Franz Reindl is busy putting together Team Europe for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
By Adam Steiss
The return of the World Cup of Hockey brings to life a team that may not share a common flag, but is aiming for nothing less than the trophy in Toronto this year. The team is led by DEB-President Franz Reindl. Together with team manager Miroslav Satan and coach Ralph Krueger, Reindl is trying something that no one has tried before: putting together a team of players from European countries (excluding the top four nations) that will compete in the World Cup.
Mr. Reindl, how did you come to take over the planning for “Team Europe”?
I was contacted in the summer of 2015 by Bill Daly, the deputy NHL commissioner. Even though I was very surprised, I was happy! For me, as a former player and someone who has been in this business for a long time, this is a great thing. Everyone dreams of being part of the NHL business and this is something I have been looking forward to from the beginning.
We were in contact from then on and started to put together the basic framework for the team. One of the first things I noticed was that, unlike all the other teams, ours would be the only one that didn't have an association behind it, so we didn't have any direct resources to draw on, so we had to create them ourselves. All the other teams have that, even the North American Young Stars have two associations behind them. It's a challenge for us, but it's a nice challenge because it gives you a different perspective on how to put your team together.
What was the first step in putting this team together?
The first step was to put the core together, to find out what kind of coach we needed, what kind of manager. When we spoke to Satan, it only took him a few seconds to make his decision. We didn't talk about money or contracts at all, he had a huge enthusiasm and excitement about the job from the start, which was really nice to see.
It was the same with Ralph Krueger, he has experience in Europe and internationally and at the same time is also very familiar with North America and the NHL. He has experience in tournaments, he knows how to prepare a group before a tournament, he is the right person for this job. Ralph is a leader and a great motivator. His teams always played strong and fair and he is a great figurehead for our sport.
Many nations are already represented in the first squad of 16 players. If Team Europe had been put together ten, fifteen years ago, do you think it would have been the same?
No, but that's exactly what makes it so good. Team Europe represents the development that has happened on our continent in recent years. It will be a competitive team and we have a lot of good players to choose from. We have the talent, now we just have to have the chemistry right.
How are you going to get the team together so that they play like a team even if you don't have a common flag on your chest?
We must develop a common identity within a very short time. The first impression after we contacted the players was anticipation. They are as excited about this tournament as we are because it is a unique concept and something completely new. Everyone is ready for the challenge.
We will not play in this tournament as the European Union, or under a specific flag, or for a logo, or anything like that. We will be a group of professional athletes who want to come together, become a team and win a major tournament. All of these players are competitive types, I have no doubt that they will give their best.
It's not about playing for a country, it's about playing for a team and as a former player I know that if you have a team that works well together then they will stand up and play for each other. That's exactly what our philosophy will be, we want to create a team like that.
The media always asks how the chemistry develops between players when they play together. We know quality is important, but is chemistry overrated?
No, this is very important. Ralph set up the scouting process and instructed our scouts. He placed a lot of emphasis on how players should be evaluated and chemistry played a very big role in that. You think about which four lines would fit best, which goalkeeper would suit us best, which defensive pairs could work well. The chemistry of the players is very important and is given great consideration.
With such a large pool of talent to choose from, how did they decide on the top 16 players?
I trust our coaching staff and scouts on this matter. We were in good hands because our scouts did a great job and sent us over 275 scouting repots. Nonetheless, it will be difficult to select the next seven players.
As President of the Deutscher Eishockey-Bund, did you try to stay out of the decision regarding the nomination of Leon Draisaitl?
I just agreed (laughs). I can't get involved when it comes to the German players, but if I'm asked by our coaching team, I'll of course give feedback.
Still, it's no surprise that Leon and Dennis Seidenberg made the team...
Leon had an incredible season and developed quickly. Dennis is a great player, they both definitely deserve to be in the squad.
Of course, this also helps our program a lot; it is a big signal to all young German players that the World Cup of Hockey is an achievable goal. Thomas Greiss, Tobias Rieder, Philipp Grubauer, Christian Ehrhoff, Tom Kühnhackl and Korbinian Holzer are other good examples.
It's great that all of these players enjoyed their training in German clubs. This is also a sign to all other associations that it is possible to reach the highest levels even if you go through the national young talent programs.
If you look at the bigger picture, how does the World Cup Of Hockey fit into the international ice hockey calendar?
As the organizer and host of the 2017 World Cup, I have to honestly say that it didn't seem right to me at first. I thought it might disrupt our program. But after a while my opinion changed.
The best of the best will compete and the publicity the World Cup Of Hockey generates will help our sport develop and grow. That's the most important thing for our sport and it's also great to see this great product on the ice.
IIHF President René Fasel has spoken about creating a permanent ice hockey calendar with the cooperation of all members of the associations and professional leagues. What is your opinion?
I completely agree with René. If the WCOH is to be run every four years, then it is important to create a general and all-inclusive hockey calendar. With the leagues, the associations, the clubs and Fans, the IIHF and the CHL have so many events coming up that it is important to give all participants the greatest possible support from this calendar and scheduling. We are not opponents, we are all in the same boat when it comes to the health of our sport and a general ice hockey calendar will help us move closer together and improve the calendar together each year.
What is your opinion on NHL players participating in the Olympics?
My general opinion is that the Olympics provide the biggest stage for ice hockey and, as the biggest sporting event in the world, the best athletes should compete there. Therefore, it would be my wish that the NHL would also get involved.
If the players do not take part, this could have a dramatic impact on the tournament. We would have to adapt the competition into a kind of U23 tournament, like in football, for example. I really hope NHL players join in so we can secure hockey's preeminent position in the Winter Olympics.
To get to the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships in Cologne and Paris, how are the preparations going?
2017 is on schedule. We have two great arenas in two great cities. With the capacity of the two halls, it is as if we had two separate events. We expect many Fans at the tournament and also that spectators use the express train connection between the two cities to watch the games in both Cologne and Paris.
We work as a unit in the organizing committee, even if it is made up of two different nations and two different cultures. Our French friends led by Luc Tardif are doing a phenomenal job. And even though it's still a while away, we're really excited about the World Cup.
With the World Cup and the home World Cup, it will be a very eventful year for you...
Ohh yes, but I'm really looking forward to it too. We also have our Olympic qualification coming up before the WCOH. Many of our Team Europe players will also play in these tournaments. That could be our advantage at the WCOH, because the players will already have a few games under their belt when they arrive in Toronto. It's going to be an exciting year!