Those responsible for the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) have thought about something before the 30th season. For the marketing activities, many supposedly advertising-effective derivatives were created from the abbreviation “DEL” for the league. Slogans came out like “Your ice art league” or “Your warm-up league”.
If you look at the Lions Frankfurt’s season goals and squad, the club could have joined this campaign. In particular, the slogan “The Experienced Lions” (DEL for short) would have been a perfect fit for parts of the new squad. In order to establish themselves in the first league in the second year after promotion, the Lions around sports director Franz-David Fritzmeier are relying on numerous professionals who have already proven their skills, especially in major European leagues such as Sweden or Finland.
“Inspires the younger players too”
“The veterans exemplify absolute professionalism,” says Fritzmeier, referring to players like defender Maksim Matushkin and striker Cameron Brace. For these newcomers, away games in Mannheim or Munich are not a familiar routine. Last year they regularly competed in cities like Turku and Luleå. “The attitude of these professionals also inspires the younger players in our squad to work hard on themselves,” says Fritzmeier. And the sports director made sure that there were enough sources of inspiration.
With Joe Cannata, a new goalkeeper plays in Frankfurt, who spent nine seasons going back and forth between the second-tier American Hockey League (AHL) and the third-tier East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). After four seasons in Sweden’s first division, the 33-year-old has now decided to play for the Lions – and in the first test matches he already gave an idea of what the fans can expect from him: small but very efficient movements characterize his goalkeeping game. Frankfurt’s defense now includes internationally experienced professionals Matushkin (33 years old), Ben Blood (34) and Ville Lajunen (35). They will be led by new head coach Matti Tiilikainen, who himself is only 35 years old.
And the players in the second line of strikers, who are supposed to provide relief, are all already equipped with a lot of experience. The names there: Brace, Joseph Cramarossa, (both 30 years old) and Cody Kunyk (33). While Brace and Kunyk played in Sweden or Finland last season, Cramarossa was under contract in Mannheim. “All of these players have had a lot of hours working on the fundamentals of their game,” said Fritzmeier about the veterans in the team, who also play a major role in the dressing room. They should also lead the team to a certain extent through their professional achievements on and off the ice.
The big upheaval before this season (14 new arrivals, 15 departures) resulted from an insight from the sports director: The lions got through season one quite well thanks to the promotion hype, but hype only lasts in the short term. “We have to become more structured defensively, so much can no longer be based on coincidences,” says Fritzmeier.
Test match at home goes terribly wrong
The test matches were very different and showed where the Lions’ journey could go – up or down. Against the second division club Kassel, the Lions demonstrated in front of their own supporters in the only preparatory game in the ice rink how the upheaval could turn out for the club in the worst case scenario. The experienced professionals shied away from duels and the teamwork was noticeably lacking. Only the young professionals around Markus Schweiger and Lua Niehus were convincing in this game. They were more like the unimaginative lions.
But the total of six preparatory games also provided enough material for the optimists. In the last test game before the start of the league in Iserlohn, the Lions defended their 3-2 lead and left the ice as winners; in the third test game they were only defeated by the Eagles from Mannheim, who were much stronger individually, 2-3 after extra time.
It is precisely the attitude of the veterans mentioned by sports director Fritzmeier that will determine how the Lions will start the season. It will also be important that the experienced professionals support head coach Tiilikainen’s active and offensive ice hockey idea. Tiilikainen’s advantage: In terms of age, he is close to his designated leadership players, communicates a lot and conveys his ideas to his coaching team very vividly.
Bernd Schwickerath, Düsseldorf Published/Updated: Recommendations: 9 Bernd Schwickerath, Düsseldorf Published/Updated: Recommendations: 2 Valentin Teufel Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 3
Almost all teams have made significant changes to their squad before the 30th DEL season. This also applies to the Iserlohn Roosters and the Augsburger Panthers, the first opponents of the season. The games on Friday against Iserlohn (7.30 p.m.) and on Sunday in Augsburg (7 p.m. both games live on Magentasport) will show whether the team around the experienced Lions will now become the successful Lions.
