Second place isn’t good enough for Brasov.
Brasov started the season strong last year but some internal problems between the management, the coaching staff and the players derailed the season. Coach Greg Lindqvist was relived of his duties and Josh Bonar left the team as well, once the dust was settled the new coach Kari Rauhanen brought Lindqvist back as his assistant and the team made a late season playoff push that they rode all the way to a game six loss in the finals. Not many had expected this.
It is a new season now and one can argue that Brasov has a new team for the upcoming season. Behind the bench Rauhanen has moved on to Romanian club Galati and taking his place is Miroslav Ihnacak. Ihnacak as a player had played for the Maple Leafs and the Red Wings and as a player has coached in the top Slovak league.
“I think we have a lot more experienced team, last year we had pretty small players but during the summer we got some big boys which gives us more opportunities on the ice” said Juha Hietamäki.
Last season the team rode the coattails of goalie Patrik Polc to the finals, the team also has a very capable backup in Rajmund Fülöp in case Polc gets injured or is fatigued.
On defense last season Brasov relied a lot on the scoring duo of Juha Hietamäki and Kevin Wehrs, Hietamäki is back for a third season in Brasov but Wehrs has moved on to greener pastures in the EBEL playing for Fehérvár AV 19. Also leaving the team and joining another league is Zsolt Mastaleriu who will be playing for Oxford in England. The defensive unit overall did get better since the team signed two Slovak extra league players in Jaroslav Obsut who played in the NHL and Richard Filip who is back for a second stint in Brasov.
The forward lines should be stronger with only really Roberto Gliga leaving for France, however the team brought in some scoring power in Hungarian national team forward Árpád Mihály who returns to Transylvania after spending the last handful of seasons in Székesfehérvár. Another addition is Peter Klouda from the Slovak extra league. Csanád Fodor was with the team at the end of the season after leaving Ferencváros but since he started the season at Fradi as a Hungarian he was counted as an import player with Brasov. This season he is a Romanian and should not have any problem finding playing time.
Brasov has a very good chance at getting back to the league finals.
“Fans should expect better games from us and also I think league skill level is better than ever so games are going to be more interesting! This season our strength is that we are not just fast or physical,we have good mix of speed,hits and good hands.. it will be interesting finally start season after long preseason,” said Hietamäki.