The coaching team of the German national ice hockey team for the IIHF World Championships 2021 in Riga/Latvia has been formed. At the side of national coach Toni Söderholm (43 years old), four other coaches will do their part to make the tournament of the Deutscher Eishockey-Bund eV as successful as possible. The Finnish former national player and 1995 world champion Ville Peltonen, the long-time DEL defender Alexander Dück and Matt McIlvane, the head coach of the EC, act as assistant coaches Red Bull Salzburg and part of the coaching team at the Olympic silver coup in Pyeongchang 2018. There is also goalkeeping coach Ilpo Kauhanen, who has also been active as a player in the top German league for many years.
Peltonen was there for the first time Deutschland Cup in November 2020 in an advisory capacity DEBteam on the boards and not only has a wealth of experience as a player. After his impressive professional career with numerous medals at major international events and 382 NHL appearances, the 47-year-old worked as an assistant for the Finnish national team and spent several years in various coaching roles in Switzerland. Söderholm and Peltonen were part of the Finnish World Championship silver team together in 2007.
Dück (41) and Kauhanen (47) were part of the coaching staff of the top team Beijing at the last one Deutschland Cup as well as at the IIHF U20 World Championship in Edmonton/Canada, when the German team defied all adversities and reached the quarter finals for the first time since the introduction of the knockout round. The Kazakh-born Dück made over 700 appearances in the DEL for Schwenningen, Krefeld, Iserlohn and Hamburg. Kauhanen was a goalkeeper in Ingolstadt, Mannheim, Hanover and Kassel, among others.
For McIlvane it's a comeback DEB since the historic Olympic days in February 2018. The 35-year-old American has been in charge in Salzburg since 2019; previously he was assistant to head coach Don Jackson for years EHC Red Bull München employed. McIlvane will be joining the team from Tuesday with the start of the third phase of World Cup preparations DEB-Selection and will be on the boards for the first time at the home international games against Belarus (May 7th and 8th/live and free on MagentaSport, live on SPORT1).
National coach Toni Söderholm: “I tried to find coaches who have their strengths in certain types of games and a team that fits together personally. We live close to each other for almost 24 hours a day, so we have to get along well. It is a team of trainers in which everyone knows what they have to do and takes on things without instructions, showing a proactive way of working. Teamwork among coaches is incredibly important to the team's success. Ville has an incredible amount of international experience, Matt knows our processes very well. Alex Dück has already worked with the U20 and Ilpo has also taken part in several tournaments.”
Sports director Christian Künast: “We have a very harmonious and hard-working coaching team who can also speak plainly internally if necessary. Under the leadership of national coach Toni Söderholm, we are once again very professionally positioned for the upcoming World Cup tournament.”
Assistant coach Ville Peltonen: “It all started for me under unusual circumstances Deutschland Cup, when Toni wasn't there. Even back then it was very pleasant to get to know the players and this exceptional staff. I'm grateful to Toni for the invitation and I'm really looking forward to continuing to work towards the World Cup tournament. We all help the players where we can and I especially help with the power play and the strikers. I have great respect for Toni as a person, he is also a long-time friend. He works so passionately to develop German ice hockey, I’m happy to be able to help.”
Assistant Coach Matt McIlvane: “I feel honored and am very happy to accompany Toni, his staff and the entire German team to the World Cup. I am excited about this opportunity and ready to give whatever support I can to the team.”
Assistant coach Alexander Dück: “I'm really happy that I can be there. When I found out, it took me a few minutes to digest it. I think the composition of the trainers and the staff is generally very good, everyone gets along well with each other. It’s a lot of fun to be here and work together.”
Goalkeeping coach Ilpo Kauhanen: “We get along well, I’ve known Ville for a long time, we played together. I've been working with Toni on and off for three or four years. I'm very happy about it and was very happy when Christian and Toni asked me if I could come here. This is really great and a great honor.”
