Claes Endre is riding a wave of success with HC Gröden. © Johannes Franke

Val Gardena's new hero: The star who cleans the cabin every day

HC Gröden is riding a wave of success in the Alps Hockey League playoffs. One of the main reasons for this can be found in goal: newcomer Claes Endre has quickly become the league's best goalie. Perhaps also because he thinks a little differently than most professionals.

March 31, 2026

In mid-January, things weren't looking too rosy for HC Gröden. After a spectacular start to the season, disillusionment had set in, and the team had tumbled back to ninth place. Then, sporting director Joel Brugnoli pulled another transfer out of the hat, signing the free agent Swedish goalie Claes Endre. What no one could have predicted at the time was that the 30-year-old Scandinavian would become the league's best goalie within just a few weeks – and give his Gröden teammates serious cause for dreaming big.

If HCG wins the quarter-finals Salzburg, the winner of the preliminary round, has been eliminated. and now with Title favorite Zell am See is playing on equal terms Then that's also largely thanks to Endre, who has four shutouts and a phenomenal save percentage of 94,4 percent after 19 games. "We're really on a roll right now, playing with a lot of confidence, and we've found a way to win the important games," Endre said in a telephone interview. SportNews.

He cleans, vacuums, and washes.

The goalie himself felt at home in Val Gardena from the very first moment – ​​and enjoys a high level of respect among his teammates. Perhaps also because he's a bit different from most of the other migrant workers. Star attitude? Endre doesn't know the meaning of the word. On the contrary: he's a model of down-to-earthness. Every morning, the goalie goes to Pranives, the Val Gardena hockey stadium, and tidies up the locker room. He cleans, vacuums, and sometimes even does the laundry for his teammates.

"I was impressed by how many people here work around and for the team on a voluntary basis." Claes Endre

“I immediately noticed how many people work for and around the team here – and all on a voluntary basis. That impressed me. That's why I want to do my part too. I'm used to being at the stadium first thing in the morning over the past few years. I'll keep that up here, even though we don't train until the evening. So I use the time to clean the locker room, do the laundry, and get everything ready for training in the evening,” Endre explains.

First professional contract at age 25

The team's star player, who isn't too proud to take on such tasks – that's truly a rarity. This work ethic, however, doesn't come about by chance. "In my younger years, I was never an outstanding ice hockey player, never played on the youth national teams or for big clubs. On the contrary: I didn't sign my first professional contract until I was 25," explains the father of two. As a teenager, Endre did spend two years in a US junior league, but then returned to his native Sweden, where he played in the third and fourth divisions.

A wizard in goal: Claes Endre puts on a great performance in Val Gardena. © Matthaeus Kostner

“During that time, I always worked on the side. We have a family business at home, where we take care of refrigeration systems. I also worked at a school for a year,” Endre explains. Then came the 2019/20 season. “I had a very good year in the third division and subsequently signed my first professional contract with AIK, a second-division club. Since then, I've always played in the Allsvenskan,” Endre says.

A good friend of Tomas Sholl

In 2023, a special encounter took place there: Endre formed the goaltending duo with a certain Tomas Sholl at Södertälje. Sholl had made a name for himself in Europe over the previous two years with HC Pustertal and then took the plunge and moved to Sweden. "I've rarely met such a nice person as him. We became close friends and did a lot together off the ice. Sholly invited our family to celebrate Thanksgiving with him, and every now and then he picked up my daughter from kindergarten. He really has a huge heart," Endre raves.

"Something very good is being created here." Claes Endre

So now the Swede has also landed in South Tyrol. "I didn't have an easy year this year, as the player market was very tough. I was without a club until January. Then the opportunity with Val Gardena arose, and I'm very happy about that," said the goalie, who still has big plans with his Furie. Semifinal number 3 is already scheduled for Tuesday in Zell am See; in the best-of-seven series, each team has won one game so far. "Something really good is developing here," Endre said, eagerly anticipating the remaining semifinal games.

Alps Hockey League, Semifinals – Game 3 (Best-of-Seven)

Tuesday, March 31st at 7:30 pm
EK Zeller Eisbären – HC Gherdeina
Score in the series: 1:1

Wednesday April 1 at 20:XNUMX p.m
HC Meran – KHL Sisak
Score in the series: 1:1