Pekka Rautakallio: "The level of the teams is high and the Spengler Cup matches will certainly help us improve our game and get good league results in the KHL in the new year"

Pekka Rautakallio has left his mark on Swiss hockey both as a player and as a coach of four Swiss national league teams. This year he's returning to Switzerland for the Christmas season and wants to win the Spengler Cup with Dinamo Riga. It would be the first Spengler Cup win for a team from the Latvian capital.

Pekka Rautakallio, because of the Spengler Cup you will be spending the Christmas season in Switzerland this year. Are you looking forward to these days in Davos?

Rautakallio: Yes, very much so. Several factors make participating in the Spengler Cup very special. It is a great opportunity and the tournament is very motivating. The level of the teams is high and the Spengler Cup matches will certainly help us improve our game and get good league results in the KHL in the new year. Another reason why this Christmas season in Davos will be a special experience for us is the fact that we'll get to bring our families along.

Dinamo Riga is gathering momentum and recently beat the team of OHK Dynamo, which is currently ranked sixth in the KHL. Has your team got back on track?

Our main challenge is that we have a rather small squad. And unfortunately, several of our players have recently been out injured, which has made our team quite unstable. But once our injured players are ready to get back into the action on the ice, we will be stronger again. Also, morale within our team is good and all the players fight and give all they have because they only have one goal: They want to win.

You've recently signed Jakub Sindel, a new forward. What do you expect from this signing?

He's playing well and is doing a good job at the moment. Sindel is a very friendly and likeable person, and he has found his place within our team quickly. He currently plays as a center, which is not his favourite position as he's more of a sniper, a real goal scorer. We therefore hope that he'll also please us with his future performances.

What are your goals for both the KHL season and the Spengler Cup?

I only have one goal: I want to win, just like any other coach. In the KHL, we not only want to make it to the play-offs, we also want to play well and get as far as possible. Winning the Spengler Cup is another goal of ours. Every single game will be crucial to achieve this, because any team participating in this tournament is also a favourite to win it.