A Thunder Bay defenceman is getting set for the start of the post-season in the ICE hockey league.
The International Central League [formerly known as the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga] continues their phased approach to the season. With the regular season coming to a close, the top five teams now engage in a home and home round robin to decide the placement for the playoffs.
Taylor Chorney and EC Red Bull Salzburg will start the pick round as the fifth team.
“When we’re not playing or practising, we’re allowed to leave our homes but the team wants us to be smart and make sure that we’re limiting our exposure outside of the rink,” says Chorney, when discussing the pandemic rules for players on his Salzburg squad.
Chorney image courtesy of GEPA/RedBull
Chorney is in his first year with the Austrian club after spending two seasons with HC Lugano of the National League in Switzerland.
“That league is tough to get into if you’re a North American because teams can only play four imports, which usually means only one of them is a defenceman,” Chorney explains when talking about the decision to continue his hockey career in Europe. “I wasn’t getting any good offers from North American teams so I had a friend reach out to clubs in Switzerland and it just so happened that Lugano was looking for an import defenceman so things moved pretty fast.”
Chorney notes he and his family have loved living in Europe the past few years: “It’s been fun. I always figured that when I was done my hockey career I’d have the opportunity to travel and see other parts of the world. I feel so fortunate to have been able to do that with both Lugano and now Salzburg this season. It’s been a cool experience.”
The Thunder Bay defenceman spent a decade bouncing between the NHL and AHL after being selected in the second round of 2005 entry draft by the Edmonton Oilers.
Chorney was born in our city but spent a majority of his youth in the United States.
Chorney image courtesy of GEPA/RedBull
“I lived in Thunder Bay until I was five years old. My father finished his hockey career and was working in my grandfather’s business in the city. The business came to a fork in the road moment where expansion and growth possibilities were discussed. It was eventually decided that moving the company to the United States was going to give them a better chance of that happening so we ended up settling just south of the Twin Cities in Hastings, Minnesota.”
Chorney has fond memories of getting drafted in the NHL: “I remember sitting at home in Hastings with my dad and I had one of my buddies over. I was sitting in front of the computer constantly hitting refresh, until finally in the second round, I got a call on the home phone and the caller identification read ‘Edmonton, Alberta’ so that’s when it clicked in for me that I was picked. To be selected by a team with a rich hockey history was a cool experience and I was super excited.”
Pick Round Schedule
Sunday February 14th @ Bolzano Foxes (Italy) Noon Eastern Time
Friday February 19th vs. Klagenfurt
Sunday February 21st vs. Hydro AV19 (Hungary)
Tuesday February 23rd @ Vienna Capitals
Friday February 26th @ Klagenfurt
Sunday February 28th vs. Bolzano Foxes (Italy)
Tuesday March 2nd vs. Vienna Capitals
Friday March 5th @ Hydro AV19 (Hungary)
