Milano announces the signing of Italian-Canadian forward Dante Hannoun ahead of the 2026-27 ICE Hockey League season.
Born in Delta, British Columbia, Canada, on August 2, 1998, Hannoun is a 168 cm, 73 kg right wing/centre, shooting right, whose key strengths are his skating speed and vision of the game. A familiar face in Italian hockey, he has played for Bolzano, Vipiteno and Val Pusteria, standing out for his offensive production and qualifying as an Italian-eligible player — which has allowed him to represent the Azzurri on multiple occasions (as has Nick Saracino, the other Italian-eligible player already confirmed in the rossoblù roster). Of Friulian descent on his mother's side, Hannoun is a cousin of the Petan brothers — Alex, an Olympian at Milano Cortina, and Nic, a former NHL player.
Hannoun's career began in the Western Hockey League, where across 369 games with the Victoria Royals and Prince Albert Raiders he recorded 326 points (130 goals, 196 assists). In the 2018-19 season he helped the Raiders claim the WHL title, scoring 14 playoff goals including the historic overtime winner in Game 7 of the final. After his professional debut with the Atlanta Gladiators in the ECHL, he moved to Europe, joining HC Bolzano in the EBEL (now ICE) for 19 appearances (3 points). A strong season at Vipiteno in the Alps Hockey League (40 appearances, 49 points) relaunched him at the top level, where he embarked on the best stretch of his professional career with the Val Pusteria Wolves: over three ICE Hockey League seasons in yellow and black he recorded 102 points in 144 appearances, establishing himself above all as a playmaker. In 2024 he moved to Slovakia with Spišská Nová Ves in the Extraliga (53 appearances, 38 points). Last season he split his time between HC Prešov in Slovakia, Odense Bulldogs in Denmark (with Alex Grant) and Manchester Storm in the British Elite Ice Hockey League, where an injury limited his contribution; fully recovered, he closed his time in the UK with 14 points in 19 appearances.
With the Italian national team, Hannoun has taken part in two World Championship editions: in 2022 in the Top Division, where he was the team's leading scorer (1 goal, 4 assists), and in 2023 in Division I. In total he has made 43 official appearances for the Azzurri, recording 25 points.
The signing of Hannoun adds to Milano's roster a player who already knows the ICE Hockey League and the Italian hockey landscape. He will wear number 17.
