If you mention Austrian hockey, the first name that comes to mind is most likely Thomas Vanek. The NHL All-Star long has given the country some hockey street credit, starting with his stellar career at the University of Minnesota. Yet, while Vanek might have accumulated the most headlines over his career, he is far from the only Austrian to make a dent in college hockey.
While he wasn’t the official first, Matthias Trattnig was the first Austrian import to really be a factor in the NCAA ranks. Growing up in Graz, Trattnig tried his hands at a few sports. His father had grown up in the state of Carinthia, which was home to two major Austrian hockey clubs: Klagenfurt and Villach. With fervor for the game in the region, Trattnig soon would get involved in the sport. It quickly became a passion, enough so that, at 15 years old, he crossed the pond to North America to pursue it further.
After some time playing in Canada and in the U.S. junior ranks, Trattnig decided that he wanted to pursue the college hockey path. The University of Maine appealed to him most.
It was a strange time for the Maine Black Bears. In 1997-98, Matthias’ freshman year, they had just cleared the sanctions that had been placed on the program two years prior. During that time, the coaching staff had to search a little outside the box to find quality talent. Luckily, Matthias had actually come to them, saving assistant coach Grant Standbrook from having to go traipsing through the Alps. Coach Standbrook was immediately impressed by Matthias.
“He was a big power forward,” Standbrook noted. “He made his presence felt in so many ways.”
When asked whether he had any reservations about bringing in a player from Austria, Standbrook dispelled any insinuation that Austria could not produce quality hockey.
“It is a hockey country,” he emphasized, citing his experience there during the Innsbruck Olympic Winter Games, and other European trips. “They’re players.”
As a freshman, Trattnig roomed with a fellow European, albeit a Finn, Tuomo Jaaskelainen. The 1997-98 Black Bears actually had six Europeans on the roster — those two and a quartet of Swedes (Robert Ek, Marcus Gustafsson and the Lundback brothers, Anders and Magnus). Trattnig underplayed the European bond but did acknowledge that it helped to have some continental batterymates.
Nonetheless, it was the North Americans’ efforts to incorporate their foreign teammates that helped build a strong squad. When speaking of his favorite memories, Trattnig recalled simply walking around campus with his teammates, noting that such off-ice moments were as essential to team cohesion as anything on the ice or in the locker room.
On the ice, the Black Bears struggled in Trattnig’s opening season. The sanctions had made an impact on the lineup, and Maine was trying to establish a new identity. The next season, though, “with a chip on their shoulder,” as assistant coach Bernie Sandford acknowledged, the Black Bears showcased the bond that Trattnig spoke of.
They finished second in the Hockey East standings behind New Hampshire. Despite being knocked out by eventual Hockey East champion Boston College, Maine had a strong enough regular season to merit an invite to the national tournament. In the regionals, Maine had little trouble with Ohio State before torching Clarkson.
Then, in the Frozen Four, Maine exacted revenge on BC in the semis before outlasting UNH, 3-2 in overtime, to capture their second national title. Despite growing up without a college hockey presence, Trattnig didn’t appreciate the title any less.
“We had such a great group. Winning the NCAAs, in that sort of format, is special,” he said.
Trattnig played all four years in Orono, his production peaking in his senior season. The Black Bears made it to the national semifinals in his junior year but fell one short in his final go-around. Despite his size and collegiate success, the Chicago Blackhawks (who had drafted him) didn’t seem interested in seeing what Trattnig could do professionally.
“I never even talked to Chicago,” he said with a chuckle. So, Trattnig returned to Europe, spending two years in the Swedish Elite League. After a solid season in the German DEL, Trattnig finally earned his shot in North America. The 2004-05 lockout meant Trattnig never had a shot at the NHL, but he did put in a full season with the Syracuse Crunch. Matthias admitted it was a tough season, though. “I didn’t really play very well. I started off very bad.”
Not optimistic about his NHL prospects, and a little road weary after about a decade of living and playing outside of Austria, Trattnig sought the comforts of home. “I had been away from home for nine years. So when I had the chance to go back, I took it,” he said.
Trattnig hoped that a stint in the Alps would “refresh” him. It did more than that. Instead of a recharge, he began a stellar and successful career in his homeland. In his opening season with Salzburg Red Bull, in 2005-06, Trattnig paced the club in scoring and helped guide Red Bull to its first championship. The hulking player was thriving in Salzburg’s then torpedo-style system.
“We didn’t have positions,” Trattnig noted, “we had numbers. So, the first guy in the zone was number one, the second guy was two.” It certainly was not anything he would have grown familiar with in North America, but Trattnig enjoyed the freedom of the style.
The next season, the style proved its worth. In only its third year in Austria’s top-tier league, Salzburg won the championship over Villach. Those two finals trips would become the norm for Trattnig and Salzburg. In 13 seasons, the captain and his crew have made 10 finals appearances, winning six of them. They have become a dynasty, and Salzburg is the team to beat each season.
Meanwhile, Trattnig has written his name all over the Salzburg record books, establishing himself as the career leader in goals, assists and points. He also stands high on the Austrian league historical lists. He begins this season almost guaranteed to establish himself as a top-five all-time scorer, and has an outside shot at third place with a strong year.
Last season, Trattnig and Salzburg fell a game short to Bolzano in the Austrian finals. Asked what maybe could have gone differently, Trattnig accepted the role of fate.
“The easy answer is you just gotta get lucky and win that one game,” he said.
Perhaps, it is that bitter taste that has Trattnig anxious for another season. Growing up around his family’s hotel business, and with a degree from Maine in business finance, he does appear to have his next career pretty well lined up. However, he is not rushing it.
“I can motivate myself pretty easy,” he said of when the seasons roll around.
When this season’s pursuit of his seventh EBEL championship comes to an end, Trattnig is looking forward to a big postseason event. Spring will mark the 20th anniversary of the Black Bears’ last championship. Led by Steve Kariya, players already have started getting back in touch trying to plan a fun reunion. As usual, Trattnig just has to take care of a little business first.
