For the past few seasons there have always been new teams joining the league, this is no different this season. The league has decided to expand west as Austrian club, the Vienna Capitals have decided to enter the ERSTE Liga for the 2017-18 season.
The Capitals organization will be using this squad as a farm to for their EBEL team, much like how Fehervár uses the Fehérvári Titánok. This is the step between the U20 and the EBEL squad.
For the start of the season the team will be going with Gernot Wegerer as one of the goalies with the back being any of the netminders who will be playing in the U20 team, among them Botond Maros, Matthias Tschrepitsch and Max Zimmermann.
Like the goaltending situation, on defence these is one experienced player with the rest of teh roster being made up of younger players. Nick Kuqali, has joined Vienna from defending champions DVTK, Johannes Leitner is one of the older defenseman at the age of 22, however he missed last season. Gert Karitnig and Simon Wolf both have EBEL experience, and should be a strong line of defence for the team.
Upfront everything is a question mark as well, as the entire forward unit is 21 years old or younger. This being said they do have talent as Patrick Boltere, Felix Maxa, Benjamin Nissner, Fabian Ranftl, Kevin Szabad and Ali Vukovits all have EBEL experience. On the forward unit it is very evident that this team is a step between the EBEL and the U20 as there are 10 forwards that have aged out in the past two seasons.
Christian Dolezal will be the head coach of the teams, he is very familiar with the roster as he was was the Capitals U20 head coach in the past and works as the organisations sports manager as well.
Kevin Szabad: This season is the first step in the process that the Capitals want to create in which the players move from the U20 up to the EBEL. The ERSTE Liga is a perfect opportunity to develop for the players. We want to win against every team, no one likes to lose and this teh mentality we are having this season. We have a very young team and I think this is one of our strengths, we are quick learners and know how to adjust to the other teams game. We will try to have an energetic style. We will have a chance to improve during the season. We are all familiar with each other since we played together in the U20 team.
Key additions: Gernot Wegerer (Linz, EBSYL), Gert Karitnig (Villach, EBEL), Michal Kruckovyc, Vladimir Oscadal (Znojmo, EBYSL), Nick Kuqali (DVTK), Johannes Leitner (no team),