Fred Brathwaite, the 37-year old, black goalkeeper of Team Canada, has played for no less than 13 teams. And he owes a lot to the Spengler Cup - maybe even more after this year's edition?

''That was a long time ago''

In the 1998 Spengler Cup, Fred Brathwaite was elected best player of the tournament. And rightly so: Team Canada and his saves drove the opponents to despair. "Oh, that was a long time ago - but I can still remember it very well."

With spectacular wins, such as a 5:2 victory over hosts HC Davos in the final, the maple leafs conquered the hearts of fans and spectators.

Team Canada - Stepping Stone to the NHL

Brathwaite used this triumph as a stepping stone for his career. He hadn't been able to make it to the first team of the Edmonton Oilers and his career had stalled. After the Spengler Cup victory, 1999 would see his big breakthrough: He caught the attention of the Calgary Flames and, after just a few games with their farm team, he made it to the first team and played in the Saddledome. "It was a dream come true for me, and our victory at the Spengler Cup was an important part of that."

After a total 110 games for the Flames, he went on to play for St. Louis and the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he wasn't happy. In 2004, the Russian top club Bars Kazan wanted him; however, he started to have doubts. Should he really leave his home country and play in Europe?

"The NHL Is Still My Dream"

"Before, I'd never thought I would play in Europe", says Brathwaite. But the goalkeeper took the risk. He didn't regret it and won the national championship with Bars Kazan in 2006. After a short return to North America, where he played for the Chicago Wolves in the AHL, he changed back to Russia (Avangard Omsk) before moving on to the German club Adler Mannheim in 2008. Despite, or because of, his age of 37 years, he was elected best goalkeeper of the last season in Germany.

Brathwaite doesn't think of ending his career yet, and he has a contract with Mannheim until 2011. Therefore, will he end his career in Germany? "You never know what's going to happen. The NHL is still my dream." He would like to go on playing as long as possible even though he has to take care of his body.

Realism - But the Dream Lives On

Maybe the Spengler Cup will help him continue his career in the NHL. Brathwaite is realistic and doesn't think that will happen. Winning the tournament is the main goal and nothing is going to change that. "I think our chances aren't bad, and we have a lot of potential that we haven't fully exhausted in the DEL yet." Will he put this into practice? Soon, we will see...