Release from 13.05.2024

Tray Tuomie is the new head coach of the VSV | Bischofberger stays with the KAC

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The 56-year-old US-born Tray Tuomie is the new Head Coach of the EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV. Last season, he led the Rittner Buam SkyAlps to the championship title in the Alps Hockey League. Tuomie, who also has a German passport, has also been active in the DEL for many years, including as head coach of the Nürnberg Ice Tigers and Augsburg Panthers. In Villach, Tuomie signed a performance-based contract for the next two seasons. The EC-KAC also announced the long-term contract extension with Johannes Bischofberger.

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Tray Tuomie was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and played as a forward at a young age at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He moved to Germany in 1991 and played for various German hockey clubs. After retiring as a player, Tuomie initially took over as head coach of the Weser Stars in the fourth German league in the 2009/10 season. One year later, the now 56-year-old was also in the DEL, as assistant coach for the DEG Metro Stars. In 2012, he joined the Nürnberg Ice Tigers, first as assistant coach for two years, then as head coach for a year and a half. In 2016, he moved to the Augsburg Panthers, where he worked as an assistant coach for another three years before being promoted to head coach in 2019 following the departure of head coach Mike Stewart to the Cologne Sharks. Most recently, he was head coach of the Rittner Buam SkyAlps and led the South Tyroleans to the Alps Hockey League title. US-born Tuomie, who also has a German passport and speaks excellent German, has signed a contract with the "Eagles" for the next two seasons.

"We have had many very good discussions with Tray Tuomie, he knows our ideas and our requirements. In addition, he has not only gained a lot of experience in the DEL, but also won the Alps Hockey League title with Ritten last season. We are all highly motivated and looking forward to working together," emphasizes EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV team manager Andreas Napokoj.
Tuomie describes himself as a coach who focuses on modern and fast-paced hockey: "I prefer fast, offensive hockey with four lines. But it's just as important to me that my team defends hard and consistently. Only with a strong defense can you be successful in the end!" And Tuomie adds: "Villach is a hockey town, the people here love hockey - we want to be successful together!"

Bischofberger signs long-term contract with the KAC
Johannes Bischofberger has extended his contract with the EC-KAC on a long-term basis. The new signed working paper includes various exit options on the player and club side to secure his future. Johannes Bischofberger joined the EC-KAC in the summer of 2016 and has already represented the KAC for eight years. During this time, the Vorarlberg native won two championship titles with Klagenfurt (2019, 2021) and qualified for the Champions Hockey League four times. The winger has played a total of 359 competitive games for the Red-White, scoring 235 points (106G | 129A), finishing each of his eight seasons with a positive plus/minus record and posting a +116 rating overall. After Johannes Bischofberger had only been able to play in 29 of 116 league games in the previous two seasons due to health problems, he made a brilliant comeback in the past season: In 60 appearances, he scored 53 points, and his 27 goals were only surpassed by three players in the league. No Austrian KAC forward had scored more than his 27 goals in the Regular Season and playoffs combined for 23 years.

Johannes Bischofberger: "I'm delighted that we're continuing our collaboration and that I can start my ninth season at the EC-KAC this summer. This is the traditional club par excellence, with an incredible number of great fans, which was impressively demonstrated once again last season. There has been a jolt through the entire city and it makes me proud that I can continue to play for this club. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the entire KAC organization once again, especially Oliver Pilloni, who always looked out for me and gave me a helping hand, which helped me through the notoriously difficult time that lies behind me. Thanks also go to our fans, of course, who have always supported me personally. I'm really looking forward to the years ahead of us together."

Copyright: Max Pattis