Transylvanian squad tries to bounce back from a down year.
HSC Csíkszereda always has the same goal year in and year out, its always to qualify for the playoffs, back it to the finals and to win the MOL League. HSC is located in a hockey crazed town in a hockey crazed part of Transylvania. The town pretty much demands that the club make it to the playoffs and anything less is a losing season. The 2013-14 season was like this, at one point Csíkszereda had two former NHL players in Mike Danton and Denis Shvidki. Unfortunately this did not lead to a late season playoff push as the club missed the last playoffs spot by five points.
The ownerships did go out and pick up a Swedish coach in Christer Dreberg after the MOL League season but a number of key players have left during the offseason and overall the roster is on the young side compared to previous seasons.
Csíkszereda has brought back veteran Slovak goalie Stanislav Kozuch for an eighth season, however it would not be surprising that Gellért Ruczuj splits almost 50/50 with him. Regardless of who is in between the pipes for Csíkszereda the goaltending will not be the weakness of the club.
The defensive unit looks to be weaker as longtime club members Botond Flinta and Attila Góga left to help Galati in the Romanian league with scoring defenseman Jere Ölander not being resigned. Csíkszereda did pick up a strong player with experience at a higher level in Erik Spady who can at least partially fill the void left by the other three, Spady has played in the North American minor leagues and the NCAA.
On the forward unit there will be a number of familiar faces being joined by young forwards who have a lot of promise. Szabolcs Hildebrand and the Biró twins Gergő and Mátyás represent the future with Ervin Moldován, Ede Mihály and Dániel Tranca being the consistent pillars of the goalscoring unit.
Csíkszereda brought in a couple of new imports to join Marek Curilla who came back for another season. Michal Sátek was signed from the Slovak extra league with Niklas Sjölund playing at a number of different levels in Sweden.
Csíkszereda could be a wild card this season with them stealing points from stronger teams at home and possible sneaking into the playoffs.
Photo: László Mudra