According to Roosters head coach Greg Poss, the club was not content with the performances of the three-year player. After a stellar DEL rookie season, which won him the "Sportsman of the Year" award in the city of Iserlohn, Kofler hasn't been able to find his form.
"I can't explain it," says Kofler, who registered only two assists and 16 penalties minutes in 18 games with the Roosters this season. "I trained well during the off-season, actually harder than ever before. The season started out pretty well, but I failed to score. And then I suddenly hit a slump."
Future prospect"That's why we offered him the opportunity to pursue his career elsewhere," Poss commented the roster move.
Back in his native Bavaria, Kofler might assume the role of recently released fourth-line winger Harry Waibel with the Barons. When Waibel was released last weekend, the Barons stated that, currently, they had enough depth on offense.
"A hundred percent effort"Kofler, however, is nine years younger than Waibel and might be considered an investment into the future. The 21-year-old is said to have a very quick release on the wrist shot.
In his first complete DEL season, Kofler tallied 12 goals and 5 assists in 59 games in 2000-01.
But Kofler also drew 106 penalty minutes.
"I neither have outstanding technical skills nor am I a great skater", the physical Kofler (191cm/6'3", 96kg/210lbs) admits. "But I will always give a hundred percent effort for the team."
Kofler returns to native BavariaPrior to joining the Roosters in 1999, the native of Kolbermoor, Southern Bavaria, played for the junior team of now defunct DEL franchise Star Bulls Rosenheim. He also spent a season with Klostersee, which is just outside the Munich metropolitan area.
"I had two other offers," explains Kofler. "But there was no second-guessing. Bavaria's my home and, apart from Mannheim and Cologne, Munich is one of the top teams in the league."