HC TWK Innsbruck

HC Tiroler Wasserkraft Innsbruck is an Austrian professional ice hockey team in the ICE Hockey League (ICEHL). They play their home games at OlympiaWorld Innsbruck complex in Innsbruck.

HC TWK Innsbruck
City	Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria
League	Austrian National League 1995–2001 2009–2012 ICE Hockey League 2001–2009 2012–present
Founded	1994; 30 years ago (1994)
Home arena	Tiroler Wasserkraft Arena (Capacity: 7,212)
Colors
Owner(s)	Christian Kaltschmid
General manager	Günther Hanschitz
Head coach	Mitch O'Keefe
Website	www.hcinnsbruck.at
Franchise history
1994–1999	HC Innsbruck
1999–	HC Tiroler Wasserkraft Innsbruck

History

The club was founded in 1994 as HC Innsbruck and in 1999 with the introduction of wealthy sponsor "Tyrolean Hydropower" were renamed to HC Tiroler Wasserkraft Innsbruck. Since the 2000–01 season the Sharks were playing in the highest Austrian league and was the first Innsbruck team in the first division since the exit of EV Innsbruck upon completion of the 1992–93 season.

Over the years, the team reached the semi-finals on multiple occasions, however, never made it to the finals. In recent seasons,^[when?] the majority of the squad has often been replaced, but this was reflected on the budget constraints. In addition, the team failed to win in the final stages of the season, year after year, repeated regularly and culminated in the early playoff exits.

On 3 March 2009, Innsbruck announced its intention to leave the Erste Bank Hockey League for financial reasons and resume play in the second tier, the Austrian National League.

Their return season in the new league was completed with a successful squad that consisted mainly of young Tyrolean players. The club finished the regular season first, seven points ahead of the runner-up Dornbirner EC. In the final Innsbruck were defeated by the Vorarlbergians, losing the series 3 games to 1. Two years later, the club succeeded in winning the second division National League Championship, for the first time in franchise history. A short time later it was announced that Innsbruck would return to the top-flight EBEL league.^[1]

Venue

The Innsbruck Sharks' home games are played at the OlympiaWorld Innsbruck complex, which hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 1964 and 1976.^[2] Innsbruck have the luxury to play at two home venues within the complex, after first primarily using the Olympiahalle Innsbruck which seated approximately 8,000, which was renovated for the 2005 IIHF World Championship.

In 2005, the Sharks moved to also play in the smaller capacity and purpose built Tyrolean Ice Arena which seats 3,200. The Olympiahalle is now used sparingly, specially to cater for larger crowds on important rival games or playoff games.

Players

Current roster

Updated 6 November 2023.^[3]

No.	Nat	Player	Pos	S/G	Age	Acquired	Birthplace
6		Nick Albano	D	R	28	2023	Beverly, Massachusetts, USA
89		Lukas Bär	LW	L	27	2017	Innsbruck, Austria
29		Evan Buitenhuis	G	L	31	2023	Burlington, Ontario, Canada
9		Gordie Green	RW	R	27	2023	Ann Arbor, Minnesota, USA
23		Franz Hackl	D	R	22	2021	Schwaz, Austria
13		Adam Helewka	LW	L	29	2022	Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
11		Daniel Jakubitzka	D	L	28	2021	Innsbruck, Austria
63		Noah Kerber	D	L	21	2022	Hall in Tirol, Austria
27		Anders Krogsgaard	D	R	28	2022	Esbjerg, Denmark
98		Jan Lattner	D	L	35	2019	Znojmo, Czech Republic
26		Daniel Leavens	RW	R	31	2021	Thornhill, Ontario, Canada
57		Luis Ludin	F	L	23	2018	Munich, Germany
81		Corey Mackin	C	L	29	2022	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
44		Thomas Mader	LW	L	30	2020	Mittersill, Austria
33		Tom McCollum	G	L	35	2020	Amherst, New York, United States
20		Luca Muigg	F	L	22	2020	Innsbruck, Austria
8		Clemens Paulweber	F	R	28	2014	Innsbruck, Austria
82		Senna Peeters	RW	R	22	2022	Deurne, Belgium
98		Nicholas Schintler	F	L	21	2021	Innsbruck, Austria
12		Brady Shaw	RW	L	32	2022	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
30		Rene Swette	G	L	36	2021	Lustenau, Austria
96		Martin Ulmer	RW	R	36	2021	Dornbirn, Austria
42		Jamal Watson	D/RW	R	29	2022	Calgary, Alberta, Canada
38		Dario Winkler	C	R	27	2020	Hall in Tirol, Austria

References

1. "Erste Bank Eishockey Liga reaches its 10th season". Erste Bank Eishockey Liga. 3 September 2012. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
2. "Olympiaworld venue listings". olympiaworld.at (in German). 15 April 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
3. "HC TWK Innsbruck - Team -Roster" (in German). HC TWK Innsbruck. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2023.

External links

• Official website (in German)