Dylan Stanley has been playing for VEU Feldkirch for six seasons. Needless to say the small Austrian city is a comfortable place for the former Alberta Golden Bears forward and his young family.
That’s why it was easy for Dylan and his wife Maggie to decide to stay there. Stanley, 36, is hopeful to be playing for at least another few years, so the couple wanted their son finish grade one in Austria, so he could continue learning in German.
The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t change their mind.
“We just kinda figured it was quiet and comfortable here,” said Stanley. “The storm’s gonna be pretty bad no matter where you are and this just seemed like the easy choice.”
The other reason he wanted to stay, was because he saw an opening away from the ice.
His typical off season is spent in Edmonton training youth hockey players through Evolve Pro Hockey, which recently re-branded to Lead Sports. Now, he’s started Stanley Pro Hockey and will help players in Feldkirch, in the western part of Austria very close to Switzerland.
“With the support of my club, it was gonna help things for them, take things up another level for them in the off season. And then also with junior and pro players in the area here.”
In Austria, restrictions are starting to loosen up. This week, pro athletes were able to start training together in small groups.