After a brief one season absence from the Champions Hockey League, Red Bull Salzburg are rejoining Europe’s best and veteran forward John Hughes is ready for the puck to drop : “I think the top Austrian teams are right up there with the best in the world,” began the 32-year-old Ontario native, “we have shown that on the CHL stage and I really believe that we can compete.”
In addition to their five previous CHL qualifications, Salzburg’s 2018/19 campaign included a trip into the Semi-Finals where they were knocked out by Finalists Red Bull Munich. “We had a very good team that year, we were focussed, and we took things very seriously because it was a big opportunity to show our calibre as one of the best teams in Europe," said Hughes.
“We had a lot of pride and it showed in our game”Red Bull Salzburg's John Hughes on the 2017/18 campaign that saw the Austrian side reach the CHL Semi-Finals
This season marks Hughes’ eighth year with the Austrian club, "It's still one of my favourite places in Europe" he says with a laugh and along with a wealth of playing experience in Europe, his role in the team is an important one, “I’m here to make things happen on the ice, but I’m also a leader, helping out the young guys”.
One of the young players benefitting from Hughes’ leadership on and off the ice is left-winger John-Jason Peterka, or JJ to his teammates. On loan from fellow CHL club Red Bull Munich, the 18-year-old German is a welcomed addition to the team, “He’s got NHL caliber skill that's going to take him far, he’s definitely one to watch…and then we have guys like Thomas Raffl and Mario Hubert, these guys are beasts,” he says in reference to the pre-season testing performance of the two forwards.
“When you’re mentally ready and prepared, everything on the ice comes easier”Hughes, a skilled play-maker, has spent a substantial part of his hockey career in many of Europe's top leagues.
As the countdown nears to their first game on 6th October, the 2020/21 CHL draw has Salzburg pitted against a familiar opponent - Tappara Tampere. “They’re going to be a tough match up for us because they are one of the best teams in this Group,” said Hughes of the Finnish side. The teams first met during the 2017/18 CHL season where the Austrian side would lose both matches against the Finns, 6-1 and 4-2.
Win-loss records aside, there is a distinct optimism present, “Our goal is to win the title, and I think we have a good opportunity to do that,"he concluded, “I want to help out as much I can and be a part of that winning team.”