In six weeks, the new team of Wild Wings in Schwenningen is expected. Over the summer months, some players train diligently on site for the new season. Coach Pat Cortina came for a short flying visit at the Neckar start today, visited the players during training and had some other appointments to start the new season in early August. In between, he also had time for an interview with wildwings.de

The successful season 2017/18 has been over for several months. Could you review the past season – and if so, what conclusions did you draw from it?

“I’ve been thinking a lot about last season. My big wish is, of course, to continue on our chosen path and to maintain our identity. On the ice, we were not only runners very strong, but also very disciplined and always very hard to calculate and beat. I think it was rarely easy to play or win against us last season. What we want to improve is perhaps our offensive game, we also want to focus on the bully and powerplay situations. «

The core of the team could indeed be held, yet some departures hurt a lot.

“That’s right. Although we have been able to hold many players, players like Damien Fleury, Uli Maurer or Will Acton will leave a big gap. These were players in the past season, which were not only playful important, but of course in the cabin. This may mean that we have to start from scratch and can not continue where we left off last year. At least we will need a while until all the wheels mesh. If you’ve known each other for a while, if you’ve already worked together, it’s a bit easier to start the season. But it is a challenge to get it together in the season preparation. «

Damien Fleury and Will Acton came together last season, including playoffs on 73 points scorer. So far, the team is not complete, but does this scoring of the two have to be caught by many shoulders?

“Replacing players like Will or Damien one-to-one is an impossibility, because you might find them every seven years. It’s not like we did the transfers to fill in the gaps with one player at a time. This is not possible here at our location, but our new additions must fit into our team structure, they must help us to bring a homogeneity on the ice, which makes us strong. Versatility, not easy to figure out, these are the things we value and this requires game-intelligent hockey players who can take on different roles and are versatile. That is the already mentioned identity with which we want to play and which should distinguish us. You also have to be realistic because our situation does not allow to oblige this one player who can make the difference. We have to pay attention to many little things and get the right player who suits us. «

Let’s get to the newcomers: what expectations do you have of them?

»Ville Korhonen is similar in player type to Markus Poukkula. He is very effective and makes the right decisions on the ice. Philip MacRae is a tall striker who can play both outside winger and center. Petteri already knows him and worked with him. It is also very important to us that they enjoy coming to Schwenningen to be part of a whole. Julian Kornelli is a young, talented, 20-year-old, whom we trust a lot. «

What will you and your coaching team change in the coming season?

“We want to radiate more goal-scoring, do more in the offensive zone and from the first day. As we said before, we want to improve on Bully’s and Powerplay points. «

Do the fans need patience and the new team have time to play in order to act as a unit?

“Absolute! I already realize that it is extremely difficult not to think about last year, because the past season was not only an incredibly great, but also very successful. I always have to slow myself down a bit and realize that it’s a new team now – we have a different situation now. And of course there is no guarantee that we will repeat this season. It can get better, but of course it does not work so well. The league is very balanced and every team wants to improve steadily. We hope, of course, that the fans will join us as in the past, because we will always do our best, that’s part of our identity. ”

What do you want from the Schwenninger Wild Wings as a club, what would be the logical consequence for you, what should be better or different in the coming season?

“I hope last season made many people in and out of the club happy. But I also hope that everyone has seen that we can assert ourselves in the league that we can succeed together. The team and everyone who works for the Wild Wings has taken our mentality out and was part of the success. We have goals that we are committed to, but we should always focus on the here and now. In this respect, I would like to see that we maintain our identity and that we work together to achieve success, because that is what distinguished us last year. ”

You looked at a lot of ice hockey games over the summer months, the playoffs, the World Cup, you were in North America – so without ice hockey you are not, right?

“It’s been 30 years now that I’m in this business and I have different phases with me. Sometimes I’m the coach Pat Cortina, sometimes I’m a normal ice hockey fan who likes to watch a hockey game. Not because I look at what tactic and system is played, but because I really like our sport. ”

How can we imagine that? Pat Cortina with a beer and a sausage in the stands ..?

“Yes, that’s about it (laughs). I enjoy and love that, this is pure hockey! Of course, there are always moments when the coach comes through in me. If I see a player’s action that I liked, I’ll write it down. ”

What was your personal highlight in the hockey-free time?

“It was a different summer, because my eldest daughter is graduating and it was nice to spend time with her.”

Does Papa Pat have the right gift for the Abitur?

“She’s not finished yet, in the middle of high school. But the gift has already been bought. ”

And is in the garage?

“Oh, yes! No, there are some things coming together. Abiball followed by a trip, a lot is coming up. So we have to play a very good season so we can pay for it all (laughs). ”

06/19/2018