The EC-KAC has decided to have a team again after a two-year break Alps Hockey League to provide. While that Future Team in the past (2016 to 2024) one Second representation in which, in addition to individual experienced regulars, talents from our own offspring as well as additional players from the fighting team were used, it will be in the future a pure development team represent. “We are incorporating the learnings from our previous eight years of participation in this competition into our new AHL commitment. In the past, we developed numerous players in the Future Team who were then able to pursue a professional career. The new approach ensures that our talents also learn and are prepared to become leaders, for example by taking on responsibility in crucial phases of the game or special teams situations, which at the time usually put a strain on the experienced forces in the team,” outlines Johannes SchwaigerPresident of the EC-KAC, the future direction.
The Future Team squad 2026/27 will therefore be largely that of the U20 team that was so successful last season of the club. Peter Kasperwho, as assistant coach, pushed forward the project of re-entry into the Alps Hockey League together with head coach Roger Öhman, explains: “We see significantly more individual talent in the current U20 team than in the future teams of the past, this must be promoted for the successful medium-term development of the substructure of our fighting team. Our goal is for us to be the most unpleasant team to play in the Alps Hockey League because we play with a lot of speed and speed over 60 minutes Be physical, never stop moving. If we combine this with our high skill level, we will play a good role in this competition.”
This far-reaching change became necessary in the last age group of the red and white youth department as a result of the Reforming the international U20 championship. There the number of competitive encounters is further reduced, which means the Prospects for challenging and competitive training and developmentwhich the EC-KAC is striving for, additionally restricts it. For the club that already now employs more internally trained players in its professional team than any of its competitorsan interface that operates at an adequate sporting level is essential at the transition from youth to adult ice hockey. There is no alternative to withdrawing from the U20 championship and moving the Future Team back to the Alps Hockey League in terms of the medium and long-term club philosophy.
kac.at , Image: EC-KAC/Handler
