Innsbruck's Lattner remains: Contract until 2026 secured!

Innsbruck's Lattner remains: Contract until 2026 secured!

The HC Innsbruck has extended his contract with Jan Lattner in the Win2day Ice Hockey League until 2025/26 season. Lattner, who has been playing for the sharks since the 2019/20 season, has already played almost 300 games for the club and has become an integral part of the squad. As a leader in the team of Head Coach Jordan Smotherman, he not only brings experience, but also a high level of commitment.

The 33-year-old Czech was previously active at Orli Znojmo in the EBEL, where he was on the ice both as a captain and vice-captain. "Tyrol is my second home," said Lattner, who hopes to get back to the playoffs with his team next season. After a disappointing season, he would like to offer fans a better performance after the team shone in phases, but left the playoffs early on.

positive reviews and clear goals

The past season was almost perfectly described by the fans, since the team temporarily took first place and after five years the playoffs reached the playoffs. Headcoach Mitch O’Keefe praised Lattner's essential contribution to the best season in club history. Sports manager Max Steinacher also emphasized the role of the captain as a leader and his decisive influence on the overall success of the team.

Lattner has formulated clear goals for the next season: bring a strong group onto the ice, strive for constant improvements and the new move into the playoffs. "We want to give back the fans a little," said the captain. The support and positiveness on the part of the supporters were highlighted as a decisive drive for the team.

ice hockey in Germany: popularity and success

In Germany, ice hockey is very popular, as the third largest sport behind handball and football. The German ice hockey league (DEL) was founded in 1994 and is now the highest German ice hockey league. Germany currently occupies the 8th place in the men's IIHF world rankings (as of 2024) and has achieved considerable success in the past at World Championships, including 3 silver and 2 bronze medals.

The DEL recorded an average of 5,965 spectators per game in the 2022/23 season, while in the current season 2023/24 a highlight of 7,162 spectators per game was reached. The league also recorded a record sales of 173.6 million euros, which underlines the growing popularity of sport. In addition, German teams regularly take part in the Spengler Cup in Davos, the oldest international ice hockey tournament.

Overall, the recent contract extension of Jan Lattner not only shows the trust of the HC Innsbruck in its leadership players, but also the will of the association to build on the success in the coming years, while ice hockey in Germany is still flourishing.