Friday, 07. August 2026 |
AlpsHL | Red Bull Hockey Juniors | Kaderupdate
The roster consists of two goalies, six defensemen, and 15 forwards. Sixteen players were already part of the squad last season, while seven players are making their debut on the roster. Additional roster additions are possible at any time as part of player movement between the younger teams of the Red Bull Hockey Academy, the Red Bull Hockey Juniors, and the EC Red Bull Salzburg professional team.
International Trio Joins the Juniors
With Swedish defenseman Isak Norlin and the two Latvian forwards Antons Macijevskis and Edvins Berzins, the Red Bull Hockey Juniors are strategically strengthening their roster with three internationally trained players. The trio is expected to bring additional quality, competition, and depth to the young Salzburg team.
Born in 2006, Isak Norlin was developed in the youth system of Rögle BK, the Swedish runner-up (SHL) for the 2025–26 season. The left-handed shooter impressed last season with his offensive production, recording 11 goals and 24 assists in 41 games for Rögle’s U20 team. In addition, the defenseman has already gained experience in 18 games for the professional team in Sweden’s top division, the SHL, and played on loan for the Nybro Vikings in the HockeyAllsvenskan.
Antons Macijevskis is transferring to Salzburg from the Watertown Shamrocks of the North American NAHL. Born in 2006, the forward played a total of 106 games there over the past two seasons and recorded 40 points. Macijevskis also brings international experience: He represented Latvia at the 2025 and 2026 U20 World Championships.
Edvins Berzins is another Latvian forward transferring from the Watertown Shamrocks to the Red Bull Hockey Juniors. The forward, also born in 2006, can play both center and wing and, like Macijevskis, brings experience from North American junior hockey. Last season, Berzins played 48 games in the NAHL, recording a total of 13 points with three goals and ten assists.
Four More Players Join the Roster for the First Time
In addition to the three international signings, the club has also secured the services of four promising young talents: Daniil Sladkov (GER), Nico Koschek (AUT), Luca Fischer (AUT), and Ben Reisnecker (GER).
Defenseman Ben Reisnecker, born in 2008, holds both German and Czech citizenship and played for the Niagara IceDogs in the Ontario Hockey League last season. In his first year in North America, the right-handed shooter appeared in 58 OHL games and was nominated for the 2026 Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game. Reisnecker also gained international experience playing for the Czech Republic’s youth national teams, including at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Daniil Sladkov and Nico Koschek are continuing their development at the Red Bull Ice Hockey Academy and will join the Juniors’ roster full-time next season. Both players gained their first experience in the Alps Hockey League last season through several appearances and have now been signed to contracts with the Red Bull Hockey Juniors.
Luca Fischer is another promising young Austrian talent joining the team. The 16-year-old forward is transferring from the VSV youth program to Salzburg and is expected to take the next step in his athletic development with the Red Bull Hockey Juniors.
Forward Nico Koschek
Ten Players on the Expanded Professional Roster
The close collaboration between the Red Bull Hockey Juniors and the EC Red Bull Salzburg professional team will remain a central component of athletic development in the 2026/27 season. Goaltender Luca Haitzmann, defensemen Fabian Baumann, Alexander Rebernig, and Jakob Schnabl, as well as forwards Maximilian Wurzer, Adrian Gesson, Florian Lanzinger, Luca Kogler, Nikita Bloch, and Nico Koschek are part of the expanded professional roster and will be closely integrated into the first team’s training regimen.
These ten players can be deployed for both EC Red Bull Salzburg and the Red Bull Hockey Juniors. Through regular participation in the professional environment, they will be systematically prepared for the level of the win2day ICE Hockey League while continuing to gain playing experience in the Alps Hockey League.
Haitzmann, Baumann, Schnabl, Wurzer, Lanzinger, Kogler, and Koschek are listed on the current Juniors roster. Rebernig, Gesson, and Bloch will be integrated more heavily into the professional setup but will remain available for action with the Red Bull Hockey Juniors as part of the player movement program.
Departures and Next Career Steps
Several players from last season’s roster are continuing their development at different clubs. Moritz Warnecke will be a permanent member of the EHC Red Bull Munich professional roster next season.
For goaltender Valentin Ankirchner and forward Nick Maul, the next step also leads to a partner within the Red Bull network. Both are moving to DEL2 newcomer ECDC Memmingen Indians, which will be collaborating with EHC Red Bull Munich in the upcoming season. As part of this partnership, development and playing opportunities between the DEL and DEL2 will be created through development licenses.
Defenseman Paul Lemke is returning to his hometown club, EC Bad Nauheim; Josef Prast will play for HC Pustertal and the Rittner Buam in the future; and Maximilian Kirchebner is joining the Graz99ers. On the offensive side, Jesse Juhola is continuing his career with TUTO Hockey in Finland, while Maxim Eliseev is moving to the Dundee Stars in the British Elite Ice Hockey League.
Paul Noll is retiring from active play. Leon Bader and Vyacheslav Permitin will also no longer be part of the Red Bull Hockey Juniors roster next season.
The Red Bull Hockey Juniors would like to thank all players for their dedication while wearing the Salzburg jersey and wish them all the best in their future athletic and personal endeavors.
Teemu Levijoki, Head Coach of the Red Bull Hockey Juniors:
“Once again this season, we have a very young team with a lot of potential for growth. With Isak, Antons, and Edvins, we’re adding three players who have already gained valuable experience in North American hockey and who bring additional maturity, character, and depth to our roster.
The Alps Hockey League has continued to evolve in recent years, and in my view, it will be even stronger this season than last year. That’s exactly what we want to prepare our players for as best as possible. Our preseason program is therefore deliberately structured so that, as we progress through our preparations, we face increasingly older and more experienced teams, gradually introducing the guys to adult hockey.
Especially in the first few games, we’ll be fielding a very young team. This gives us the opportunity to see which players are already ready for the next step. It will be crucial that we continue to develop as a team and grow together throughout the entire season.”
Red Bull Hockey Juniors 2026/27 Roster
Goaltenders
Luca Haitzmann | AUT | 2007
Mika Haim | AUT | 2006
Defense
Isak Norlin | SWE | 2006 | new
Fabian Baumann | AUT | 2006
Jakob Schnabl | AUT | 2007
Matteo Schroth | GER | 2007
Moussa Hackert | GER | 2008
Ben Reisnecker | CZE/GER | 2008 | new
Forwards
Maximilian Wurzer | AUT | 2004
Florian Lanzinger | AUT | 2005
Antons Macijevskis | LAT | 2006 | new
Edvins Berzins | LAT | 2006 | new
Tim Heimel | AUT | 2006
Luca Kogler | AUT | 2006
Benedikt Krainer | AUT | 2006
Niklas Korhonen | FIN/AUT | 2006
Tobias Koller | AUT | 2007
Paul Oberhauser | AUT | 2007
Justus Kaufmann | GER | 2007
Lukas Greil | GER | 2008
Daniil Sladkov | GER | 2008 | new
Nico Koschek | AUT | 2008 | new
Luca Fischer | AUT | 2009 | new
COACHES & STAFF
Head Coach
Teemu Levijoki
Assistant Coach
Ilkka Pakarinen
Goalie-Coach
Lukas Schluderbacher
Athletic Coach
Roland Brunner
Physiotherapist
Mario Gruber
Equipment Manager
Heinz Gabbauer
Red Bull Hockey Juniors Kick Off the 2026–27 Season// JUNIORS
Juniors lose to Val Gardena in Game 7// JUNIORS
The Juniors tie the series at 3-3 and force a Game 7!// JUNIORS