Ich bin stolz auf mich, dass ich jetzt hier in München bin. Das ist schon ein sehr cooler Werdegang bis jetzt.
Already during the 2024/25 season, Salzburg's big brother, EHC Red Bull München, took notice of him. An agreement was quickly reached, and for a short time, the plan was for Thaler to move to the Bavarian capital in the summer of 2025.
The transfer was eventually postponed for a year, and after his best points-scoring season in a Salzburg jersey, the flexible forward is now donning the Red Bull jersey in Munich.
Thaler says: "I'm proud of myself for being here in Munich now. It's been a very cool journey so far. I wanted to go abroad again. Now I've made it – and I want to stay here too."
"That was really incredible"
Here, that's Munich. Over 1.5 million people live in Germany's third-largest city – and Thaler has been among them since summer.
Relatively soon after the Ice Hockey World Championship in Zurich, the 24-year-old packed his bags, with his parents assisting in the move. After a two-week vacation at home, Thaler has already started summer training in Munich.
Training took place on one of the three underground ice rinks at SAP Garden, the jewel opened in 2024, which also hosts the FC Bayern Munich basketball team's operations.
Thaler has seen many arenas, but never one like SAP Garden. "The first time I walked into SAP Garden – it was incredible how huge the facility is. I've never played in such a large arena with the club," he said, deeply impressed.
Quickly Settled in Munich
The acclimatization period was very short. "I quickly felt comfortable. It also helped that I was already here in the summer."
In the first few weeks, Maximilian Kastner and captain Patrick Hager were a great help to him. Both have been mainstays for Munich for many years, having played over 500, and Kastner even over 600, games for EHC.
The Spittal native also spent a lot of time with Ryan Murphy. The Canadian defenseman played in Salzburg between 2023 and 2024, where he was an absolute key player, and only moved to Munich in the summer of 2025 himself.
He had good advice for Thaler: "He told me that I should just be myself and play the way I played in Salzburg, because that's why I came here."
Old acquaintance makes it easy for him
Thaler also meets an old acquaintance from Salzburg on the coaching bench: Oliver David.
The American led the Eisbullen to the championship in 2023 and 2024. David hadn't changed much in terms of the playing system since he took over Red Bull München last summer, Thaler says.
Ich denke schon, dass ich bis jetzt wieder einen guten Schritt gemacht habe.
One reason why the transition from the win2day ICE Hockey League to the DEL wasn't difficult for him. Only the level of play in Germany is "in all respects" a little better. "The speed is the biggest difference," he emphasizes.
He noticed that he had already developed in a short time. Thaler: "You adapt; when the league is better, you get used to the level. I do think I've made good progress again so far."
Between Two Former NHL Players
This is reflected in the trust placed in him.
The four-time World Championship participant is deployed as a center, flanked by two wingers, Tobias Rieder and Taro Hirose, who have already earned their stripes in the NHL.
"That says something about the standing," Thaler remarks. "It's especially fun with those two, both are really good players. I try to help them as much as possible. We have pretty good chemistry on the line."
The 24-year-old can also learn a lot from both of them off the ice. "We talk a lot about what professional life is like. You can learn a lot from that. Also by observing how they behave."
Great Trust Pays Off
Additionally, Coach David relies on him in all game situations; Thaler has already accumulated significant ice time both on the power play and penalty kill. On average, he has played 17:08 minutes per game, with four DEL matches completed so far.
It's important to him to always give his full effort and thereby help the team emerge victorious. "It's naturally extra fun when that's the case," says Thaler, referring to his ice time, which ranks him among the top six on the team.
Last Friday, he also rewarded himself with his first league goal. He had good chances for his maiden goal in the first two games. The fact that it worked out in the third game was "very nice and a great feeling."
He makes no secret of the fact that it's particularly important for a forward to get on the scoreboard early in the season. Otherwise, the pressure eventually becomes immense.
Thaler Heard Criticism About His Signing
He himself didn't put any pressure on himself with his commitment in Munich, even though there had been critical voices regarding his signing.
In some quarters, there was a lack of understanding as to why an Austrian should fill an import spot in Germany, and particularly at a top club like Red Bull München.
Ich weiß, was ich kann. Ich bin mit viel Selbstvertrauen in die Saison gegangen, bis jetzt läuft es gut.
Thaler is also aware that this is not a given. "Of course, you hear that," he says, "but those voices have now somewhat faded." He admits to having been a bit tense at first.
However, he also believes in his own abilities. "I know what I can do. I went into the season with a lot of confidence, and so far, it's going well. I feel comfortable in the team. It's fun with the guys, the coach likes me, and I'm playing a lot."
Highlights Await
Some highlights await him in the coming days.
On one hand, there's the away game on Friday against the Kölner Haie at the Lanxess Arena. 18,600 fans fit into Europe's second-largest ice hockey arena, which had an average attendance of over 18,000 per game last season.
Thaler beams: "I'm really looking forward to it. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. That's an incredible arena, and it will surely be an amazing experience to play there."
After that, the derbies against the Augsburger Panther and ERC Ingolstadt await, both to be played at SAP Garden. "I've heard that there's always an incredible atmosphere against Augsburg. The next games will definitely be cool," he says, already excited.
The Championship Title as a Major Goal
The Austrian has not set any personal season goals for his debut season in the German Ice Hockey League.
He simply says: "I want to keep developing, not necessarily focus on scoring points. Of course, it feels good if you get more than 30 points. If that doesn't happen, then so be it."
Wir wollen so weit wie möglich kommen - und wenn wir das schaffen, dann blicke ich mit einem Lächeln auf die Saison zurück.
Thaler wants to help the team not only with scoring points but also as an energy player. He would look back happily on the season if one goal was achieved: the championship title.
He knows: "Everything has to come together for that. We want to go as far as possible – and if we achieve that, then I'll look back on the season with a smile."
