GERMANY – Roughly two months ago I wrote in my preview of the 2009/10 DEL season: “For what feels like the hundredth time, the Hamburg Freezers hope to finally transform their roster’s undoubted quality into some sort of measurable success.” What was supposed to be a witty, slightly ironic statement, today sounds like a bad joke. After 14 games the Freezers have amassed a mere 12 points and have a firm grip on last place, despite operating with what is supposed to be the fourth biggest budget within the league. Tenth place being the last pre-playoff position is already nine points away.
What makes things worse is that no one in Hamburg seems to have any idea how to find a way out of the disastrous situation. Last Thursday coach Paul Gardner and his team lost their home game against the Adler Mannheim (Eagles) 0-6, their tenth defeat of the season. And the visitors did not even have to show a big effort. Instead they cruised to an easy win. It was disturbing to see how little self-confidence is left within the whole team, and while the players on the ice seemed to just surrender to their fate, the fans in the stands did not show too many emotions either.
When the franchise moved from Munich (where the had played as the Barons for four years, winning the title in 2000) to Hamburg at the beginning of the 2002/03 season they immediately sparked huge enthusiasm in the city. For most of the past seven years the Color Line Arena used to be a madhouse with the fans supporting their team frantically. Up until now that is. “At some point even the most dedicated supporter understandably loses interest”, admits interim General Manager Thomas Hildebrand.
What makes the whole situation in Hamburg even more bizarre is the fact, that the Freezers would not even have to look far to see how to successfully run a franchise in the DEL: Just like them the Eisbären Berlin (Polar Bears) are also owned by the Anschutz Entertainment Group. And with four titles within the last five seasons the team from the German capital is somewhat like the embodiment of success. Why this cannot be adopted in Hamburg remains a mystery.
And even though the Polar Bears lost a highly entertaining game in Augsburg on Sunday 4-6 they continue to comfortably lead the league with 32 points after 15 games. Right behind Mannheim in second place (16 games/31 points) the Augsburg Panthers (15/29) and the Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg (15/28) are the biggest surprises so far.
Behind them Frankfurt (14/24), Ingolstadt (15/24), Iserlohn (15/23) Düsseldorf (15/23) and Cologne (15/22) are in close pursuit. What unites all five of them more or less is the at times rather inconsistent play that has cost them a couple of valuable points already. The Kassel Huskies (15/21) currently own the tenth place, so far successfully holding off the charging Hannover Scorpions (16/19).
Krefeld (14/17), Straubing (15/16) and Nuremberg (15/15) meanwhile will have to pay attention not to lose contact, or otherwise their chances in the playoff race might diminish sooner than they would like.
Contact: Carsten.vanzantem@prohockeynews.com
