Red Bulls ready for the title defense mission

Tuesday, 09. September 2025 |

Red Bulls ready for the title defense missionSalzburg kicks off league season in Bolzano on Friday// win2day ICE Hockey LeagueAfter the first four games in the CHL, EC Red Bull Salzburg will begin the regular season of the 2025/26 win2day ICE Hockey League next weekend. On Friday, they travel to Bolzano, followed by their first home game on Sunday vs. EC-KAC (4:30 p.m., ORF1).

This means the Red Bulls will face their toughest rivals from last season right from the start of the league. Bolzano was Salzburg's semifinal opponent, and Klagenfurt their final opponent on their way to a tenth title in Salzburg's league history. Both teams, like the Red Bulls, have already played four CHL games and are therefore well prepared for the start of the season.

The Red Bulls welcomed numerous media representatives with the entire team in an open locker room on Tuesday and provided information on their goals for the new season. First and foremost, Head Coach Manny Viveiros, who took over the team this summer and is now, eleven years after his last coaching stint in Austria, leading a domestic team to the championship as head coach for the first time. He will be supported by Assistant Coach Adam Maglio, who previously worked with Viveiros in Canada and followed him to Europe, as well as long-time coaches Daniel Petersson (Assistant Coach) and Markus Kerschbaumer (Goalie Coach).

Excitement ahead of the championship season with a stronger field

For the Red Bulls, it's once again about defending their title in the win2day ICE Hockey League, which they have won four times in a row (!). Right from the start, Salzburg will face HCB Südtirol Alperia and EC-KAC, two teams that are once again among the narrow circle of title contenders and have regularly engaged in tough duels with the Red Bulls in recent years. In addition to Salzburg's two long-time rivals, Graz, Vienna, Ljubljana, and Pustertal have also made significant upgrades. The battle for the top spot is definitely getting tighter, with Villach and Linz also among the favorites again. There is also excitement about the new league team FTC Budapest, although their performance will probably only be judged after the first few rounds.

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Statement from Captain Thomas Raffl

"We're excited to get started. We've already gained experience as a team through high-profile games in the Champions Hockey League. In the ICE Hockey League, we're the ones being hunted again, and we deserve it. We know that every team will play their best hockey against us. But we have confidence in our team. As long as we as a team know what we're investing in and what we need to work on, our chance of winning the next title will be alive."

Statement from Head Coach Manny Viveiros

"Our team is ready. We've had really good opponents in the Champions Hockey League, and we need to get on the ice right away against two tough opponents. The level of the ICE Hockey League has improved enormously in recent years, and you always need maximum performance if you want to score points. We're aware of that. And for me, it's obviously something very special to be back in the league after eleven years."

See the schedule

Next home game of the Red Bulls

On 14 September vs. EC-KAC Eisarena Salzburg | 4.30 p.m.

Streaming Package on Sporteurope.TV Now Available at a Promo Price// WIN2DAY ICE HOCKEY LEAGUE

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