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Goalie Janick Schwanderner runs hot at the Dresdner Eislöwen.
At the Christmas market on Dresden’s Altmarkt it smells like all kinds of delicacies. Even with this nasty weather a few days before Christmas, it’s a feel-good place for Janick Schwandern. He lives right around the corner, “that’s why I come here every day,” he says with a grin. The people of Graubünden are connoisseurs, they know which stands have the best food. “The mulled wine tastes good everywhere anyway.”
Schwender has fallen in love. In the historic city in eastern Germany. into life here. And back to hockey too. He is playing the second season with the Eislöwen Dresden in the DEL 2 and recently extended his contract by two years until 2025. To understand what this appreciation here means for the 30-year-old, you have to know how things have been for him in Switzerland over the past ten years.
The goalkeeper is part of the SCB champion team in 2016 and won the Spengler Cup in 2014 with Servette – but he never makes it into the limelight. Growing up in Klosters GR, HC Davos is his regular club. Although Schwender is always said to have a lot of talent, he doesn’t get a real chance to impose himself for NL tasks. Because someone stood in front of him for years: Leonardo Genoni.
From 2007 the champion goalie will play for HCD. From 2008, Junior Schwanderner has been training with the professional team. “There was never a sign that a bet would jump out.” In the three seasons starting in 2011, the homegrown player plays one, then three and seven games. In 2013/14, the club would rather bring in a foreigner in Finland’s Mika Noronen than rely on Schhrender.
Slowly he doesn’t feel like it anymore and gets caught in a negative spiral. “I noticed that too. The joy of holding the puck in training was gone. I always say: I didn’t have puberty as a teenager, but as a goalie.”
Again Genoni faces the sun
Goalie trainer legend Marcel Kull also realizes that something has to change for the young goalkeeper, who would otherwise be burned out. The inglorious 2014/15 season follows, after which even the transfer rule is adjusted because of Schwandern. HCD lends him to three different clubs: first Thurgau, then Servette and Kloten. About what many goalies would see as a deportation, Schwanderner says: “It was great. I was glad that I could leave Davos. I was never allowed to play. And suddenly I experienced so many impressions.”
Schwender is looking forward to new things. He moves to SCB. In the year after which the Marco Bührer era ended. But in Bern he struggles with himself. The pressure and expectations at a big club bother him. “Mentally it was difficult. I was never really introduced to the big stage.” Because Bührer is no longer enough and Schwandernr is not enough, Bern becomes champion with the Czech Jakub Stepanek.
That’s why SCB signed a new goalkeeper in 2016: Genoni. At the time, he even called Schwandernr to apologize. But he doesn’t quarrel. «Of course I would have liked to earn hundreds of thousands and become a superstar like him. It was bad luck for me, but I learned from the best.” After a season with the SCRJ Lakers, Schwandernner finally finds peace in the Swiss League near Thurgau. But that doesn’t last long.
Deaf tomcat Bruno taken to my heart
Before he continues, and as the cold slowly creeps into his limbs, it’s time to warm up in one of Schwandernner’s favorite cafés. But before that there has to be a short detour to his two-room apartment. The reason for this has pitch-black fur and green eyes: Bruno the cat has been the new roommate for a week. “I have a guilty conscience if I’m gone too long.” When the Graubünden native opens the door, the 15-month-old four-legged friend does not immediately come towards him. «Bruno hasn’t heard that we’ve come home. He’s deaf, »explains Schwanderner.
According to him, fate brought them together during a photo shoot for a charity campaign. The Dresden players pose for a calendar of home dogs yet to be adopted. Then Schwender sees the advertisement that the tomcat Bruno is also looking for a new home. The single loves cats. “The way Bruno’s character was described was so heartwarming.” And that Bruno is deaf fits too. “When I play the guitar, it doesn’t bother him at all.” The goalie is a hobby guitarist and owns four electric guitars. When he finds the cat under his bed, he immediately comes out and follows his new owner onto the cozy sofa to cuddle. Schwendener decided not to have a Christmas tree over the festive season so that the young tomcat doesn’t wreak havoc. “Bruno has a master’s life with me,” he smiles.
Fall out with the Thurgau coach
At Thurgau, however, Schwandernner lost his laughter at the time, he had to leave the club after three seasons and despite the ongoing contract. Everything is great in the first year, then he falls out with coach Stefan Mair (It). “We had a lot of differences of opinion and at some point we just yelled at each other.” He’s just not easy, says the Grisons. But that’s not true. In the hour-long conversations with SonntagsBlick, it quickly becomes clear: Schwandernner wears his heart on his sleeve. He says what he thinks. But not in an evil or even arrogant way. But with a likeable openness and honesty. Even if something doesn’t suit him.
In Dresden, however, everything fits for him there. After a DEL season, he ended up at Iserlohn with the Eislöwen. And in our neighboring country because he applied for a German passport thanks to his German-born mother Susanne. “It cost 90 francs and after two weeks I held it in my hand.” This idea, in the midst of the lack of prospects in Switzerland, opens the door to new hockey bliss for Schwandern. “He’s been a fan favorite from the start,” assures Konrad Augustin, Ice Lion’s press officer.
The Graubünden native speaks his way into the hearts of the fans with his open and down-to-earth manner when he reveals his love for coffee and cake in a podcast. Since then he has been given the local cake specialty Eierschecke every now and then. In the “Wilma Wunder” he now prefers to order carrot cake with his coffee.
And things are going well in terms of sport, too – because he feels at home in Dresden and gains their trust. Last season he was named “Goalie of the Year”. The committed Schwandernner is the backbone of the young team. “This group is so motivated, we have fun every day.” And he’s back at hockey too. This looseness brings about that top performance in Schwandernder, which was previously denied to him due to the crampedness. “I look forward to every game, I’ve never had that in my whole life.”
National League 22/23
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