Red Deer natives Paul Postma (left) and Matt Fraser celebrate their team's league championship win in Austria. (Contributed photo)

By Kevin Watson

local duo wins big overseas

Red Deer’s Fraser, Postma win hockey championship in Austria

May 25, 2021 | 12:01 PM

The pandemic has turned pretty much everything in the world upside down, but a pair of Red Deer Minor Hockey alumnus made the most of it and came home with a championship from Austria.

Matt Fraser and Paul Postma spent the 2019-2020 season in Germany and Switzerland, respectively. Both were free agents going into last season which was unnerving as the months passed by.

The two, who are a year apart in age, had never played together on the same team growing up, but they became buddies and were training together and skating, sometimes on the outdoor rink in hopes of getting a contract.

As Christmas approached, neither player knew if they would get to play, until Fraser came into the gym one day and said he had signed with Klagenfurt in Austria.

After Postma congratulated Fraser and asked where is Klagenfurt he said, “Could you talk to your agent and see if they wanted a right-handed defenceman. The team called back the next day to say they were interested and within two days offered me a contract.”

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The pair were just what the doctor ordered as the team was fifth in the league when they arrived, but then promptly went 12-1 once the Red Deer duo got into the lineup.

“We had a really good team, everything just kind of fell into place,” said Fraser.

“When Paul and I got there, they had already started the season, so you just kind of do your best to blend in and try and show them what you can bring. Fortunately for us we were able to contribute offensively and try and be part of the team and ultimately it ended up with us winning the championship which is the coolest part.”

Fraser, who has played in 65 NHL games with Dallas, Boston and Edmonton, had 21 points in 26 games during the regular season before tearing it up with 15 points in 15 playoff games, including two goals and the game winner in the title clinching game.

Postma, who has 205 NHL games to his credit with Atlanta, Winnipeg and Boston, put up 22 points in 20 games but missed the post-season with a separated shoulder.

Both have re-signed with Klagenfurt. Postma says it was a quick “yes” when they asked him to come back.

“Being able to go and play with one of your best friends in Europe and know that you’re going to a good team that’s successful and a great group of guys at this point in my career that was enough for me to say I’d love to stay here,” he admitted. “That city is absolutely gorgeous, one of the best cities in Austria. I’m excited to go back there and try and win another championship and hopefully I’ll be on the ice this time.”

The two are back home now, but it’ll be a quick turnaround as they head back to Austria at the end of July to prepare for a repeat. And even though the pandemic continues, these two are in a much better frame of mind thanks to a championship and already knowing they have a place to play next season and if they want to change things up for dinner, Italy is only a 45-minute drive away.

(Photo: Matt Fraser)