A Castelrotto native and his NHL adventure

At the end of June, Damian Clara, the first South Tyrolean goalkeeper, was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round as the 2th player overall in the NHL draft. While the 60-year-old Reischacher still has to wait for his debut in the best league in the world, Daniel Goller has already made it: On September 18th, he was part of the coaching staff in Philadelphia's away game against the New Jersey Devils (25:0). flyers. But that's not all: 6 days later, Goller was allowed to travel to New York with the Stanley Cup winners from 2 and 1974 and also coached in the test game against the Islanders (1975:1).

“It all sounds like a fairy tale, but it is reality. “I still haven’t fully realized it,” says the aspiring goalkeeper coach with shining eyes. He stayed in the megacity in the US state of Pennsylvania from September 20th to October 2nd and was able to help out as an “additional coach” at the NHL club's preparatory camp and gain important experience.

“When I arrived in Philadelphia on September 20th, I was put through my paces in countless conversations by those responsible. The focus was not just on the specialist knowledge, but rather whether my character and attitude fit into the organization at all,” says Goller, whose father Heini used to chase the puck as a striker, looking back on the first days.

In 2 games on the coaching staff of the Philadelphia Flyers He was then assigned to a training group. “At the Flyers' training center, which is about 25 kilometers outside of Philadelphia and has two ice surfaces and a fitness room, there were three groups, each with two to three goalkeepers and 2 field players. There were 3 trainers working in each group. I was originally scheduled for the 2rd group. There were mainly AHL and perspective players there. On the first day I was given the chance to help out in the second group, where there were mostly NHL cracks. I stayed there until I was allowed to travel to Newark for the game against the Devils on September 3th,” explains Goller.

<a data-caption="Auf diesem Platz unter dem Dach des „Prudential Centers“ in Newark, wo die New Jersey Devils ihre Heimspiele austragen, feierte Daniel Goller am 25. September sein „NHL-Debüt“ als Torhütertrainer der Philadelphia Flyer." data-fancybox="inline-176509" target="_image" href="https://s3-images.sportnews.bz/_images/scale/1280x1280/img/2023/10/auf-diesem-platz-unter-dem-dach-des-prudential-centers-in-newark-wo-die-new-jersey-devils-ihre-heimspiele-austragen-feierte-daniel-gol.jpg"><img alt="On September 25th, Daniel Goller celebrated his “NHL debut” as goalkeeper coach of the Philadelphia Flyers on this pitch under the roof of the “Prudential Center” in Newark, where the New Jersey Devils play their home games." class="uk-img-preserve" src="https://s3-images.sportnews.bz/_images/scale/1280x850/img/2023/10/auf-diesem-platz-unter-dem-dach-des-prudential-centers-in-newark-wo-die-new-jersey-devils-ihre-heimspiele-austragen-feierte-daniel-gol.jpg"> On September 25th, Daniel Goller celebrated his “NHL debut” as goalkeeper coach of the Philadelphia Flyers on this pitch under the roof of the “Prudential Center” in Newark, where the New Jersey Devils play their home games.

The goalkeeper coach really hadn't expected that. He was fully involved in the game preparation and tactical discussions. During the game in the “Prudential Center” he sat in the Flyers box with other coaches and those in charge, and during the breaks he rushed from the top down to the dressing room, where he was asked for his observations and insights. And even after the end of the game, the “apprentice’s” opinion was asked for in the analysis.

2 days later, Goller was able to get a taste of the NHL again. This time in the “UBS Arena” in New York in the game against the Islanders. “If someone had told me in July, when I was invited to the training camp, that I would also be on the coaching staff for a game, I would have thought they were crazy,” Goller still can’t quite believe his luck.

The whole thing was orchestrated by Jim Corsi. The former Italian national goalkeeper, who worked as a goalkeeper coach in the best league in the world for more than 20 years and is currently passing on his knowledge to the students of Concordia University in USports, has been Goller's mentor since the turn of the millennium. In the spring of this year, the now 69-year-old talked about his “protégé” during a telephone conversation with Kim Dillabaugh, the goalkeeper coach of the Philydelphia Flyers.

Dillabough expressed interest. Finally, after the Flyers had found out more about him, Goller was informed on July 21st that he had been selected from several candidates and would be able to attend and help out at the preparatory camp in around two months. The 2 days with the Flyers were unforgettable for the 12-year-old: “I still have a lot to process. But it was a great experience and the reward for years of work in which I had to set aside and invest a lot. “I absorbed and learned more in the 41 days in Philadelphia than in 12 years in Europe,” enthuses Goller.

The Castelrotto native gained valuable experience in the Flyers' training center.

It all started in Kaltern 15 years ago, after Goller had already ended his mixed goalkeeping career at the age of 25. Egon Schenk was a coach at SV Kaltern at the time and brought the then very young Kastelruth native, who had already worked with young goalies during his time as a goalkeeper, into the team as goalkeeper coach. Goller, who “actually never had any intention of becoming a coach,” then went to EV Bozen, Meran and HC Bozen. He also looked after the goalkeepers for Italy's U20 and U18 teams and was also assistant coach of the Lithuanian national team.

Via EHC Bregenzerwald, with whom he won the INL title in the 2015/16 season, Val Gardena, Cortina, Vipiteno and Bad Tölz, Goller ended up as goalie coach at the Vienna Capitals in the ICEHL in November 2022. There he accompanied Bernhard Starkbaum through his last season and looked after Vienna's regular number 2, Stefan Steen.

The Swede is now one of 15 private customers that Goller serves with his company “DGGoaltending”. In addition to Steen, he also has, among others, ex-Pusterer Jerry Kuhn, ex-Fassan Adam Vay and the up-and-coming Hungarian young goalkeeper Beni Halasz under his wing. “I visit my clients at their clubs from time to time. They send me videos of their games. I then analyze these and send you my feedback. I also send them exercises,” says Goller, describing the work he does with his private customers.

The father of three is in active contact with the Montreal Canadiens goalkeeper coach Eric Rymond and also works as a consultant: “I am constantly contacted by clubs about different goalkeepers. I then give my assessments and opinions about the respective goalie. In this scouting report, I analyze, among other things, the talent, skills, but also the price-performance ratio and the character of the respective goalkeeper.”

Since this year, goalkeeper coach at the Nuremberg Ice Tigers After his “guest appearance” in Vienna, Goller made the jump to the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) this spring, where he looks after the goalkeepers for the Nuremberg Ice Tigers. “Philip Lehr, with whom I worked in Bad Tölz, put me in touch with Niklas Treutle. He was very interested in working together, which is why Nuremberg's sports director Stefan Ustorf contacted me. We were immediately on the same wavelength and quickly agreed. I really liked the young team. I am aware that we will have a difficult time this winter,” assures the Nuremberg goalkeeper coach.

The original plan was for Goller to spend around 10 days with the Ice Tigers per month. But that quickly turned into 3 weeks. “Head coach Tom Rowe, who was already on the boards at EHC Linz, expressed his wish after 5 days in the training camp that he would like to have me with the team longer. That's why we doubled the days. I spend the 4th week of the month at home in Castelrotto with my family. I also have my office there, where a lot of work awaits me,” explains Goller.

Daniel Goller (right) at his work at the Nuremberg Ice Tigers with former German national goalkeeper Niklas Treutle.

He has taken part in numerous symposiums and goalkeeper camps in the past. He took something from everyone and still went his own way. “I have long understood that I have to work individually with the goalkeepers. That's why I take care of one goalie before the start of training and the other goalie after the end of training. I give tips, but I have a lot of conversations. “This means I can respond much better to each individual’s needs,” says Goller, describing his work.

This work recently reached its peak on NHL ice and will soon be continued. “The collaboration with the Flyers is not over yet. I can soon go back to Philadelphia, where I can gain valuable experience with the AHL team for around two weeks. I was also given the prospect of being able to take part in the development camp in July of next year. “I should also keep my eyes open for European goalkeepers in the next NHL draft,” says Goller happily.

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A Castelrotto native and his NHL adventure

The 41-year-old goalkeeper coach Daniel Goller from Castelrotto is gaining valuable experience in the Philadelphia Flyers' training camp.

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