“Not good what's going on here”
The large DEG slides stunned to the abyss
Düsseldorfer eG is an ice hockey institution, one of the draft horses of the DEL. But the traditional association faces the abyss: the eight -time German champion threatens the descent, which can still be crashed.
After the painful deep strike, the listed players of Düsseldorfer eG took off the insults of their own fans, then they disappeared into the cabin – and may only return to the ice of the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) once. Because the descent of the old master is imminent: After the 1: 5 debacle in the fully-called “game of the year” at the direct competitor Augsburg panther, the deeply fell-fallen traditional club can no longer create relegation on its own.
“We had been in my hand for two weeks, and we just screwed it up every time, every match ball,” said striker Laurin Braun at Magenta Sport and added at a loss: “It's just not good for what's going on here.” Even more: A catastrophe is bought – for the eight -time master, to whom an uncertain future threatens in the second class, and for the league that could lose one of her greatest figureheads.
“Club and city abandoned”
With a victory in the perhaps most important game in the recent club history since the foundation of the DEL, DEG could have got rid of all relegation concerns and could survive a completely messed up season with a big blue eye. But although Braun had promised to appear in Augsburg “with 110 percent” like in “Game Seven in the Finale” or in the “Game of the Year”, the Düsseldorfers did not deliver as so often during this season. “We let the club, the city and the story down,” said top scorer Brendan O'Donnell in magenta. That could have fatal consequences.
Because the DEG, which was still seven points ahead of Augsburg at the end of January, is again dependent on the bottom of the table due to its catastrophic goal difference before the last match day. In the home game on Friday (7.30 p.m./Magenta Sport) Against the Grizzlys Wolfsburg, who are still fighting to move into the playoffs, more points have to be found than at the same time for Augsburg at the already saved Iserlohn Roosters.
“Faith and hope die last,” said Braun – it sounded like whistling in the forest: “We have to win and then hope that Iserlohn will give us a gift.” The fact that the small Westrival, which is associated with mutual aversion, is the last hope is all about this 58th first division season of the DEG – which could be the last for the time being. Because unlike 25 years ago, when the Düsseldorf team could easily return to the DEL after two volunteers in the second class, they would now have to get rid of it in terms of sport.
Future is completely open
The Krefeld Penguins, who already take the third attempt after their relegation in 2022, experience how difficult this is. The DEG is not really prepared. Shareholder Jens Thiermann, who shot money for reinforcements after the financial problems at the beginning of the season, has only announced an additional million sum as a new main sponsor for relegation.
In the event of relegation, Düsseldorf would be there without a player. “All contracts only apply to the DEL,” said manager Niki Mondt. And managing director Harald Wirtz admitted with disarming openness: “We are currently not worried about what happens when this occurs.” Nobody can answer how long with its large and expensive hall in the DEL2 with its large and expensive hall in the DEL2.
