Ryan Valentini from HC Migross Asiago was voted Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2025/26 season by the specialist journalists of the Alps Hockey League. The 28-year-old Canadian impressed across the board in his first season with the Italians and scored an outstanding 92 points (35 goals | 57 assists) in 48 games. He also entered the scorer’s list nine times in the quarter-finals, but the center was unable to prevent elimination against Meran.
With 92 points in just one season, Valentini ranks right behind Ethan Szypula, last season’s MVP, who holds the record for most points in an Alps Hockey League season with 103 points for Ritten. Matt Wilkins follows in third place with 89 points for Val Gardena from the 2019/20 season.
Valentini moved from win2day ICE Hockey League representative Innsbruck to Asiago last summer. With the Italians, the 28-year-old – who already played for Vipiteno in the Alps Hockey League in the 2020/21 season and collected 32 scorer points in as many games – had no teething problems and scored consistently from the start. Impressive: In only five of his 48 games this season he remained without a scorer point. The Canadian managed a five-point game twice (three goals, two assists), and the left-shooter scored four points in four other games. He also scored a total of five hat tricks. Between October 4, 2025 and February 19, 2026, Valentini recorded at least one point in 34 consecutive games.
To crown his outstanding achievements, Valentini was named the most valuable player of the season by the ice hockey journalists. Claes Endre from HC Gherdeina received the second most votes valgardena.it. The goalkeeper only joined the semi-finalists in January and has been delivering tremendously since then: the Swede has already recorded four shutouts in 20 appearances so far and has an impressive catch rate of 94.2%. The current young star of the season, Maxim Eliseev, from the Red Bull Hockey Juniors secured third place. The 20-year-old is currently the fifth best scorer of the season with 71 points.
Here is an interview with the MVP 2025/26:
What does it mean to you to be named MVP of the 2025/26 season?
Ryan Valentini: “Being named MVP means a lot to me. I’ve battled some pretty serious injuries over the last few years and had to work hard this summer to get ready for this season. This award is a testament to that hard work and the people who have supported me along the way.”
You had an outstanding season with 92 points – how proud are you of these numbers?
Ryan Valentini: “I am very proud of the numbers I was able to achieve this season, especially how they contributed to our team’s success throughout the year. A lot of the credit goes to my teammates, especially my line partners, who played a large part in this production.”
How much does the quarter-final exit against Meran still hurt, and what does the team have to improve next season – especially since you have already signed a contract for the coming season – in order to avoid such an early elimination?
Ryan Valentini: “Of course, being eliminated in the quarterfinals was not the end we wanted for our season. I think the series was very close and could have gone either way, especially in the first few games. We are a young team that needs to learn from this series in order to be able to compete for the Alps Hockey League championship next season. But overall, I am proud of the development we have made and what we have achieved together this season – especially the Italian one Championship title.”
Final result of the MVP vote of the Alps Hockey League 2025/26:
1. Ryan Valentini (HCA) 30 points
2. Claes Endre (GHE) 21 points
3. Maxim Eliseev (RBJ) 17 points
alps.hockey , Image: Serena Fantini
