Tuesday, 06. January 2026 |
A legend
Legendary status is already assured – and now Thomas Raffl has reached another milestone, joining Thomas Koch, who also once played in Salzburg, in the 1,000-game club. And there's no end in sight. The Red Bulls captain and father of one daughter, even at 39, is one of the best-trained athletes in the league and remains one of the most important leaders for both the Red Bulls and the Austrian national team.
Leader, Champion, and Good Friend
Raffl's teammate Florian Baltram, one of his best friends and roommate on trips, says about him: "I don't know any player who works harder. Even now, at his later years, he puts in extra training sessions and never rests on his laurels. He tries to pass on the experience he's gained over so many years, especially to the younger players – and that's exactly what makes a good captain. He always puts the team's success first. He simply embodies everything you could imagine a champion to be. On top of that, he's one of the most down-to-earth people I've ever met. He treats everyone the same, regardless of age, is always helpful, and a good advisor to his friends. I'm incredibly happy for him that he's reached this amazing milestone and hope he remains involved in Austrian ice hockey for a long time to come."
How it all began
Thomas Raffl was born in Villach and grew up playing for the local ice hockey club, VSV. At 17, the forward made his professional debut with VSV in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga (then the Austrian Hockey League) in the 2003/04 season, scoring his first goal in the top league. The 2005/06 season saw him gain valuable experience in the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CHL), and just a year later (2005/06), Raffl celebrated his first Austrian championship title with Villach.
From Sweden to Salzburg
In 2009, Raffl was signed by the top club Luleå HF and stayed there for a year and a half, scoring 8 goals and 9 assists in 67 games. In 2010, at the age of 24, the forward moved from Luleå to Salzburg mid-season, where he would go on to make Austrian ice hockey history. To date, he has won the win2day ICE Hockey League trophy seven times with the Red Bulls and, in 2019, Salzburg became the only Austrian club to reach the Champions Hockey League semifinals.
NHL and Olympics
At just 29 years old, Raffl achieved the remarkable feat in 2015 of securing a contract in the NHL, the world's best hockey league, as a latecomer to the sport. However, due to several injuries, he never saw any action with the Winnipeg Jets. The forward played 31 games (5 goals, 5 assists) with the AHL's farm team, the Manitoba Moose, and returned to Salzburg the following season. In 2014, he fulfilled his Olympic dream. Team Austria was eliminated in Sochi after three group games and a victory against Norway in the quarterfinal qualifiers. Raffl has played in seven World Championships and has worn the "C" on his jersey since 2014. Since 2019, he has also served as captain in Salzburg.
An impressive collection of titles
One league championship with Villach, seven with the Red Bulls. Most recently, Salzburg, with "Pomsche" as captain, won the ICE Hockey League four times in a row, setting a league record. The Red Bulls' total of ten league titles is also a league record. In the 2023/24 season, the forward, at 38 years old, scored the most goals (11) in the playoffs and was named Playoff MVP.
Thank you, Thomas, for your many years of dedication to the Red Bulls! We look forward to many more games/years with you.
Next home game of the Red Bulls
On 9 January vs. Olimpija Ljubljana
Eisarena Salzburg | 7.15 p.m.
Livestream
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Thomas Raffl wins his milestone game with the Red Bulls in Bolzano// WIN2DAY ICE HOCKEY LEAGUE
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Tenth Win in a Row | Red Bulls Thrill 6-1 Victory Against Vienna// WIN2DAY ICE HOCKEY LEAGUE
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3.527 Red Bulls celebrate 5-1 victory in New Year's game against Linz// WIN2DAY ICE HOCKEY LEAGUE