Since Mario Richer signed for Moser Medical Graz99ers to take over from Bill Gilligan, next to nothing has stayed the same. Richer will arrive for training on Friday and will welcome four new players: Artyom Konovalov arrives from Champions EC Red Bull Salzburg. The 20 year-old will back up Fabian Weinhandl in the Crease.

In front of those two young netminders, 24 years old Canadian marskman Sebastien Bisaillon is supposed to add firepower to the team that distinctively lacked Defenders with a decent shot in the past season. Quebecois Bisaillon, who has featured in two NHL games for the Edmonton Oilers, heads over to Styria from ECHL-side Wheeling Nailers. He was hand-picked by Mario Richer.

Even more scoring chances should open up for the other new arrivals, Forwards Olivier Latendresse and Guillaume Lefebvre. Latendresse headssouth to Graz from German second division Team Bietingheim Steelers, where he scored 52 points from 49 games last season. Before his switch to Europe, Quebecois Latendresse, a quick two-way-forward with decent technical abilities, roamed through the North American Leagues, linining up for AHL-teams San Antonio Ramapage, Abbotsford Heat, Manitoba Moose and Hamilton Bulldogs amongst others.
Equipped with even more experience at top-level, bruising Left Wing Guillaume Lefebvre, too, arrived at Graz. Just two season ago, the Philadelphia Flyers‘ 7th round pick in the year 2000 was still plying his trade in the NHL with the Boston Bruins. Lefebvre has totalled 39 games in the top-flight, and 416 in the AHL, where he amassed 851 PIM in the process. He is the third arrival form Quebec, thus opening the door to a new and different style of hockey in Graz, mainly one in which we’re likely to see offensive and physical hockey.

Rookie Lukas Peicha has been promoted to the first team, too, while two additional Defenders and one more forward have been earmarked as additions to the squad.

Good news for the goalie-tandem, too: The 99ers have picked up Sam Liebkind, last seen working very successfully indeed at Norway’s Stavanger Oilers.

Pre-Season-Program 2011/12 Moser Medical Graz99ers
Fr, 12. August 2011: Moser Medical Graz99ers – Landshut Cannibals
Do, 18. August 2011: HC LEV Poprad – Moser Medical Graz99ers (Tatra Cup/SVK)
Fr, 19. August 2011: HC Vítkovice Steel – Moser Medical Graz99ers (Tatra Cup/SVK)
So, 21. August 2011: Moser Medical Graz99ers - Kölner Haie/Nationalteam Polen/HK Poprad (Tatra Cup, SVK).
Fr, 26. August 2011: Landshut Cannibals – Moser Medical Graz99ers
Sa, 27. August 2011 Testspiel in Landshut (opposition n/a)
Do, 1. September 2011: Moser Medical Graz99ers – University of Manitoba (Kapfenberg)