The runners scrape across the ice again, the familiar clicking of the puck against the boards can be heard again: professional ice hockey training is resumed in Frankfurt. The lions are preparing for the upcoming season in the German Ice Hockey League (DEL). The task for the partners Stefan Krämer and Andreas Stracke during the ice-free period was to further improve the general conditions of the club.
For example, during the summer break, they used funds from the budget to have the cabin in the municipal ice rink renovated. Last season, three players had their lockers in the hallway. “The city of Frankfurt also made a contribution, but we financed most of it ourselves,” said Stracke in an interview with the FAZ
There was some movement in the hockey club’s sponsorship environment, but the second main sponsor, whose funds would significantly increase the budget, is still missing. The fact that Lotto Hessen is now advertising with bright yellow ice hockey helmets and no longer with the logo on the shorts does not help the budget much. The Bitburger Group has also only adjusted its sponsorship and is letting the regional beer brand Licher disappear from the environment of the lions. “Because we were able to triple our reach via the digital channels, but also because of the national TV reach, the group decided to advertise with its national brand,” explains Stracke.
Tiilikainen: “Want to play active hockey”
Nevertheless, the shareholders were able to provide sports director Franz-David Fritzmeier with slightly more funds for the squad for the upcoming season. However, the club does not provide precise information on how much money Fritzmeier has available. As in previous seasons, the sports director put together the squad – and hired what he felt was the right coach. The Finn Matti Tiilikainen was a coach at Frankfurt in the second division from 2018 to 2020.
“We have to focus on our mission, and I think we have the right players for it,” Tiilikainen answers the question of how he intends to keep the team’s performance constant throughout the season. This is exactly what his predecessor Gerry Fleming failed to do. He started the season with a bang, but then didn’t develop the team further from the point of view of those responsible for the Lions. On the subject of development, Tiilikainen said: “Before the first competitive game, we naturally develop the running condition, and in the eight preparatory games we will observe who is recommended for which role.”
Once again, the lions want to rely on a closed team, but not only. “We want to present ourselves cleverly on the ice and play active ice hockey,” says the new coach about the expected lion style. Tiilikainen works with a squad that is deeper and of more quality than last season’s squad. With Cody Kunyk, Fritzmeier was able to sign an experienced center forward for the second row – and thanks to the attacking defender Ville Lajunen, the majority game should now also be a positive factor in the Löwen game. Last year, Lajunen scored 45 scoring points in 56 games for Schwenningen.
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“It will be an exciting season. For me there are the big six from Berlin, Mannheim, Munich, Cologne, Ingolstadt and Wolfsburg. What happens behind? Let’s see”, Fritzmeier formulates his expectations for the new season. It is not yet possible to say where the sports director is with his lions. The capabilities of the experienced professionals can be estimated, but how the talents develop is open. In any case, the 20-year-old striker Markus Schweiger has a lot of potential. In terms of sport, the lions think a lot of the talent – this is proven not least by the unusually long contract up to and including the 2026/27 season.
It is already clear who will take on the leadership role in the team. Defenseman Reid McNeill remains captain. The 31-year-old Canadian spent most of the free time in Frankfurt. “I took a lot with me from last season, as a player and as a captain,” says the experienced professional. He wants to be even more integrative. “I try to develop a good relationship with all the players, but they all get along very well.”
After the first joint training sessions on the ice in the ice rink, the Frankfurt team will be heading to Switzerland next week. During the training camp, the lions test against three opponents. Next Thursday (7 p.m.) the Löwen will even compete with the Swiss champions Genève-Servette HC. “We wouldn’t have done that last year. But in order to take the next step in a playful way and bring in the pace, a strong opponent will be helpful,” says Fritzmeier. The Lions’ ambitions have obviously grown.
