Alex Trivellato is one of those international players who occasionally speaks out sharply. © Vanna Antonello

“No partying”: A different wind is blowing in the national team

"Everything's different, really everything!" says Alex Trivellato. South Tyrol's best ice hockey defenseman is someone who speaks strikingly, and at the same time, someone who is heard like few others. We spoke with him about the turnaround on the Blue Team, much-needed kicking in the ass, and visits to his parents' hair salon.

17 April 2025

Alex Trivellato, what is your impression after ten days of World Cup preparation?

"We really stepped on the gas. It was important to get the engine running again after the end of the club season. Now the engine is running again. Now it's time to implement that in the games. There are the test matches against Poland (on Friday and Saturday, editor's note) is just right. It's also important for your mind to create a change from your daily training routine and switch on the competition mode."


You've been working with coach Jukka Jalonen on the national team for six months. What's changed compared to his predecessor, Mike Keenan?

"Everything, absolutely everything! The team spirit, between the players, the coaches, and the trainers, is completely different. Training is more structured, there's more pace. The whole approach is completely different; we're following a clear plan now. This isn't a party; we're working hard."

Alex Trivellato took time out for a SportNews interview during the training camp in Bolzano. © SN

What is the mood within the team?

"It was good before, too. Now, however, a completely different wind is blowing; the atmosphere has changed fundamentally. There's a positive vibe, a kind of sense of optimism. It's nothing compared to what I've experienced here over the last two years. But you won't win games with a good atmosphere alone; we have to bring that to the ice at the World Cup."


You're going to the World Cup in Romania at the end of the month to get promoted, right?

"I don't want to raise expectations or increase the pressure even further. On the contrary, I'm being realistic: We've been in the second-highest division for three years, and that's no coincidence. We also can't claim the right to label any opponents as hockey dwarfs or underestimate them. What matters is on the ice—and that's where we finally have to deliver."

“We need a kick in the ass every now and then” Alex Trivellato

How deep is the sting after missing out on the title at the home World Cup last year in Bolzano?

"So deep you can hardly imagine. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So the memory remains of a fantastic week of ice hockey in our own living room, in front of many fans, in front of our own families, but without a happy ending. We have to take the frustration from back then with us to Romania and transform it into real energy there. We have something to make up for!"


However, three players from the Swiss elite league, Tommaso De Luca, Giovanni Morini, and Alessandro Segafreddo, are missing. How will the absences be compensated for?

"We don't have any absolute superstars who are irreplaceable; our strength lies in our balanced squad, our collective spirit. When key players like those mentioned above are out, it's up to us, the more experienced players, to strengthen the team spirit on the ice and thus compensate for the absences."


So do you feel like you are in the leadership role?

"I'm one of the older players on the team. Therefore, it's my job to make sure the team stays tight, but also to push with a bit of a tougher approach. We need a kick in the ass every now and then, that's just how it is. But I don't take myself too seriously. We have other strong characters on the team, like Thomas Larkin and Luca Frigo, who have also been with the team for a long time and know what's important in the national team."

Alex Trivellato is a leader not only on the Blue Team, but also on the Wild Wings in Schwenningen. © schwenninger-wildwings.de

How do you manage to switch off and recharge your batteries during these intensive training days?

"It's easy here: I meet my friends, go for coffee with my brother, and visit my father's hair salon in Leifers. My parents' house is in St. Jakob, just one kilometer from the ice rink. I'm staying at the Sheraton Hotel and spending most of my day with the team, but it's nice to finally be home again. Since my youth, I've been used to only coming to South Tyrol sporadically, so this is just a good time."


This summer, you'll be returning to Germany for your twelfth season in the DEL.

"Exactly. Last season in Schwenningen was okay for me, but nothing more. I had my best phase at the end of the season, but unfortunately, it ended in the pre-playoffs. There's still room for improvement. But that's for the future; right now, it's all about the national team. We want to show at the World Cup that a new wind is really blowing here."