Thursday, 26. March 2026 |
EHC Red Bull München: Veit Oswald Returns After Injury
The playoffs are no walk in the park. High intensity, every battle is fierce, every detail matters. The first quarterfinal matchup against the Panthers showed that in this series, the Red Bulls will have to push themselves to their limits—especially physically. As this weeks-long challenge begins, Oswald is returning from injury.
In his first appearance after the break, he already logged an impressive 13 minutes of ice time. With him on the ice, we generated 21 of our total 43 shots on goal—nearly half. This underscores that Oswald was immediately a revitalizing force in our offense again, bringing speed and presence in the offensive zone.
Special praise from the coach: “Veit was great”
Coach Oliver David was impressed after the game by the way our number 27 came back. He emphasized that it “didn’t look like he’d been away for long,” and praised his mobility and presence on the ice in particular. The fact that Oswald was even on the ice during the 6-on-5 in the final minutes and immediately had a good chance was a clear sign for David: “I didn’t see any problems with him, either mentally or physically. He was great. It’s good to have him back.”
Pressekonferenz: EHC Red Bull München vs. ERC Ingolstadt (24.03.2026)
// DEL - INTERVIEW
At the same time, the coach also highlighted those who worked behind the scenes to make this comeback possible. According to David, the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center in Thalgau, Austria—where Oswald completed much of his rehabilitation—as well as our physical therapists and the entire off-ice team, “did an extraordinary job.”
From Olympic Disappointment to Rehabilitation Focus
The backstory makes this comeback even more emotional. Before his injury, Oswald was the strongest German forward in the PENNY DEL, having scored twelve points in his previous ten games. Consequently, the Munich forward was invited to the Olympic camp as part of the DEB team’s preparations for the Winter Games in Milan.
“I don’t think there’s ever a good time to get injured,” he says in retrospect. But with the Olympics on the horizon, the setback was particularly tough. What hurt the most was how close he already was to his dream. Oswald: “I already had my team gear, had attended the first team meeting, and received the travel plans for Milan. Having to cancel my participation just a few days before was, of course, very bitter.”
The 21-year-old describes the first day or two as mentally very difficult: disappointment, frustration, a lot of thoughts. But he quickly found a new direction. It “really helped me to focus fully on rehab” instead of dwelling too long on what he had missed out on.
Rehab at the APC – The Foundation for a Strong Comeback
The work he did at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center in Thalgau was crucial to his quick and strong comeback. That’s where Veit laid the groundwork for his return. “I was at the APC near Salzburg, which is Red Bull’s rehab center. They did a great job. I don’t think I’d be back on the ice right now without the people there—or without Red Bull in general.”
After the necessary rest period following the injury, his focus shifted to strength, conditioning, and stability. He tried “not to fall too far behind,” both physically and athletically. The fact that he was able to show so much speed and stability right away in his first game is the result of this consistent work—together with our medical staff, physical therapists, and performance coaches.
“It didn’t feel like I’d been out that long”
He’s pleased with the coach’s praise, and personally, he draws a generally positive conclusion: “That’s nice to hear, of course. It didn’t feel like I’d been out that long to me either.” The forward drew a comparison to the first game after the summer break.
Highlights: EHC Red Bull München vs. ERC Ingolstadt (24.03.2026)
// DEL - HIGHLIGHTS
Compared to the first game in August, getting back into the swing of things was much easier. Usually, when he first steps onto the ice in the summer, it takes him a little while to get back into the groove. But this time, he took to the ice and felt right at home immediately.
He sees a key reason for this in the fact that he’s remained close to the team the whole time: “Watching the games and practices here, and having the guys around me, really helped me.” The strong teamwork on and off the ice remains unchanged despite the two-month break.
Oswald still sees “room for improvement”
Despite the successful comeback, Oswald still sees room for improvement in his own performance: “Of course, I was happy to be back on the ice. But I do believe there’s still room for improvement. The playoffs aren’t the regular season. It gets brutal out there.”
Ahead of the second quarterfinal game against Ingolstadt on Friday (7:30 p.m.), the 21-year-old promises: “I think I’ll get used to it quickly—and I’ll give it my all!” After your comeback on Tuesday, no one has any doubts about that, Veit.
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