The peace itself – in the midst of the euphoria

Since you are not amazed, the Blue Jackets. Because their last game had been a week and John Tortorella was concerned that the pace and rhythm would soon be lost, became the head coach of the Training in an internal test match – the doors of Nationwide Arena remained open, might see a few curious people passing by.

There were 5000 Fans. In Columbus! Where is the euphoria for ice hockey was not always large, since the blue jackets in 2000 in their first NHL season rose. But now, in April of 2019, all of a sudden everything is different.

Now the crowd gets a C-B-J chant going #CBJ pic.twitter.com/Q1V1GE27ic

— Jeff Svoboda (@jacket insider) 22. April 2019

"That was cool!", also Dean Kukan says. The 25-year-old from Zurich, not since the days of the Amazement, the good experiences chasing in high speed. Just for the Swiss defender is in the well-portioned remedies for a season, in the very long time, nothing went according to his Gusto. Kukan was in the 82 games long qualification only 25 times to join in, otherwise, he was perfect, saw the games from the stands.

Playoff like in a dream

now, However, Columbus has won its first playoff series, after the Blue Jackets as a 16. and the last Team had ever reached the battle for the Stanley Cup 2019. They beat with Tampa, of all places, the Team had equalised in the Regular Season with 62 Victories for the 23-year-old, untouchable-held record of the Detroit Red Wings – they did it with a 4:0 Win. It is the perhaps the biggest Playoff Sensation of the NHL at all.

On the social network Twitter had said a basically verbal ruckus-oriented, but even under the NHL professionals of well-known parody Account of the former professionals, Dany Heatley 4:0 for Columbus advance. "He was the Only one", says Kukan and laughs. "We have always believed in the victory," he added seriously, "otherwise, he would not have been possible. But a 4:0-tip, would have been extreme."

Columbus in 4.

— Big Heat (@DanyAllstar15) 10. April 2019

Kukan and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Almost everything is in this Story too good to be true. Also, the increase in running in the series. Because as a Tampa in game 1 after a 20-crass-run 3 minutes:0 is superior to led, everything seemed to go in the expected direction.

The Pause between the Start and the middle third of the opening game was the Moment that was for Kukan in retrospect, decisively: "It took this first third. In Tampa, you believed now, it would go in the Playoff just as easily as in the qualification. And at us in the dressing room, the Leader took the floor, said: this can't go on!" Columbus turned the game and won 4:3, there are three further victories: 5:1, 3:1, 7:3 – the big Dominator Tampa followed was disenchanted. Kukan: "With the first victory of our self-confidence grew, as we knew it: We can beat them!"

Dean Kukan in Action. (Image by Patrick Smith/)

More ice age – thanks in part to Kutscherows Foul

for Kukan it was from Match to Match better. After a nervous start, he found his quiet game again, and was rewarded by Tortorella with more and more ice time. Since in game 2 of the Finn Markus Nutivaara was after a frustration foul of Tampa's starting striker and NHL Topskorer Nikita Kutscherow injured, Kukan taken its place in the second defender to Pair alongside David Savard. "For me it is just incredible that I can play in the Playoff," says Zürcher. "Had told me that someone in mid-season, I would not have believed it."

The Foul by Nikita Kutscherow in game 2 of Markus Nutivaara. The Russian of Tampa was suspended for game 3, the fin of the Blue Jackets is since then – Dean Kukan, inherited his place.

This rest Kukans, which is emphasized in Columbus, the coaches and the media, in unison, helps him on the ice: "it was always so, I had been in the juniors rarely panic in the game", says Kukan. The rest, she has him but also off the ice: "I'm sure those who talks the least in our Team." Also, this is nothing New, he says with a laugh: "The rest is in my blood. I was always one who does not speak much – my sister is the opposite ..."

The rest, you are likely to have also helped, as he was in qualifying again and again for nothing. Two other things as well – perseverance: "I trained hard. Then I received a month ago in a game in Vancouver suddenly have a Chance. Since then, I have never been more superfluous." The other is a model in its own Team, "defenseman Scott Harrington, the exact Same as the one I experienced a year ago. Now he is a regular player."

The advice of the agent

detours knows Kukan anyway. When he saw in 2011 with 17 for the ZSC Lions in a sporting cul-de-SAC, he decided, in spite of the running contract for an exchange. A Transfer within Switzerland has not been granted to him by the Club, so there was only one question: Canada or Sweden? Kukan remembers: "My Agent Louis Timothy recommended me to Sweden."

Kukan disappeared from the Radar of most of the Swiss ice hockey fans, but the exchange to Lulea became the most important step in his career: "I made in the four years there, my biggest progress, especially in the first two seasons under Junior coach Petter Nilsson. He showed me how good I can be and how my game is supposed to be."

Dean Kukan carries the Puck into the Zone, the Tampa Bay Lightning. (Photo: Kirk Irwin/)

Today, Kukan as a NHL player Interviews, but those times he has not forgotten. Also in the Episode, when he was lent by Lulea in the second highest League in Sweden to a Club with the name Tingsryds – coached, in the meantime, also be a conveyor Nilsson: "Beautiful times", says Kukan, who was drafted in the NHL never. His achievements in Sweden, aroused the interest in Columbus.

the warnings of The emotional Coaches

And so back to the present, to the euphoria in Columbus, describes the Kukan "is becoming bigger and bigger and is now incredibly". In the night of Friday, when the second starts round series in Boston, it must be so at least in the Team over. "Our coach spoke to last exactly", says Kukan. "We cannot withdraw now. We continue playing this way against Tampa, then it comes good."

Tortorella is probably the most emotional head coach in the NHL, his Interviews, and sayings to the media are notorious for years. His message to the Team before the series against Tampa, however, is simple: don't be afraid to have to work harder.

???? VOLUME UP ???? the

Think this fiery Torts pep talk had anything to do with the @BlueJacketsNHL comeback??? #CBJ pic.twitter.com/gmhAAyVXz1

— FOX Sports Ohio (@FOXSportsOH) 11. April 2019

"we have done", says Kukan. "We showed that You not just with Skills, you have to be as a Team, a hard-working unit." The Swiss in particular praises the colleagues in the storm: "you were aggressive in the Forechecking and in the back checking. We allowed Tampa so hardly 3-on-2 or 2-on-1 counterattack."

angered by A selection of the best moments of John Tortorellas with the media – but also with enemies: want to the beginning of the video he is in a third break in the dressing room of the Calgary Flames storms – as Coach of the Vancouver Canucks notabene ...

also, Tortorella should have been happy. Kukan called him "Torts," such as all in the hockey cosmos North America to do – he describes his Coach as "to all players exactly the same honest Trainer. If you don't play well, you get to hear from him, no matter who you are." And Yes, "Torts-claims" were it not for the players: "if it's going well ..."

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 25.04.2019, at 18:22