The Lusatian Fox squad is growing

–

white water. It’s a bit of a poker game year after year. Füchse Managing Director Dirk Rohrbach faces the difficult task of putting together a competitive squad at the end of the old season and, if possible, before the start of preparations for the new season. And the competition in the league is getting tougher due to the DEL relegated Krefeld: “I’m worried about the offers from Krefeld and some DEL 2 leagues,” says Dirk Rohrbach. Very strong teams are put together there.

The foxes’ budget is limited, two years overshadowed by Corona have not made the situation any easier. The question that Rohrbach, who works closely with coach Petteri Väkiparta on player signings, faces week after week: Sign this or that player now or would you rather wait because there might be bargains to be had?

The situation surrounding the Russian top league KHL, which was once intended to become the counterpart to the North American NHL with teams from Russia and Europe, is currently causing a lot of discussion. This league could “burst” due to the Ukraine war, and many players could also enter the German market. Due to the oversupply of players, prices could fall, in a kind of domino effect down to the second German league. So wait? Or would you rather be on the safe side early on so that you don’t have to add to the squad at short notice and at great expense later on?

Many young players already tied

This decision is relatively easy for the young players. The cooperation with the recently German champions Eisbären Berlin will be continued. In Weißwasser, young players get the chance to take their first steps in the professional field.

Daniel Visner, Ilija Fleischmann and Julian Wäser, who have already played for the foxes and most recently also became German DNL champions (age group U20), have signed a U21 sponsorship contract for the next two years in Upper Lusatia. The situation is similar for goalkeepers. This position will be filled in cooperation with the polar bears. Hungerecker and Ancicka had formed a strong goalkeeper duo in the past season. Hungerecker is now moving to Nuremberg, Ancicka is staying.

“The polar bears will sign another young German goalkeeper who will then also be used by us. And we are in talks with another goalkeeper,” says Dirk Rohrbach. One of the four possible foreign positions should not be sacrificed.

The foxes keep giving young players the chance, especially for the back rows. The 20-year-old Tim Detig, who came to Weißwasser from the young eagles in Mannheim in 2020, will storm for another year for the foxes. The 21-year-old striker Louis Anders, who comes from the Oberliga club in Erfurt and has already gained experience in the youth leagues in Canada and the USA, has been newly signed.

In addition, the 24-year-old defender Thomas Gauch moves from the Crocodiles Hamburg (Oberliga) to Lausitz. At 102 kilos and 1.94 meters tall, the defensive giant is the perfect size for a defender and has recently been a goal threat.

Waiting at two immigration offices

Toni Ritter, Steve Hanusch, captain Clarke Breitkreuz, Luis Müller and Jens Baxmann are still under contract with the foxes, but it is not yet certain whether he can continue playing after his serious eye injury. In addition, defender Dominic Bohac was signed for a second time (after 2015 to 2017).

In addition to Eric Valentin, top strikers Roope Mäkitalo and Hunter Garlent have also extended their contracts. This means that two of the four possible quota positions have been filled. “We’re taking our time with the other two foreign players because of the situation at the KHL, and we’re hoping that many players will be swept onto the market,” says the Füchse managing director, who is therefore now concentrating on signing German players.

His interim conclusion: “We’ve come a long way, but we’re not free of all our worries.”

The current squad of the Lusatian Foxes

Tor: still vacant
Defense: Hanusch, Baxmann (?), Bohac, Wäser, Gauch
Sturm: Ritter, Breitkreuz, Garlent, Mäkitalo, Luis Müller, Visner, Fleischmann,

–