Maker at HC Bozen: Dieter Knoll. © det

Upswing, rumors, errors: the HCB boss speaks plainly

After a nearly two-week break, the ICE Hockey League returns on Friday. Before HC Bozen fights for its eighth win in a row in the home game against Villach, we spoke to club boss Dieter Knoll about the burning issues at the White Reds.

16 November 2023

HC Bozen is the team of the moment in the ICE Hockey League. After a nightmare start to the season (including a change of coach), the Foxes recently showed their true colors again and won seven games in a row. The trend is clearly towards the top 6 - even if club boss Dieter Knoll urges caution. With SportNews the Bolzano squad architect spoke about the turbulent start to the season, the goalkeeper position, the misunderstanding Lucas Lessio and persistent rumors.

Seven wins in a row after a horror start: Did you have to take a breather after this turbulent first third of the championship?

“It's been a two-faced season so far. We got off to a bad start. Coach Niklas Sundblad wanted to play a new system practiced by the top teams in Europe. However, he didn't have the time to get this system into the players' heads. That's also my fault because we had too many test matches and too few training sessions in preparation. Furthermore, and I still can't explain this, no player reached their normal form in the first phase. I wasn’t happy with a single one.”


Then Glen Hanlon came along – and suddenly the HCB shows a completely different face.

“The players really appreciate Hanlon. You are familiar with its style and system. Slowly the self-confidence came back, I'm thinking of Dustin Gazley, who scored a goal against Klagenfurt that made you realize: the old Gazley is back. Fun, joy and, last but not least, the luck of the hardworking have returned. Suddenly the disc somehow went into the goal again, while in front of it it was as if it were magical. I hope the break wasn't too long and we can pick up where we left off. We’re on the right track, but it’s far from perfect.”

Glen Hanlon breathed new life into HC Bozen. © det

One person has been particularly in focus so far - and also criticized - namely goalkeeper Niklas Svedberg. Is he still a shaky candidate?

"No. Coach Hanlon is firmly convinced of him and wants to continue on the path with him. Svedberg's performance curve is also pointing upwards; I have seen him improve greatly in the last two games. It is not currently under discussion, although we will continue to monitor it.”

“Lessio is a free spirit who has struggled to fit into his line.” Dieter Knoll

Another player is no longer in the squad. Lucas Lessio has said goodbye to HC Bozen. Why didn't this striker - who was already active in the highest leagues in the world - work for HCB?

“First of all I would like to say that Lessio is a very nice, really well-mannered man. As a player, I would describe him as a free spirit. But he found it difficult to integrate into his line. Lessio has good skills, otherwise you won't be a top performer in Klagenfurt with 14 goals and 14 assists. But with us he didn't manage to fulfill the tasks set by the coach in his line. When we signed Tyler Sikura, Lessio had to go to the stands a lot. But he really wanted to play and when the request came (from Krefeld, editor's note), we let him go."

Is Ryan Culkin returning to HCB? © Vanna Antonello

A rumor persists in Bolzano: Will Ryan Culkin, an outstanding HCB defender last season, return or not?

“We are still in contact with him, he is training hard in Canada and would like to come to us. Currently, Culkin just became a father and his wife wants him to stay with her. Nevertheless, I would put the probability that he will still be seen in the Bozen jersey this season at over 50 percent.”