Ivo
Jaschick's
Eye on Europe
Reporting from Germany
and
across Europe 2006-07
GERMAN
HOCKEY LEAGUE (DEL)
ROUNDUP JANUARY 2007
BY IVO JASCHICK, HOCKEYTALK
In the year 2006, two shocking news items were dominating the German Hockey League (DEL):
During the preparation for the Germany Cup `06 in Hanover Robert Mueller (Eagles Mannheim), one of the best goalies in the league and a member of the national team, was diagnosed with cancer.
Only a few weeks later, Ingolstadt Panther coach Ron Kennedy was diagnosed with a brain tumor. It was removed but there is still no news, good or bad!
1. MANNHEIM EAGLES
The Mannheim Eagles are flying at the top of the league. The Eagles are receiving big support from the Atlanta born Jean Marc Pelletier who is showing all his experience. In Francois Methot they have their top scorer (14g;25a-39p) who are #4 overall.
2. INGOLSTADT PANTHERS
Youngster
Yannic Seidenberg (left) had a goal-scoring burst
and leads the club, with Robert Valicevic (who signed together with
Jason Holland (D) through 2009). Jakub Ficenec and Jeff Tory are also
cornerstones of the Panthers defence.
3. DUESSELDORF METRO STARS
Former Avalanche and King goalie Jamie Storr is leading the league in shut outs with 3 (tied with Cologne's Adam Hauser). Former Sabre and Blue Jacket defenseman Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre is a very effective guard in front of the net who can also score. The Metro Stars' most effective forwards are Norwegian Tore Vikingstad (drafted by St.Louis) and German Daniel Kreutzer.
4. COLOGNE SHARKS / KOLNER HAIE
The Cologne Sharks swim in fourth. The Sharks are playing under their new coach more offensively and have been successful. Former NHLer Dave McLlwain’s performance has been brilliant. At the age of 39, McLlwain is still one of the top ten scorers in the league. On defense, Stephane Julien is scoring like a forward, and his shot is feared by every goalie. Even his colleague between the pipes, Goalie Adam Hauser, doesn`t like facing his shots during practice.
The Minnesotan Hauser became a Shark after playing in the AHL (American Hockey League) for the Manchester Monarchs (LA Kings) and directly dominates the DEL on his position. He has three shut outs and deflects a league leading 93.2 % of all shots fired on his goal.
5. SINUPRET ICE TIGERS
You
won`t find Sinupret on a Germany map because the Nuremberg Ice Tigers
sold their name. Canadian
Scott King is Sinupret`s leading scorer with 37 points
(15g;22a). Defender
Stefan Schauer (right)
doesn`t stand for any nonsense, is hard checking has speed
and a dangerous shot. In 2001 he was drafted by the Ottawa Senators #
162 overall.
6. BERLIN POLAR BEARS
At the moment, the last safe playoff spot (No.6) is occupied by the Polarbears of Berlin. Mark Beaufait is second in the league’s scoring list. At the start of the NHL season, Denis Pederson tried to get a contract in the NHL, but rather than considering the minors, he returned to the German capital`s hockey team and gives them more power. Head coach Pierre Page & GM Peter John Lee are placing a lot of confidence into the younger generation. They have a whole bunch of players born in 1986 and younger. And they are paying it back. Even the three goalies are 20 & 19 years old.
THE REST (7-14):
In the DEL, eight clubs make the playoffs. To determine the last two spots, the seventh place club meets the tenth, and the eighth battles the ninth. Losers are eliminated, and this rounds out the DEL’s playoff ranking.
Current 7th – 10th place clubs:
Franfurt Lions, Hanover Scorpions, Krefeld Penguins & Hamburg Freezers
Krefeld’s Herbert Vasiljevs (well known in many of the American hockey leagues) set up a new record for scorer points in the DEL by netting 4 goals and 4 assists when Krefeld was playing the Frankfurt Lions (8-2) in a hard-fought match to gain a play off birth.
11-14:
Iserlohn Roosters
Augsburg Panthers
Straubing Tigers
Foxes of Duisburg
For the first season in the DEL the Straubing Tigers are doing very well. Coach Erich Kuehnhackl – showpiece of the German hockey, many years top scorer in Germany and “best player of the century” – says: “We only want to learn and of course our goal is not to become the last team in the standings. I`m very proud of the way my team is acting and showed that we are not canon fodder for the others. We`re now receiving some respect after our success! But now we don`t have to rest!”
The biggest disappointment are the Duisburg Foxes. Coaches Dieter Hegen drafted by the Canadiens (`81, # 46) & Udo Schmid are doing a good tandem coaching job, but they can`t score goals for their clubs from behind the bench.
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Copyright 2008 Western Hockey Network
NOV 8, 2006 -- ISERLOHN ROOSTERS LIKELY HEADED TO FIRST DEL PLAYOFF APPEARANCE
Sept/October 06: DEL Preview / Finland's Jokerit
Photos by Mathias Lehmann
