In Antwort auf:
03/13/2005
THE EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE
Coming to Europe this hockey season, I had asked people what to expect, whether it was on or off the ice. I got different responses from everyone, whether the insight was about the game itself, or the lifestyle.
But I don’t think anyone can really prepare you for a different style of hockey, or another lifestyle. You must experience those changes first-hand, as I’ve done this past year in Germany.
After many years of pro, university and junior hockey in North America, the biggest adjustment that I had to make was playing the European game, or the international game, as it’s commonly known. That transition proved to be more difficult than anticipated.
The culture and the food are a little different from North America. Europeans have certain foods that they like, such as sausage, and there’s a lot of pork. There isn’t a large selection of beef, but it’s not as if it doesn’t exist. You can pretty much find the same type of food in Europe that you can get in North America.
As I mentioned, the major adjustment was hockey. With the ice surface being so much bigger, the game is completely different. Hockey in Europe is less physical than the North American game.
For the most part, everyone in European hockey can skate well, especially the forwards. With the league being less physical and there being more room on the ice, each player has more space to be creative, and the skilled players really shine.
The mix of skilled players and big ice surfaces means you have to adjust to play a game where you don’t take the body as much. It becomes more of a containment game.
You might not be able to jump at someone so quickly as to eliminate him from the play. You may have to be a little more patient because you might easily get burned, as they say.
I thought I’d be able to adapt to the big ice rather easily, but I was given a rude awakening, at least in the beginning.
Playing hockey in Kassel is not like playing anywhere I’ve played before. The fans in Kassel are definitely second to none. They support you regardless of whether the team is winning or losing. When you’re playing terrible, they let you know it, and when you’re playing well, they pat you on the back. Win or lose, they come to the rink night in and night out.
Sometimes, the fervent fan following can be a little overwhelming. Europeans in general are very passionate about being fans. You could almost say it’s like a job for them. There have been games where I have seen fans standing and clapping and cheering for the entire game.
The excitement that surrounds such games is unlike anything I had seen. In North America, you get excitement from goals and hits and fights, but in Europe, there’s a buzz for the whole game.
It can be so loud at our games that it’s sometimes very difficult to communicate with other players on the ice. But it’s very exciting to play in such an atmosphere, whether you’re on the road or at home.
Overall, I must say the experience that I have had in Europe has been positive. Although our team has struggled this season, I’ve enjoyed myself. I’ve had to make a few adjustments, but in the end, you become a better person.
All Columns written by Kirk Furey
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