14 teams, 39 games per team in the basic round, followed by pre-playoffs and playoffs - these are the key figures for the ninth season of the cross-border Alps Hockey League. The participants from Italy (6), Austria (5) and Slovenia (2) will be joined for the first time by a team from Croatia, KHL Sisak. EHC Lustenau, the KAC Future Team and SHC Fassa Falcons are no longer taking part. The defending champions are the Rittner Buam SkyAlps, who won the title for the first time.
The Red Bull Hockey Juniors, who reached the semi-finals last season for the second time since the previous season, will kick off the new championship with a derby in Zell am See on September 21. The first home game in the Eisarena Salzburg is against Bregenzerwald on September 25. The first match against the Croatian league newcomers KHL Sisak will take place on November 16 in Salzburg.