The Italian Job

I could probably spend an entire article dissecting the complaints that Canadian goaltender Olivier Roy posted on his social media about the ICEHL's HC Pustertal Wölfe, but that's not why I'm here today. The team responded to his allegations and didn't paint the netminder in a good light, but that's for those parties to work out amongst themselves. Rather than diving into that squabble, I actually wanted to use today's article to take a look at who was playing for this HC Pustertal team if they're attracting the talent they proclaim they are. While there won't be a ton of high-profile players that skated in the Italian team's barn, it's safe to say that HC Pustertal's claims of getting good players is true.

This season's squad will feature two former AHL players who are pretty good, and a goaltender who has played in the AHL, KHL, and even got three games in with the Tampa Bay Lightning. We'll start with the first player who will be familiar to Winnipeg Jets fans and, specifically, Manitoba Moose fans as winger and power forward JC Lipon signed with HC Pustertal for the 2025-26 season!

Joining Lipon from the NHL ranks where he played with the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild for 110 games is defender Jonathan Blum. Blum was a solid defender with the Milwaukee Admirals and Iowa Wild as well before he jumped to the KHL, the Swedish Elite League, and the DEL in recent years. Blum will join the Wolves for this season as HC Pustertal adds more big-league talent.

The goaltender I referenced above is a guy who is also familiar to Jets fans mainly for his work with the St. John's IceCaps before they became the Moose. Netminder Eddie Pasquale is back for his second season in Pustertal yellow, and he's looking to improve on an 8-14-1 record from last season. His 2.65 GAA and .911 save percentage seems to indicate that he didn't get much scoring support, so that may be why both Lipon and Blum were added this season.

In 2023-24, HC Pustertal boasted former Penguins, Maple Leafs, and Capitals forward Zach Sill and former Vancouver Canucks forward Ryan Stanton. Sill had 16 points while Stanton had 12, so it's not like either of them lit the league up with their scoring. They were a part of a solid team game that the Wolves employed, however, that led them to the ICEHL semifinal where they were swept by Klagenfurt.

Regardless of that finish, it seems pretty apparent that HC Pustertal has both the financial means and the ability to attract some solid talent to play for their squad. Outside of Roy's complaints at the top of this article, there have been no other complaints from players that I can find who believe that HC Pustertal did them wrong. That's not to say that none of them had problems, but none of them took to social media to air their grievances if they had them.

Without digging into that mess further, HC Pustertal looks like they could have a very good club this season. They'll need more scoring as they were ninth-best out of thirteen teams last season, but they'll also need some better defending and goaltending if they hope to play in the ICEHL Final this season. Having the likes of Lipon, Blum, former Bridgeport Islanders forward Cole Bardreau, and 17-goal forward Tommy Purdeller all lining up for the Wolves this season should make them better than a ninth-place finish in the standings.

It won't be an easy climb up the standings, though, as teams like EC Red Bull Salzburg boasts former NHLers Michael Raffl and Ryan Murray, Klagenfurt AC has former AHL 30-goal scorer Matt Fraser and former Grand Rapids Griffins playmaker Jan Mursak, and Bolzano HC has former Fort Wayne Komets standout netminder Samuel Harvey stopping pucks. Even the head coaches in the ICEHL are impressive as Salzburg has former NHLer David Oliver calling the shots, Bolzano has Glen Hanlon as their bench boss, and Pustertal will rely on Jason Jaspers for a second season. The ICEHL isn't short on talent!

I'll check in every now and then on HC Pustertal's progress this season as I'm curious to see how Lipon, Blum, and Pasquale do in Italy. I'm not expecting them to flip the ICEHL on its side with their scoring and goaltending exploits, but I'm hoping we'll see HC Pustertal move up the standings and take a run at the ICEHL championship.

Admittedly, it's not a safe full of gold bricks with a Balinese dancer on them, but I suspect HC Pustertal won't care as long as they skate around the rink with their prize after completing the Italian job.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!