Damian Clara: “I wasn’t pronto”

From Oulu in Finland to Reischach, from there around the globe to San Diego on the US West Coast, directly to Sosnowiec in Poland, to Bolzano, and finally, this Thursday, to the small Romanian town of Sfântu Gheorghe. Damian Clara has collected more air miles in four weeks than others do in their entire lives. "The traveling is a bit of a pain in my bones," he says in the SportNews -Conversation. We conducted this on Wednesday, when the national goalkeeper was already sitting with his suitcase packed at the Sheraton Hotel.

Italy’s best ice hockey goalkeeper does not use the travel strain as an excuse for his big mistake in the last World Cup friendly "That looked terrible. I don't analyze mistakes like that, I just look at what I could have done better," Clara said. Mistakes like this or the even more serious one in March at his then club in Finland He quickly brushes that off. However, the 20-year-old also says: "In general, it seems to me as if I used up all the luck in the world last year." “At some point, I stopped enjoying everything.” Damian Clara But what does Clara mean by sentences like these? One explanation: In the 2023/24 season, he led Swedish second-division team Brynäs to the title with outstanding performances; he had already been the first South Tyrolean to be drafted into the NHL. After his summer move to major club Färjestad in Sweden's top division, things suddenly went south. Clara lost the battle for a starting spot between the sticks, later moved to Finland, and finally finished the season in North America.

Damian Clara made his North American debut for San Diego in early April. © Tim Garland

Looking back, Clara says quite openly: "I wasn't pronto, I have to be honest." He adds, explaining: "The step into this top league probably came too early. I had a good start, but with the first few weak performances, I noticed that my confidence was dwindling. I fell into a hole. It suddenly felt like I had to climb an incredibly steep mountain, and every step was difficult. At some point, I stopped enjoying everything."

A change of heart bore fruit Clara appears composed in conversations and interviews, critically analyzing, and demonstrating tremendous maturity for her age. Yet when he talks about that "hole," he repeatedly pauses, he hesitates. "In the end, experienced teammates helped me out. And at some point, I said to myself: Stop now! Okay, you may never be the best goalkeeper in this league, but you can be the goalkeeper who develops the most in this league." He then began working according to this credo.

The change of heart had an impact. On the one hand, he stabilized his performance, and on the other, he later performed well again in Finland. Sudarshan Maharaj arranged the transfer from Färjestad to Oulu Kärpät. He is responsible for all goaltenders at the Anaheim Ducks, including Clara, whom the NHL club has contracted since 2023. Maharaj traveled to Europe specifically for Clara and supported him. "In Sweden, I learned how to deal with difficult phases, and in Finland, my relaxed attitude on the ice returned." Clara made ten appearances for first-division Kärpät. “I don’t have a career plan” Damian Clara After missing the playoffs in Finland, Maharaj and the Ducks brought the young South Tyrolean across the pond for the first time, where he made two more appearances for the San Diego Gulls in the AHL, the precursor to the NHL. Clara describes this time as "incredibly cool," but at the same time, he also saw how tough the business and how complicated the system is in North America.

What happens next in the summer? That's why the youngster says today: "If Anaheim brings me to the USA, I'd gladly accept the challenge. But honestly, I currently prefer to stay in Scandinavia. I still have a lot to learn – and the best way to do that is with plenty of ice time in a league that promotes young players. To put it bluntly, North America is a shark tank where you'll quickly get eaten up after poor performances. If I go there, I want to be as prepared as possible."

The two-meter-tall giant's sporting future won't be decided for a few weeks. "I don't have a career plan anyway. I'll take it as it comes; I had to internalize that, too." Until the new thing arrives, he plans to devote himself, among other things, to his distance learning course in economics, which he began in the fall. Clara speaks five languages fluently, loves reading, and wants to continue her education and learn new things – even off the ice.

But the Pustertal native wants to shine again on slippery surfaces in the coming days. Starting Sunday, he'll be competing for Italy at the B World Championships. The ice hockey there will be played at a much slower pace than in the AHL. "So you have more time to move around, and the more you move, the greater the likelihood of making mistakes. But I'll definitely adapt." Things should work out in Romania, not just for Clara, but also for the entire Blue Team. Promotion is the goal.

After the World Cup, Clara will be back on the plane for a well-deserved vacation. "I'm going to the seaside for a week." The main goal there will be to unwind and recharge. "I've experienced, or rather learned, an incredible amount recently." Clara has learned one thing above all: "I can't live up to everyone's expectations every day, neither my own nor those of others."

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Damian Clara: “I wasn’t pronto”

Four teams, three leagues, two continents, one World Cup. These aren't the key dates of an entire playing career. They're a tally of what Damian Clara experienced in just three months. It's a wild, crazy time that's left its mark on the 20-year-old Pustertal native.

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