Sandis Ozolins ist the oldest player at the Spengler Cup

From next Monday, 26 December, 150 players will be competing in the 2011 Spengler Cup. The youngest of them is 17, the oldest 39 years old. An interview that spans generations.

Lukas Sieber, forward (number 22), has been playing hockey since he was 4 years old. He learned to play the game with the junior teams of SC Rheintal and has considered the HC Davos players his role models since he was a kid. Since last May, he himself is one of them and has already scored his first Swiss national league goal for the club. When asked about the aims for his career, he says: “I would like to stay with HC Davos as long as possible. We have a great team and an excellent coach. I really like it here.”

Sandis Ozolins, defender (number 11), is back with Dinamo Riga, the club where he started to play hockey. Between 1992 and 2008, he played in the National Hockey League and won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996. In Latvia, he founded “Ozo Golf Club”; but he’s not preparing himself for a career after hockey yet: “Golf is more like a hobby to me, and this golf club is just one of my business activities,” he says.

How important is the Spengler Cup for you?

Lukas Sieber: I hope that I’ll get to play at the Spengler Cup this year. That would really be a great experience for me.

Sandis Ozolins: I played hockey in North America for 18 years. You don’t hear a lot about European hockey over there and the games in Switzerland are not in the news much. But now I know that the Spengler Cup is Europe’s oldest hockey club tournament and I’m looking forward to taking part in this important event. It'll be an interesting experience.

What is so special about the Spengler Cup?

Lukas Sieber: After playing 32 Swiss national league games, playing in the Swiss league is not so extraordinary anymore. But I suppose it'll be a very special feeling to play in the sold-out Vaillant Arena and I have to admit: I’m already getting a bit nervous when I think that the tournament will begin next Monday.

Sandis Ozolins: This is the first time in my 26-year career that we’re participating in a tournament in the middle of the season and are not just playing league games. This is indeed very special for me.

What are your personal goals for the Spengler Cup?

Lukas Sieber: So far, the game against the ZSC Lions to celebrate HC Davos’s 90th anniversary has been my greatest experience with the club. We had jerseys like those worn in the old days and I scored my first-ever national league goal in that match. It would be very nice if I could even exceed this with some good performances at the Spengler Cup.

Sandis Ozolins: We want to win the games and the tournament. This is our goal and that's why we're coming to Switzerland. I’m looking forward to playing against Team Canada, but I’d also like to see the other teams in action on the ice.

Who will win the Spengler Cup?

Lukas Sieber: Our goal is obvious – we want to win the tournament. I’m optimistic that our team will perform well and that we will play a good tournament. And who knows, maybe we’ll even win it.

Sandis Ozolins: That’s really hard to say – but I think: us! I really don’t know… We’ll first have to prepare ourselves for the games by watching videos of our opponents and studying their game. Right now, I honestly cannot give you a definite answer.

You’re the youngest of all Spengler Cup players this year. How does that feel?

Lukas Sieber: I’m glad about the trust that our coach puts in me. It’s a very nice feeling and it’s not something you’ll experience every day. It makes me proud and happy.

You’re the oldest player at the 2011 Spengler Cup…

Sandis Ozolins: … wow, I didn’t even know that!!

Will your long hockey experience be an advantage?

Sandis Ozolins: No, it’s certainly not an advantage, and it’s also not very important: one player alone doesn’t make a team – and one single player cannot make a really big difference. Much more important is how the team functions, that the players understand each other on the ice – age doesn’t really matter.

Is it difficult to play against players who are twice your age?

Lukas Sieber: Most opponents are superior to me physically. But I just play my game and don’t worry about what my opponents are doing. If you’re in good shape, it doesn’t matter against who you’re playing.