Ich musste einiges an mir arbeiten.
He looks back on the anxious weeks and months: "The worst part was not being able to be on the ice with the guys and do my job. We don't have a normal job; this is our passion."
It was a tough time, Hochkofler admits. He suffered particularly mentally. "I had to work on myself quite a bit," emphasizes the Italian-born player, who is now an Austrian citizen.
With the support of friends, family, the team, and the entire club, the forward has "returned to the right path."
The Salzburg native – Hochkofler has been playing in the "City of Mozart" since he was 15 – also receives help from a psychologist. "I'm well looked after there," he says.
Thought About Ending His Career - But Not This Summer
Hochkofler did not consider ending his career this summer.
He reveals: "Three years ago, I was close to quitting. Since then, every season has been a bonus. What I definitely wanted now was to get healthy and get back on the right mental track."
He succeeded in both.
In Harmony with the Body
In preparation for the new season, he "didn't change anything major, but a few small things," reports the five-time ICE champion. "I've rebooted my entire body, incorporated new exercises."
Ich muss wissen, wann genug ist und darf nicht mehr wie ein 20-Jähriger immer Vollgas durchziehen.
In the future, the "Bull" wants to listen to his body significantly more than in recent years. He needs to be careful not to overdo it and not to push his body too much.
The player, with 587 league appearances, explains: "I need to know when enough is enough and can no longer go full throttle all the time like a 20-year-old."
He wants to act as a unit with his body. "That's important to me," he emphasizes, highlighting his new mindset.
Still a 'Pest' on the Ice
On the ice, Hochkofler still wants to be feared by his opponents.
The fan favorite goes where it hurts, sparing neither himself nor his opponents. He makes it clear: "I won't change my playing style. I know what I can offer the team."
Ich schaue nicht zurück, sondern nur nach vorn.
The "Ice Bull," who lives in Upper Austria, has already proven this again in the Champions Hockey League. For him, it's particularly important to play regularly again. "Only then can I fully help the team again," he says.
And he's putting the difficult past months behind him: "I'm not looking back, only forward. I'm looking forward to everything that's to come."
