EHC Red Bull München: Preview of PENNY DEL opener against Düsseldorf

Wednesday, 13. September 2023 | EHC Red Bull München: Preview of PENNY DEL opener against Düsseldorf

Mission title defense! Munich starts against Düsseldorf// DEL - PREVIEWFrom hunter to hunted: With the DEL home game on Thursday night against the Düsseldorfer EG (7:30 p.m. | LIVE in our blog), EHC Red Bull München opens the 30th DEL season as reigning champions.

The Olympia-Eisstadion is already emotional shortly before the game. Immediately before the start of the game, the championship banner, on which several hundred fans have immortalized themselves with their signatures, will be hoisted under the roof of the arena. "That will be a very special moment again," our defender Konrad Abeltshauser is looking forward to. "But with the first face-off we finally tick off the old season and start the mission title defense," announced the original Bavarian.

Starting signal for the 30th PENNY DEL season

In the coming 52 main round match days, it's all about the best possible starting position for the playoffs for our Red Bulls. "I believe that every fan can look forward to a super hockey season," says Patrick Hager. "All teams have strengthened and also signed very well across the board. Many teams want to play at the top, but also the fight for sixth place and for tenth place will be exciting again. And of course the relegation battle," says the captain.

Großer Andrang bei Open Locker Room der Red Bulls

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Close duels, where anyone can beat anyone else, are therefore also guaranteed in the coming months. And there will also be surprises, as usual in sports. "Predicting before the season who will end up where is incredibly difficult. And I think that's also what makes the league so appealing," says the 35-year-old.

"Challenge we have to accept"

Coach Toni Söderholm's team already got off to a successful start in competitive play. In the Champions League, the Red Bulls are in third place with ten points (out of a total of 24 teams) after three wins in a row most recently and are already close to advancing to the knockout phase. "We have had a good start and are in rhythm.

But the DEL opener is something else again," explains our number 52, well aware that the Red Bulls, as champions, are particularly challenged from the start. Hager explains. "Every team that plays against us will have a tad more motivation. But that's the challenge we have to take on." Hager and his teammates are definitely ready.

The path of the DEG

Our opponent from Düsseldorf initially finished last season in seventh place. In the 1st playoff round, the DEG beat the Löwen Frankfurt 2:0 in a best-of-three series and thus qualified for the quarterfinals.

In a thrilling series, played in best-of-seven mode, the Red-Yellow team lost to the eventual finalist ERC Ingolstadt 1:4. Three of the five games went into overtime, four of which ended with only a one-goal difference.

However, the preparation for the new round was bumpy. Eight test matches resulted in only two victories for the newly formed team under new coach Thomas Dolak.

Experienced Newcomers from the PENNY DEL

Nothing has changed in goal. Henrik Haukeland, ex-Munich, continues to be one of the best goalies in the league. In Oliver Mebus (Nuremberg), Torsten Ankert (Iserlohn) and Sinan Akdag (Mannheim), sports director Niki Mondt was able to bring three experienced German defenders to the Rhine in the summer.

The defense - Düsseldorf conceded only 137 goals in the last main round, the third fewest in the league - should once again be difficult to break down.

There are also some new faces on offense. Among others, the DEG secured the services of Kevin Clark, who scored 37 points (20 goals) for Eisbären Berlin last year. Phil Varone (30 points for Spartak Moscow in the KHL) should also be a real boost. With Bennet Roßmy, the current "Rookie of the Year" also moved to Düsseldorf. Together with the proven forces around Philip Gogulla and Alex Ehl, the departures of Daniel Fischbuch (Mannheim) and Tobias Eder (Berlin) must be compensated.

The both defenders Alec McCrea (suspended) and Kyle Cumiskey (injured) will definitely miss the start of the season. And the attacking duo of Brendan O'Donnell and Stephen MacAulay are also out due to injury.

"In defense, they have strengthened well. In the forward line, DEG has lost one or two players that need to be replaced. But all teams have a good squad," Hager classified the Rhinelanders. "We have to look at ourselves anyway. If we get our game together, it will be quite difficult for everyone to beat us. The goal is three points in every game," he clarifies.