He was DEL Player of the Year three times and is the DEL's most successful top scorer. He has scored 105 goals in 29 international matches. And Patrick Reimer is one of the 2018 Olympic heroes. In the interview, he looks back on his first and only Olympic Games, describes the importance of the Olympics in his career - and reveals why he believes the German ice hockey men can do anything for the 2022 Olympics.
Patrick, where is your Olympic medal?
Patrick Reimer: The medal is in a glass display case in my study at home.
Let's look back at Pyeongchang 2018: How were the Olympics for you?
Patrick Reimer: It was an incredible journey. It was my first Olympic Games, in 2014 we missed qualifying for Sochi, and in 2010 I was kicked out of the squad shortly before Vancouver. The 2018 Olympics were amazing. It was also a long road, with a nerve-wracking qualifying in Latvia, where we narrowly secured participation in the Olympics against the home team.
What were your expectations for the tournament?
Patrick Reimer: It is no longer a secret that our WhatsApp group was called “Mission Gold”. Whether that was really the goal remains to be seen. But we knew the NHL players weren't there, we had a homogeneous group and we could surprise. Secretly, each of us has probably dreamed of a medal. And the longer we were in the tournament, the closer we came to the dream. Then we have already said: The medal can work!
Our tournament start was rather weak and brought us back down to earth. But we got better from game to game, believed in ourselves and had great team spirit.
What is the 2018 Olympics moment for you?
Patrick Reimer: I was very impressed by the opening ceremony. That's when I realized: Now I'm among all these top athletes from the world. We run into the stadium together as Team Germany and represent our country. When the Olympic flame was lit, it was crazy.
Outside of the sporting significance: What makes the Olympics so special?
Patrick Reimer: You have to give Marco Sturm credit for telling us, “Guys, pay attention: the Olympics are unique and something very special. Soak up everything you can. Enjoy the first few days - then focus fully on ice hockey." We were in Pyeongchang early, watched other competitions, supported other athletes. We needed that to get that full Olympic feeling. But then it was clear to us: OK, full focus on the ice hockey tournament.
What significance does the Olympics have for you in your career?
Patrick Reimer: The largest. Probably every athlete dreams of taking part in the Olympics at least once. For a long time it was almost absurd for German ice hockey players to think about an Olympic medal. That's why I can't rate our Olympic success highly enough.
What was it like for you to be selected for the Olympic team in 2018?
Patrick Reimer: That was crazy. I have always lived the dream of being at the Olympics in 2018. In 2010 I was dropped from the squad shortly before, in 2014 I was perhaps at the peak of my career - but we didn't qualify. To think about being able to play at this level again when I'm 35 or 36 - yes, the hope was there, but you never know if it'll work out. That's why I was overjoyed that I was nominated.
What does the silver medal actually taste like?
Patrick Reimer: Like any other metal, probably. It's a nice feeling to know where you're biting into. But you don't need to highlight it in terms of taste.
Let's look ahead to the 2022 Winter Olympics. The German ice hockey men are a strong team. What do you think the boys can do?
Patrick Reimer: I trust the boys to do anything. You can go into the tournament with a big heart. The team played a strong World Cup. That should give them confidence. One thing is also clear – if the NHL players are there, the squad will be full of absolute top stars. But we have seen what is possible with a healthy and motivated team.
The boys should go in and dream of a medal, but not expect it. You should tell yourself: We can achieve anything. But they shouldn't be disappointed if they don't finish in the medals among the strong world elite.
Those are good closing words. Thank you for the interview, Patrick!