From grizzly to steeler
Created: 12/30/2021, 1:00 PM
By: Wolfgang Krzizok
Feels comfortable in the new jersey: Valentin Busch (r.), Here pursued by Victor Svensson, celebrated a successful debut in the 3-0 win for the Bietigheim Steelers at the Düsseldorfer EG.
© Imago Images / Horstmüller
Valentin Busch changed clubs somewhat surprisingly.
Erding - And suddenly everything happened very quickly: Ice hockey professional Valentin Busch has switched from the Wolfsburg Grizzlies to the Bietigheim Steelers within the German Ice Hockey League (DEL).
He celebrated his debut on Christmas Day with a 3-0 win in Düsseldorf, "and I finally had a lot of ice age again," said the 23-year-old happily.
Born in Erdinger, who learned the basics of ice hockey at TSV, ended up at the DEL Club Nuremberg Icetigers at the age of 18 after having worked at EV Landshut and Red Bull Hockey Academy. The 23-year-old has now played 124 DEL games for Nuremberg, Wolfsburg and now Bietigheim (24 scorer points) and played 131 times for Bayreuth and Kassel in DEL 2 (45 points). In the 2016/17 season he was voted “Rookie of the Year” in DEL 2. In addition, he was in all German youth national teams and played in world championships. Busch celebrated his greatest success last season when he reached the final of the German championship with the Grizzlies, but failed there because of the Eisbären Berlin.
That was the strongest season so far for the young Erdinger, who at the time was even part of the extended group of the senior national team, but was deprived of his first international match by the corona virus. “Two days after the nomination, I was caught by the virus, and then things didn't go as well for me as before,” says Busch. "I noticed it especially in the endurance." Meanwhile, he no longer feels any after-effects.
He had actually hoped to be able to build on his performance from the previous season, but this year the 23-year-old didn’t work at all. "At first I got a concussion, I was out for a while," says Busch. "And after that I didn't play as much." Which was obviously also due to the fact that head coach Mike Stewart and the two assistant coaches Gary Shuchuk and Tyler Haskins put more emphasis on the foreign players - and their success proved them to be right. “The foreigners simply played well, and Wolfsburg is at least third,” said Busch. Most recently, Erdinger's place was in the stands at the games, so that - after a request from Bietigheim - agreed a few days ago to terminate the contract. "Without a bad word or anger," as the 23-year-old emphasizes."Because I felt very comfortable in Wolfsburg and always got on really well with everyone."
Busch made his debut at his new club on Christmas Day - promptly there was a rather unexpected 3-0 in Düsseldorf. "I played through and had a lot of ice age, but at the beginning it was difficult to get back in," said the winger, describing his first appearance for the Steelers. "I deliberately kept my game easy and did not do any complicated things." The 23-year-old is certain: "One or two more games, then I should be completely at it again."
Busch will move into his own apartment next week; at the moment he lives in a shared apartment with goalkeeper Leon Doubrawa.
He also comes from the Erdinger offspring, “and we've already talked about Erdinger ice hockey,” says Busch, who is already very comfortable with the Steelers: “There are also a few Rosenheimers and Tölzers in the team, and I'm really well received here been. "
