Maximilian Glötzl: Missed the play-offs, but learned a lot

Maximilian Glötzl was denied the play-offs this season - both with the Kölner Haien and the EC Bad Nauheim.

The 19-year-old from Peitinger nevertheless draws a positive conclusion.

Peiting - In contrast to his teammate from the German U20 team, Markus Schweiger, who plays in the play-offs with ESV Kaufbeuren, Maximilian Glötzl, the Kölner Haie ice hockey pro, who has a promotion license in the DEL2 at EC Bad Nauheim, was runs up, after the main round over. "That is bitter because the play-off games are confirmation of the hard work during the season", the recently 19-year-old Peitinger confessed after Bad Nauheim had to go into the summer break early in the DEL2 table.

"After we narrowly failed with Bad Nauheim, I had hoped that I would at least be able to sniff some play-off air with the Cologne Sharks," said Glötzl.

But this hope was not fulfilled either, as the Domstadt team, as sixth in the North group in the DEL, also missed the knockout round of the best eight teams.

Maximilian Glötzl was also allowed to run four times in the DEL

“Ultimately, I was happy that I was able to play a season at all and that my personal development wasn't slowed down. Not all young German players were so lucky, ”said the defender after this very special season due to the corona. “The frequent quarantine measures and the tightly timed games left us little time for targeted training or longer periods of recovery. The physical and psychological strain was enormous, ”said Glötzl, who played 35 games in Bad Nauheim, in which he received nine goal grants. "It went really well up to December," said Glötzl.

When he and two other teammates traveled to Edmonton for the U20 World Cup, things went steadily downhill for the Hessians, who were third in the table at the time. “Still, I had a good time in Bad Nauheim. I got a lot of trust and Ice Age from coach Hannu Järvenpää. The change of coach to Harry Lange and Patrick Strauch also had no effect on my playing time, ”said Glötzl, who was in regular contact with the Kölner Haien and their coach Uwe Krupp.

The Peitinger was then allowed to sniff DEL air four times. "However, we agreed that the increased ice age in the DEL2 will help me further in my training than short assignments in the DEL," said Glötzl. For the defender from Peiting, the greater chances of playing in Bad Nauheim were more important. How things will go on for the 19-year-old, who extended his contract in Cologne some time ago, will be found out in the next few days. "Then discussions with those responsible for the sharks are on the program," revealed Glötzl.