EHC Red Bull München's new signing Les Lancaster in an interview

Wednesday, 14. February 2024 | EHC Red Bull München's new signing Les Lancaster in an interview

Feared by opponents, loved by fans: that's Les LancasterScoring machine is already missing in Finland// PORTRAITWhen a player of this quality is on the market, you have to go for it. That's why EHC Red Bull München signed Les Lancaster. The offensive defenseman recently shone in Finland and has what it takes to become a crowd favorite here as well.

Never before have we received so many messages from fans of a former club after the announcement of a new signing as we did with Les Lancaster. The supporters of Ilves from Tampere, Finland, want us to take good care of "their Les". Although our new attacking defender "only" played there for two and a half years, he has left a lasting impression - both on a sporting and personal level.

Erstes Interview: So tickt Les Lancaster

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Lancaster has been one of the team's top scorers since his transfer in 2021. In his 171 appearances in Finland's top league, he collected a strong 100 scoring points (27 goals | 73 assists). Last season, he was even the top-scoring defender in the Liiga (56 points).

Opponents fear the 29-year-old's shot and overview - which is one of the reasons why his fans have taken him to their hearts. Accordingly, they mourned his departure.

Lancaster wants to put everyone in a good mood

But it wasn't just his performances that made Lancaster so popular with fans. He was also well received as a guy: "Whether for my fiancée, my family, teammates, fans or strangers - I always try to be the same. I'm open and try to spread a good mood. The people in Finland liked that."

"I didn't know what I was getting myself into"

Lancaster ventured to Europe in 2021. Ilves was his first stop outside the USA. "I didn't know what I was getting myself into," says Lancaster. But he had the feeling that he needed to give his career a boost and change his field hockey environment: "I'm not particularly tall and heavy, which is important in the North American leagues. I come from skating. My style is more suited to Europe." Things went brilliantly there straight away. He now wants to continue this with the Red Bulls.

Fast-paced first few days

"The first few days in Munich were great," says Lancaster. He, his fiancée and their dog landed in the state capital a week and a half ago on Friday. He watched the 6:4 win against Straubing as a spectator and then made his debut in Wolfsburg (0:2) on Sunday. So it was straight down to business. He was able to use the international break to settle in: "We explored the city center and visited as many restaurants and cafés as possible to get a feel for the city."

Golf enthusiast and ice hockey late starter

Lancaster was born in Dallas in 1995. But he only lived there for a year. "I have Dallas in my heart, but my home is Michigan," says Lancaster, who has been a fan of the Detroit Red Wings since early childhood. But before he actively played ice hockey, another sport was very popular. "I mainly played baseball at first. I only started playing field hockey when I was seven or eight years old," says Lancaster.

Servus Eisstadion | Das 3rd Jersey der Red Bulls 2023/24

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Another passion is golf. "I played for three years at college in the off-season," reports Lancaster. And adds: "I even have a few tournaments on my list this summer. Golf is the perfect balance to ice hockey." He can also switch off in front of the TV. His favorite series is "Game of Thrones": "I've probably watched it all the way through five or six times."

Big goals: Championship and marriage

Lancaster has now completed the first phase of settling in in Munich. He feels at home in Munich. Now his head is clear for the next tasks: "I want to win a championship, because I haven't managed that yet in my career. I see good chances here. And then there's the wedding. My fiancée is slowly putting the pressure on. We want to tackle that, but neither of us are good planners," says Lancaster.

Home debut on Thursday against Schwenningen

Things get serious for our number 74 on Thursday (19:30), when he will make his home debut against the Schwenninger Wild in the sold-out Olympia-Eisstadion. He is still waiting for his first win in the DEL. However, he was already able to celebrate in Munich, as he turned 29 just four days after his arrival.

Congratulations and here's to a successful time with the Red Bulls, Les!