– Identity in professional sports, does it exist? We are asking this question in a short series at this time from the point of view of Middle Franconian First and Second Division clubs. Today: Why the Ice Tigers are suddenly both Canadian and Franconian.

When players are called on the ice individually, it is at Linde Stadium and since 2001 at the Nuremberger Versicherung Arena, especially when: “Coldwell” by Daryl, “GDDES” by Paul, Roman “Turek”. “, by Sergio “Momeso” and on Patrick “Reimer”. Stars from EHC 80 and Ice Tigers came from Victoria (Coldwell), Prince Georgia (Geddes), Strakonis (Turek), Montreal (Momeso) and Mindelheim.

When the Reimer was presented, after two pandemic years in front of ice hockey games with few or no spectators, it seemed to have gotten even louder – perhaps out of gratitude alone that the best players in German ice hockey history. One chose Nuremberg in the eleventh year as well to showcase his extraordinary talent everywhere. The Ice Tigers couldn’t have wished for a better detection figure. Reimer is an allgu in the best sense of the word, humble, selfless, close to nature, strong. Reimer has no problem being taken as a Nuremberg resident, and apparently not with the fact that some fundamentals are shifting to ice hockey, perhaps to a Nuremberg location.

Ice hockey is a Canadian sport, no doubt, especially in Canada. The ice hockey language is English. Of course you can shout “unauthorized long range shot” when referees ignore an opponent’s discharge strike, but no one does. “Icing” is smaller – and cooler. And of course it was Steve Sertich too, even though he was from Minnesota, so only almost from Canada, or later from Coldwell, Geddes and Momeso.

Herzig, Husseinder, Rebarik

Only at some point did the game become very good. Two became three four became import players – until the Boseman regime changed the professional game forever. The abolition of the German term “foreign rule” first brought Greeks from Toronto and Italians from Richmond Hill into the league, with no distinction at any time between EU foreigners and actual foreigners. Canadians were nothing special anymore, there were so many of them.

If Grrrrrrrrregor follows Grrrrrrrrregor particularly loudly, it’s certainly because of the Halifax youngster’s sometimes flamboyant style of play, but also because Arena spokesman Christian Roop used the first “R” so much. Beautifully and consistently played. Furthermore, fans are now shouting out the names of players they not only know from ice cream or Instagram but have played with themselves, not only from fan to star but from friend to friend. After Lucas Ribaric scored his first goal at the DEL in March, he wanted to personally thank each fan, and above all he knew everyone personally.

Rebarik is the best example that the “Nuremberg of all places” in the second paragraph could actually have been omitted. For some reason that is hardly apparent even at second glance, Nuremberg has always produced good ice hockey players: Sonne Bingold, Bernd Herzig, Bubi Bohm, Reinhard Hüssenther, Martin Müller, later Niklas Truttle, who played it as a goalkeeper. Also made in NHL as. , Ribaric was also born in Nuremberg, played for EHC 80 and clapped for the Ice Tigers. He is the eighth Nuremberger to score a goal in the DEL.

but a little break

Marius Möchel scored his first DEAL goal for Hamburg Freezer, Sven Ziegler for Eisbahn Berlin. He had to leave Nuremberg to make it to the DEL. Such was the case with Rebaric, who wore the Adler Mannheim jersey upon his debut in the professional league. But in Nuremberg, the people responsible have developed a sense of bringing these players back to Nuremberg, first Andre Dietzsch from Berlin and Frank Fischoder from Dortmund, now cosmopolitan Stefan Ustorf and Tom Rowe from North Carolina.

Last season, three Nurembergers played for Nuremberg, which is unique in the history of the Ice Tigers. And indeed leading in a league in which ups and downs is not a foreign word. Three Berliners also play for Eisberen Berlin, and three Augsburgers play in Augsburg. But nowhere is there a more local identity than in Nuremberg. Then there are Oliver Maybus, Marcus Weber and Reimer, who all spend most of their careers in Nuremberg.

similar?

Something permanent must be made from the heart with these Nurembergers, real Franconians and import players who last more than a season. Where in ice hockey sustainable is quite a foreign term. Still, there will be some turmoil. The hope of making the team stronger should be given to those players who can identify with the Ice Tigers. This led to touching scenes after a 3–1 draw against Düsseldorfer EG in the last game of the season. “It’s never happened before that players had tears in their eyes because they can no longer be part of this team,” said managing director Wolfgang Gastner in surprise.

For this a player must return whose first name R can be rolled very well.