Ich habe gesagt: So kann ich meine Karriere nicht beenden, ich will unbedingt nochmal spielen.
Ending his career was not an option for him. Hundertpfund: "I never had that thought in my head. I said: I can't end my career like this; I absolutely want to play again."
"I Don't Like Watching Ice Hockey"
With the goal of absolutely being able to play for his beloved club again, the former Swedish legionnaire faced a long rehabilitation phase - and a completely different challenge.
He admits: "I'm not someone who enjoys watching ice hockey - and I was forced to. That was very hard." The fact that the Rotjacken had a strong regular season even without their captain made it easier for him to sit in the stands.
"But when things didn't go well in the playoffs, and you wanted to help somehow but didn't know how, watching was no longer any fun at all," Hundertpfund emphasizes. That's why he is happy to be able to help the team again now.
Successful Comeback
The Carinthian had his first ice contact at the end of April, and just in time for the start of KAC's training camp, Hundertpfund was able to return to the ice with his teammates – albeit initially without body contact.
His conclusion at the time: "It's going surprisingly well. I still feel it a little bit during starts and stops, but that would be the case even without an injury during the first ice training," laughs "Hundi".
The 36-year-old had skipped the preseason games but finally made his comeback at the CHL start. It was certainly not KAC's strongest performance, yet they were successful: France's champions were defeated 2-1 in overtime.
And Hundertpfund immediately logged the most ice time of all KAC forwards with 17:33 minutes.
Mission 33
Next week, the record champions will play three more games in the Champions Hockey League, including highlight matches against Fribourg-Gotteron (Saturday, 7:15 PM in the LIVE-Ticker >>>) and at Kölner Haie (September 12, 5 PM in the LIVE-Ticker >>>).
On September 18, the new league season will kick off with the traditional opening duel at EC Red Bull Salzburg. Expectations in Klagenfurt are clear:
"Of course, we want to play for the championship title," Hundertpfund yearns for the 33rd championship in KAC's history.
Jeder will das Letzte aus sich herausholen und den Titel gewinnen.
The mix of experienced and young players is good, and the team can build on four strong lines. "It will be important that we stay healthy and don't have many injuries during the season," he knows, acknowledging that KAC hasn't been favored by fortune in the past.
Small Reshuffle is Actually Big
The captain views the minor squad reshuffle positively.
However: "For us, five new signings are quite a lot again; we haven't had that many in a long time," he states. This was last the case in an offseason in 2020.
Hundertpfund says: "It's important to bring new impetus to the team – both on the ice and in the locker room." You can learn something from every new player, and the new faces will help the team in the long run, believes the club legend.
Over-30 Squad? Then it Won't Be an Obstacle
At 36 years old, the center is among the players who push the average age up. With an average age of 30.19 years, this year's KAC squad not only falls into the over-30 category but is also by far the oldest in the entire win2day ICE Hockey League.
However, age, Hundertpfund emphasizes, doesn't have to be a bad thing. Statistically, older players are more prone to injuries and need to pay more attention to their bodies, "but I don't think it diminishes performance," says Hundertpfund.
Ultimately, young and old are united by one goal: the 33rd championship in club history. "Everyone wants to get the most out of themselves and win the title. If that's in everyone's heads and the motivation is right, none of this will be an obstacle."
