Erding Ice Age finally over

Created: 05/02/2022, 10:00 am

By: Wolfgang Krzizok

Two go (from right): Press spokesman David Whitney said goodbye to Maxi Knallinger and Marko Babic.

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At the closing ceremony, the Erding Gladiators drew a line under the past season and also looked ahead.

Erding – At the closing ceremony, which was moved to the ice rink at short notice due to the bad weather, the focus was on the presentation of the new coach Andy Becher (we reported) and the introduction of the first newcomer Simon Franz.

Department head Michael Westphal opened the evening with a review of a "difficult season", which was primarily due to Corona.

Of course you wanted to reach the promotion round and were ultimately disappointed with the performance.

The ice hockey department was particularly pleased about the three-star certification from the German Ice Hockey Association (DEB).

"We will be able to reap the fruits in ten or fifteen years," predicted Westphal.

As far as the Bavarian league squad is concerned, the goal and the aspiration to play at the front in the coming season is also there.

However, the head of department emphasized that the Oberliga "is not an issue at the moment".

To do this, the budget would have to be almost doubled, which is currently impossible.

Team of the year 2019: With a little delay, EA/DA editor Wolfgang Krzizok (front, left) presented the 2019 readers' choice trophy to Captain Philipp Michl (back, center) and the Gladiators team.

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With Marko Babic and Maxi Knallinger, two players were then said goodbye who will no longer be in the Gladiators squad in the coming season.

The 21-year-old Knallinger hardly got any ice time in the Bavarian league team last season and is expected to gain a league of deep match practice - a return is not out of the question.

The 30-year-old Babic, who lives near Ingolstadt, will end his career for professional reasons.

"At most Ingolstadt AH," he said with a grin, "I've only got a few kilometers there".

Babic promised that he would definitely come to one or the other Gladiator game.

The long-standing supervisor Heinz Grüner, who had to give up his position for health reasons, was then also said goodbye.

"In future I'll be sitting in the stands and no longer standing behind the gang," he said, adding: "But of course I'll help out." After ice hockey veteran Hans Gaigl, who has held various positions in the club since the department was founded was subsequently honored for his 70th birthday, the new coach Andy Becher entered the stage and introduced himself to the fans to great applause.

One is coming: Simon Franz, who is moving from ESC Dorfen, was introduced as the first Gladiators newcomer.

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There was no less applause for the first newcomer, Simon Franz. The 20-year-old defense giant is a true Landshut native.

In his last DNL year, he played one game for Deggendorf and 24 games for Passau as a promotional license player in the Oberliga.

Last season, Franz was in the service of Bayernliga competitor ESC Dorfen, where he collected an impressive 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) in 33 games.

The fact that he has now moved to Erding “is primarily related to the driving,” said the 20-year-old, who lives in Landshut and studies in Freising.

"Erding is simply better there." Gladiators spokesman David Whitney then announced that further squad news would be announced shortly "as soon as the ink is dry".

At the end of a successful evening, the home clothes were auctioned off.

To everyone's surprise, youngster Erik Modlmayr's jersey fetched the highest price at 230 euros.