Bad Tölz - it was difficult.
Because even the DEL clubs were still looking for new strikers, because some Canadians preferred to stay at home given the uncertain circumstances.
Seen in this way, the Tölzer Löwen can be extremely satisfied with their likely last new commitment for the coming season in the DEL 2: Striker Grant Besse is now wearing the black and yellow body.
The US-American occupies the fourth and last quota position this season with the Buam, is no stranger to German ice hockey and does not burden the budget excessively despite the DEL past: There is money left over from the termination of Max French's contract to pay his salary.
The best striker of the preseason in the league ended his career because of an injury (we reported).
Top scorer at DEL Club Krefeld Pinguins
Besse has the best prerequisites to become a good French substitute.
The 27-year-old last played for the Vienna Capitals in the IceHL.
He knows Germany from the 2019/20 season, when he played for the Krefeld Pinguine and was the DEL club's top scorer with 20 goals.
“I wanted to go back to Germany and felt very comfortable here.
When the opportunity arose to go to Tölz, I immediately struck, ”says Besse.
"I am sure that this is a good step for me and will do everything I can to help the team." He did that shortly after his arrival, when he was on the ice with the lions for training yesterday on a direct route from the airport with the lions went.
He has quality and knows where the goal is
Löwen boss Jürgen Rumrich to the Tölzer newcomer Besse
Löwen boss Jürgen Rumrich is relieved that the search has ended successfully. “We are very happy that he is here. It has its quality and knows where the goal is, ”says the managing director of the Tölzer Eissport-Gesellschaft. "That's exactly what we were looking for." Someone who had a top education, scored 93 points in 31 games in his first high school season, and was named Minnesota State's best student player in 2013. In the 2013 NHL draft, the Anaheim Ducks secured the rights to Besse in the fifth round. The 27-year-old, who is number 68 in the Lions, started his professional career in 2017 in the ECHL, where he impressed the Norfolk Admirals with 62 points in as many games. After guest appearances in the AHL, he confirmed his good performance with the South Carolina Stingrays: 60 games, 62 points.He scored better in the two years than a certain Reid Gardiner, for example.
In the play-offs semi-finals with Vienna Capitals
In the preseason, Besse first played for IF Björklöven in the second Swedish league, before he strengthened the capitals from the Austrian capital Vienna for the play-offs in the multinational IceHL and moved into the semi-finals with them.
“I only moved to Sweden in December, so it was difficult to get into the team in the middle of the season.” In Tölz he has been there from the start.
Squad Tölzer Löwen
Gate:
Wölfl, Hölzl;
Defense:
Brady, Bohac, Götz, Eberhardt, Leitner, Hörmann, Horschel;
Sturm:
Spiro, Dibelka, Besse, Schlager, Sedlmayr, Merl, McNeely, Brandl, Ott, Engel.
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Versatility is the key: New Leo Cam Spiro plays good passes, has an overview and is dangerous for goals