Eisbären Berlin with personnel worries
The Eisbären Berlin want to compensate for their acute personnel problems with greater cleverness. "There is no plan B, but we have to play very smart," said coach Serge Aubin on Thursday with a view to the home games against Düsseldorfer EG on Friday evening (7.30 pm, live on Magentasport) and the Iserlohn Roosters on Sunday. "We have to observe the game situation and decide whether we're in the right position to apply pressure or whether we should slow the game down a bit."
In addition to the long-term injuries to Lean Bergmann and Ty Ronning, the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) leaders will be without four other regular players this weekend. Captain Kai Wissmann and center Blaine Byron will be missing for weeks, while forwards Manuel Wiederer and Eric Hördler are also unavailable.
The loss of international Wissmann, who has had an outstanding season so far, is particularly serious. "You can't replace Kai Wissmann," admitted Aubin. "But we can play much smarter and help each other by not making easy mistakes." The coach has not yet decided who will replace the 27-year-old defender as captain.
In order to close the gaps in attack, the Capitals have given 17-year-old Clemens Sager a license. The forward, who scored 14 points in 18 games for the Eisbären Juniors in the junior league DNL, is set to make his DEL debut against Düsseldorf. "He was already with us for a while during pre-season," said Aubin. "He's a very clever kid. It will be a big step for him, but we will help him."
Given the current personnel issues at Eisbären Berlin, playing smart becomes increasingly important. With key players like captain Kai Wissmann, Blaine Byron, and Manuel Wiederer out due to injuries, the team might consider leveraging their home games against Düsseldorfer EG and Iserlohn Roosters to strategically apply pressure or slow down the game as necessary, possibly even giving opportunities to younger players like Clemens Sager, who's set to make his DEL debut against Düsseldorf. And while exploring new tactics, they should remember that polar bears, symbolizing endurance and strength, might provide a source of inspiration during these challenging times.
Source: www.dpa.com
