel (EV Vienna Capitals)
2015/16: #13 Colton Yellow Horn (HC Orli Znojmo)
2014/15: #7 Brian Lebler (EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz)
2013/14: #11 Derek Ryan (EC VSV)
2012/13: #74 Jamie Lundmark (EC-KAC)
2011/12: #72 John Hughes (HDD TILIA Olimpija Ljubljana)
2010/11: #25 Benoit Gratton (EV Vienna Capitals)
2009/10: #32 Alex Westlund (EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz)
2008/09: #9 Thomas Koch (EC Red Bull Salzburg)