The departure to Riga is imminent, the anticipation is growing: One week before the start of the 2021 IIHF World Championship in Latvia, the end of the time in Nuremberg is approaching for the German national ice hockey team. On Friday, the last training sessions in Middle Franconia were scheduled and by the evening, preparations for the trip were in full swing. "It's a special World Championship, it requires a commitment from everyone. But fundamentally, it is always an honor, an award, to play for the national team - and the boys feel that way too," said captain Moritz Müller, looking ahead to the World Championship tournament under difficult circumstances in the Corona pandemic.
This week in particular has put national coach Toni Söderholm's team to a special test. Three training groups were formed as a safety measure to keep the risk of danger as low as possible and to get to the World Cup venue as smoothly as possible. "It was definitely the right decision," said Söderholm, who also saw advantages in group work: "We were able to work a little more calmly and take a little more time to discuss small details. I am convinced that it also helped a lot in terms of communication."
On Saturday afternoon, a charter plane with the selection of the Deutscher Eishockey-Bund eV will set off on this special World Cup mission, which is characterized by the desire to impress with top performances and to create enthusiasm for ice hockey in Germany. “I think that we as a team are capable of very good performances and I believe that there is a lot in it,” said Markus Eisenschmid from Mannheim, for example. “Of course we all have high expectations of ourselves, that’s completely normal and we want to be a good team every year and fight hard,” added Moritz Seider, who had strengthened the team over the course of the week.
“We need the three units in Riga before we start”
If a DEBWhen the entourage lands in the Latvian capital, there will first be three days of individual isolation in the hotel room. This is scheduled to end on May 18th and then the German selection can go on the ice for the first time in the Arena Riga. “We need the three units in Riga before we start. Mentally we are definitely ready to play, now we have to make sure we are in good physical shape,” emphasized DEB-Coach Söderholm, whose coaching team is now almost complete again. Only assistant coach Matt McIlvane still has to wait for his quarantine to end after the positive corona test.
Captain Müller sees one of the most important tasks before the start of the World Cup against Italy in a week (May 21st / 15.15 p.m. on SPORT1) in forming and finding the team. “Growing together as a team very quickly will be very important. Quality is enough in this team, but Germany can only be successful if we remember our core values: faith, will, passion. Then I'm very optimistic," said the 34-year-old, who is one of four Olympic silver heroes from 2018 DEBteam is. Frederik Tiffels also attests that the World Cup squad has good prospects: “We have to concentrate on ourselves because we have a talented squad.”
“When you think of Riga, of course we have good memories.”
A pound is also said to be the much-praised atmosphere in the national team, which didn't make Tom Kühnhackl think twice when he saw the chance to aim for the World Cup after the end of the season in North America. “I was really happy to be able to be there. “It turned out well this year,” said the two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who last played for the national team in 2016. And where? In Riga during the Olympic qualification, when Kühnhackl scored the decisive goal against Latvia to secure the Olympic ticket to Pyeongchang: “If you think of Riga, then of course we have good memories.” Maybe this is for them too World Cup a good omen.
Photos: DEB