The event will take place from November 11th to 14th, 2021 Deutschland Cup 2021. It is the first international ice hockey tournament in which again Fans are admitted to the YAYLA Arena in Krefeld. In the interview, national coach Toni Söderholm talks about the challenges of squad planning, the tasks with a view to the Olympics - and how much he is focusing on the Fans happy in the stadium.
Toni, you recently visited the NHL club Florida Panthers for an internship. What were your experiences and impressions on site?
Toni Söderholm: It was very interesting and an intensive exchange. When trainers meet in meetings, a discussion always quickly begins: How do you do it? How do we do that? It was such an open exchange every day in Florida. There is a lot of interest in our German ice hockey players from North America in general. That's why I talked a lot to the general managers and scouts, especially about which talents will come from Germany in the next few years. And there's no other way to put it: The NHL is simply a very, very good ice hockey league. But it's important to me that we find our own path and gather the right inspiration for it - and not the other way around: You can't take someone else's path.
What would you say is your path?
Toni Söderholm: Open communication with the players on the national ice hockey team is very important to me. There is a completely different atmosphere in the national team than in the clubs. For me it is very important how we treat our players, that we speak to them honestly and transparently and that we treat them with respect.
Let's move from looking back to looking ahead: The Deutschland Cup 2021 is just around the corner. What are your most important tasks in the next few days?
Toni Söderholm: The absolute priority is of course: putting together a good squad, also with a view to the Olympics in Beijing and the World Cup next year. The Deutschland Cup is a very important tournament for us, where we get new and fresh impressions of the players, our tactical work and the way the team plays.
This year in particular, we need enormous flexibility when planning our squad. Something can always happen, injuries, illnesses, quarantine. That's why we plan with a squad, a B squad and an additional plan as to which player could replace another player. We are currently putting this mosaic together. I also make a lot of phone calls to the clubs' sporting directors to clarify whether a player has an injury or needs a break. We also take care of the topic of tactics, prepare team speeches and lectures and create videos.
How many players have you watched in the past few days and weeks?
Toni Söderholm: There are 35-40 players who support us for the Deutschland Cup who we are interested in and who we want to get an impression of. We did the sightings both in the stadium and via stream. This was very practical in Florida, as I was able to watch the games in Germany during the day in a relaxed manner thanks to the time difference.
The keyword Olympics has been mentioned a few times now. How much do the Olympics and the World Cup influence your squad planning? What types of players do you need in your team to be able to compete against strong opponents?
Toni Söderholm: One thing is clear: we also have calibers, we even have very large calibers. We need players who can implement fast ice hockey, who are strong in tackles, who are creative in small spaces. And we need players who make their teammates even better, we need to act as a united team - that's why we need real team players.
We put a lot of thought into squad planning: who is fresh and who isn't? Who is interesting for the Olympics and the World Cup? Who is in a really good mood right now? If we know what a player can do, but he's not yet in top form - it helps that we choose him now Deutschland Cup set up in 2021? Does that give him a boost?
What is your main goal in... Deutschland Cup 2021?
Toni Söderholm: I think the team goal is clear: we want that Deutschland Cup win. We have three games in the group phase. The most important thing is: we have to improve visibly from game one to game three and come out stronger on the third matchday than we started on day one. This is the only way we can Deutschland Cup, achieve something at the Olympics, at the World Cup, no matter what tournament.
The Deutschland Cup 2021 is the first international tournament where again Fans are permitted in the ice rink. How will this affect the players?
Toni Söderholm: I am glad that we are finally playing in front of such a fantastic crowd in Krefeld again. Games on home ice for the national team are something special for everyone involved, but of course they are particularly big moments for the players. The boys deserve to have a full ice rink cheering them on. All the players have worked very well over the past two years, improved enormously and delivered a very good World Cup. And the players are now burning to support the Fans.
And then this year there is the very special situation that the women are playing at the same time as you and are still fighting for Olympic qualification. For the first time there is even a special jersey for both national teams. Are there any exchanges between you and the women's national coach Tom Schädler?
Toni Söderholm: We mainly exchange ideas between tournaments. Women's and men's ice hockey are a little different, but there are things that can be adopted 1:1, especially the way the teams perform. Tactically, a lot of things are similar. Tom and I always see each other in the office and then exchange ideas. Of course, women can also use our videos on tactics and techniques, as can our young talent teams. It is important to me that we work with open doors.
With the Deutschland Cup In 2021 you have a big tournament at home ahead of you. Anyway, let's talk briefly about the tasks that come next.
Toni Söderholm: The calendar is full – and a challenge. We can't do a three-week training camp. Instead, we meet two or three days before departure to Beijing. The NHL players will probably come to the Olympic Village just a few days before the first game. We have to use this little time efficiently. So we will make a lot of materials available online for players. We also have to find the right players and prepare them properly. And of course we also take a close look at our opponents and adapt to them.
But we're doing ourselves a disservice by arriving in Beijing at the Olympic Village and spending eight hours a day watching videos and doing meetings. The Olympics are an experience and we have to make sure that our players feel good, are proud to represent Germany, do their best - but also can enjoy the Olympic atmosphere.
Tickets for the Deutschland Cup There's 2021 here.