Daniel Glira answered questions from SportNews at the Sparkasse Arena. © dl

At 31: The best Daniel Glira of all time?

Daniel Glira has been a well-known name in South Tyrolean ice hockey for over a decade. But the 31-year-old has never been as good as he has this season. Ahead of the 1st Division Group A World Championship in Romania, we spoke with the Pustertal native about why.

24 April 2025

From: dl

Daniel Glira scored 10 points for HC Pustertal in the ICE Hockey League this year. The Toblacher played a key role in helping his Wolves reach the quarterfinals. On the sidelines of the World Cup preparations in Bolzano, SportNews briefly chatted with Glira about various things.

"My work ethic has always been the same. This year, I simply had the trust of coach (Jason Jaspers). Editor’s note). When there's ice time, my confidence also increases. That's a big factor for me. But my job isn't scoring points, it's defense," explained Glira, who has been criticized from time to time in recent years.

“When the ice age arrives, my self-confidence also increases.” Daniel Glira

Glira did a solid job defensively this year, fully utilizing his physical strengths and even taking on opponents. The defender was a fixture for HCP even in shorthanded play and is expected to continue this at his 6th World Championship. "The only thing that matters is promotion. At a B World Championship, you can't make any mistakes. You have to be ready for every game to achieve that goal," Glira said.

Daniel Glira experienced disappointment at last year's World Championships in Bolzano. © Valentina Gallina/FISG

It won't be easy for Glira and his team in Romania. Two of the six teams will ultimately achieve promotion to the top division. "Great Britain, as relegated teams, is definitely the favorite. We saw last year in Bolzano how close the games are. Everyone is playing for promotion," explained Glira.

Much respect for Jalonen

Star coach Jukka Jalonen has been in charge of the Blue Team for about nine months. Asked how Glira feels about the Finn, Glira replied: "Of course, I have enormous respect for his career. He's a very open and relaxed person with everyone. That makes it easier to work with him. But of course, the team has to get used to each other during the World Cup. As a national coach, you don't have much time for group training. He tries to keep it relatively simple so everyone knows what they have to do."

Jukka Jalonen takes command of the Blue Team. © Vanna Antonello

On Tuesday Italy's squad for the B World Championship. There were also surprises. From the South Tyrolean perspective, for example, Pascal Brunner and Peter SpornbergerWhat does Glira think about this? "That's obviously always the most difficult day of the training camp. It's a truly horrible feeling." According to assistant coach Stefan Mair, Brunner fell victim to the fact that they were taking "only" 12 strikers to Romania instead of 13.